Wood identification of Japanese Shinto deity statues in Matsunoo-taisha Shrine in Kyoto by synchrotron X-ray microtomography and conventional microscopy methods

Abstract

Research on the wood species of Japanese Buddhist statues has an over 60 years’ history and recently many Buddhist “Ichiboku” statues carved out of a single bole made from the Nara to Heian periods were scientifically revealed to be made of Torreya nucifera. Shinto deity statues in Japan, however, have not yet been investigated scientifically. Because many Shinto deity statues are enshrined behind closed doors, there are fewer opportunities to investigate them. To examine the differences and similarities in wood selection between Buddhist and Shinto deity statues, wood identification was conducted on the 11 Shinto deity statues of Matsunoo-taisha Shrine, Kyoto, Japan, using synchrotron X-ray microtomography and conventional microscopy methods. The results indicated two female deity statues with the ink inscriptions indicating the production year of 1143 were of Torreya nucifera, one female deity statue of Zelkova serrata, and the other eight statues, i.e., two female deity statues, four male deity statues and two priestly attire deity statues of Prunus s.l. spp.