Heisei Era figure
- Gallery: Room 94
- Maker: Yazaemon VII
- Culture: Heisei Era
- Made in: Arita
- Date: 2015
- Object type: figure
- Materials: porcelain
- Museum number: 2015,3046.2
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is a vibrant porcelain figure known as "Sacobō," or color-painted lion dog—from the Heisei Era. Before you stands one of a pair of koma inu, spiritual guardian figurines often placed at the entrances of Shinto shrines. This one is part of a modern interpretation called “Edo Garden,” displayed at the 2015 Chelsea Flower Garden Show, where it won a Gold Prize. The figure's wide and striking use of red, gold, and black enamels catches the eye instantly. It’s molded and fired by Yazaemon VII, 7th generation master of the Arita Yazaemon kiln, with painting done by Komatsu Miwa. These lion dogs are not only guardians but also artful expressions of a deep spiritual and cultural tradition. Created in Arita, they stand as testaments to collaboration between master craftspeople and contemporary artists.
See it in person
Heisei Era figure is on display in Room 94 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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