The work is a statue of Amitabha Tathagata. During the late Heian (794 - 1185) period, the Jodo sect of Buddhism spread their philosophy widely in Japan. They believed that through prayer they could reach the Pure Land. This rather simple belief and practice made Buddhism spread not only among the ruling class but also among the ordinary people. Because of this, the size of statues changed gradually but significantly. Smaller ones were made for individual worship, while the larger statues were created for temples.

This one is an early example of the shift towards individual worship, and measures only 2 1/2 inches tall. It is called Musashi no Kondobutsu (bronze Budha statue from Musashi) because it was made in the region of Musashi, which included what we now know as Tokyo, part of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa prefecture.

Since the work's creation, it has been handed down for centuries by worshippers and collectors. Although its details are moderately worn after 900 years of being cherished, its elegant gestures and curvature commands the air around it with the grace of a magnificent sculpture. It shows the creator’s masterful skill as well as his vision.

There is an interesting comment by Dr. Masataro Kawakatsu, an expert on the art of ancient stone sculpture, in his book Sekizo Bijutsu Nyumon, (introduction to the art of stone sculpture). He says that Ishi-Ku (artisans specialized in stone sculpture) until the end of Muromachi (1336 - 1573) era, possessed a uniquely keen sense of individual creativity to grasp the harmony, balance, and elegance of their work as a whole, as opposed to later artisans whose technique in details became their priority. The Budshi (artisans specialized in creating Buddha statues) possessed the sense, too. The sensibility of the artisans of the era respectfully expanded the work's presence beyond the frame of religion and period, transporting them to the realm of artworks.