KISSHOTEN A

This woodblock print depicts Kisshoten (also known as Kichijoten), the Buddhist goddess of beauty, fertility, and prosperity who was widely venerated in Japan from the Nara period onward. Unlike the wrathful deities that Sasajima also depicted, Kisshoten is a benevolent figure, typically shown in elegant Chinese-style robes holding a wish-fulfilling jewel. Sasajima's woodblock interpretation translates the goddess's serene iconography into carved and printed form, balancing the decorative detail of her garments against the simplicity that the medium encourages. The "A" designation suggests this is one of multiple versions, indicating that Sasajima explored the subject through repeated iterations. His Buddhist prints were not mere reproductions of temple imagery but personal engagements with sacred figures, informed by devotional practice as much as artistic ambition.