The Baby Series was born from the idea that if gods are part of the cycle of rebirth, then surely they, too, must have once had a moment of birth—a time of childhood.
These works imagine deities and bodhisattvas, long before they vowed to save beings from suffering, as innocent, pure, and endearingly adorable babies who knew nothing of the world yet.

This particular work was created for an exhibition held at Hōryū-ji Temple, and it features a baby depiction of Prince Shōtoku, the revered figure known for spreading Buddhism in Japan.
It is no exaggeration to say that every Japanese person knows his name.
Though some scholars debate his historical existence, Prince Shōtoku has long been a focus of devotion in Japanese Buddhism—a phenomenon known as Taishi faith (太子信仰).

Hōryū-ji, one of the oldest temples in Japan, retains many structures associated with the Prince, including enshrined images of him.
Among them, the one that deeply captured my heart was the "Statue of Prince Shōtoku at Age Two."
Despite being a two-year-old, his face is strikingly solemn, with hands held in prayer, gazing forward with a sacred intensity. It’s an image that lingers in memory.

Inspired by this statue, I imagined that—just maybe—he was hiding a little chick within his prayerful hands.
In this work, the chick symbolizes Buddhism itself.
The sight of a child gently cradling a fragile chick in his small hands overlaps with the life of Prince Shōtoku, who lovingly nurtured and spread Buddhism throughout Japan.

The lotus flowers in the background are modeled after a mural painting found on the miniature shrine (zushi) inside the Shōryō-in Hall, which was renovated to enshrine the sacred image of Prince Shōtoku.
I have long admired this mural and received much inspiration from it, especially when I painted lotus flowers for the first time.
For this work, I edited and incorporated a horizontal portion of that mural, capturing a moment like a slice of a beautiful landscape.

The textile pattern at the top of the artwork is partially reproduced from the ceremonial curtain depicted in the "Image of the Young Prince Shōtoku and His Six Retainers", housed at Shitennō-ji Temple in Osaka.

Next to the young Prince, you’ll find a white dog gazing at him intently—this is Yukimaru, a legendary dog said to have been deeply loved by Prince Shōtoku.
Yukimaru was known as an exceptionally intelligent dog, said to have had the miraculous ability to converse with the Prince.

This work is filled with various symbols and stories related to Prince Shōtoku, and I hope viewers enjoy discovering them one by one.

Prince Shōtoku is also remembered for building numerous temples, and he held artisans—especially carpenters and craftsmen—in the highest regard.
Because of this, he continues to be worshipped today as a patron deity of builders and technical artisans.

It was a true honor to have had the opportunity to display this piece, rich with such narratives and symbols, at Hōryū-ji Temple—a place so deeply connected to his legacy.