"To-ji Meiho-ten," or the special autumn exhibition of To-ji Temple's treasures commemorating the 45th anniversary of opening of Houmotsukan Museum, started on September 20 at To-ji Temple in Minami Ward, Kyoto. A total of 63 paintings and crafts are on display, including the National Treasure, "Juniten Byobu," or a set of screens with the image of twelve deities.

"Juniten Byobu" was painted by Takuma Shoga, a Buddhist painter, in 1191. Twelve guardian deities of eight directions including north, south, east and west, heaven, earth, sun and moon are depicted. Each screen is 130 centimeters high and 42 centimeters wide. The set shows the tradition in which men dressed in the costumes of those deities paraded through towns for the ritual called "Kanjo" to initiate the public into the teachings of esoteric Buddhism.

The exhibition also features precious ritual utensils such as the Important Cultural Property, "Kondo-bakko," or a gilded bronze cymbal-like instrument made in the Kamakura Period, a Chinese gong and the Important Cultural Property, "Kondo-bachi," or a bronze bowl in which offerings are placed.

The exhibition continues until November 25. There is an admission fee. Items on display will be partially changed on October 22, and "Juniten Byobu" will be shown in two groups of six screens in the first and second halves of the exhibition.