In Buddhism, Nitten and Gatten belong to the category of heavenly deities known as *tenbu*, and are regarded as protectors of the Buddhist Dharma.

At the same time, sun gods and moon gods appear in mythologies throughout the world. In Japan, Amaterasu Ōmikami is revered as a solar deity, while Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto is known as a lunar deity.

As I explored the unique characteristics of sun and moon deities in various mythologies around the world, I found something fascinating: across many cultures, birds are often associated with the sun, while rabbits or hares are frequently connected with the moon. The image of the sun as a symbol of power and energy, and the moon as a symbol of mystery and elegance, seems to transcend national and cultural boundaries.


Baby Nitten

Nitten is a heavenly deity in Buddhism, regarded as a guardian deity who personifies the sun.

Sun deities appear in mythologies around the world: Amaterasu in Japan, Helios in Greek mythology, Ra in Egyptian mythology, Sól in Norse mythology, and Xihe in Chinese mythology. Their stories, genders, attributes, and appearances differ greatly from culture to culture.

Yet in almost every mythology, the sun is depicted as a great and powerful presence — one that illuminates the world, nurtures life, and embodies immense energy.

Birds are often found among the symbols deeply connected with the sun.

In Japan, the Yatagarasu, the three-legged crow, is known as a bird closely associated with the sun. In this work, however, I chose to represent a more universal image of the sun through the figure of the phoenix, or firebird, held gently in the arms of Baby Nitten.

The phoenix is an immortal bird that burns itself in flames and rises again. It symbolizes immortality, rebirth, eternity, and the cycle of life.

In the image of a small baby gently embracing the firebird — a symbol of blazing life — I sought to express the tremendous energy of the sun, and its role as the source from which all life is born.


Baby Gatten

Gatten is a heavenly deity in Buddhism, regarded as a guardian deity who personifies the moon.

Moon deities also appear in mythologies throughout the world: Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto in Japan, Selene in Greek mythology, Khonsu in Egyptian mythology, Máni in Norse mythology, and Chang’e in Chinese mythology.

Their stories and genders vary widely across cultures, yet in many mythologies the moon is portrayed as a presence that illuminates the night, marks the passage of time, and quietly watches over the inner world of human beings.

One animal deeply connected with the moon, and familiar in Japan as well, is the rabbit.

When I think of the “rabbit in the moon,” I imagine a soft, white, fluffy rabbit. Yet as I traced lunar imagery from around the world, I also found the figure of the wild hare, with its sharp gaze, appearing as a mysterious symbol of the moon.

In this work, I portrayed Gatten as a baby gently holding a rabbit, bathed in the soft light of the moonlit night.

If the sun is a light that shines outward and illuminates the world, then the moon is a light that shines within the darkness and illuminates the depths of the heart.

In the quiet smile of Baby Gatten, I sought to express the mystery and elegance of the night, and the image of the moon as a presence that gently stays close to the unseen.