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A Modern Take on Buddhist Statues — An Interview With Sculptor Momoka Miyoshi

Amélie Geeraert
Kokoro Media
Published in
11 min readDec 20, 2023

Momoka Miyoshi is a young sculptor who made a sensation on social media thanks to her graduation art project, Day Off. The statue shows a Nio guardian–a Buddhist figure that usually stands at the entrance of temples with an angry face–on its day off. The statue’s gentle expression as it is holding a baby provoked many emotional and positive reactions from Japanese people on the internet.

Curious about what gave birth to its concept and the creative mind behind it, I asked Momoka for an interview. At the time, I did not anticipate it would be one of my most emotional interviews. Read on to learn how Momoka became a sculptor, her complex relationship with Buddhist statues, and the moving backstory that fuels all of her art pieces.

Discovering Sculpture as a Means of Expression

Sculpture is the best way for me to put what I have in my head into shape.

Why did you choose sculpting as a career?

It naturally happened as I kept working on what I was good at. I would not say I liked studying, but people often praised me for my drawings. I enjoyed drawing, so I decided to prioritize what felt fun to me and entered an art high school. I learned sculpture, oil painting, traditional Japanese…

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Kokoro Media
Kokoro Media

Published in Kokoro Media

Exploring the heart of Japan through people, places, and experiences.

Amélie Geeraert
Amélie Geeraert

Written by Amélie Geeraert

Living in Japan since 2011. I love interviewing inspiring people.

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