Akiba Gongen, Manifestation of Mount Akiba (wood with polychrome & gold)

This deity, known as the Manifestation of Mount Akiba in Echigo Province, is worshipped as a protector against fire. Also called Akiba Gongen, the deity is commonly portrayed as a figure with elements of the Shinto tengu, the Buddhist Wisdom King Fudō Myōō, and the Hindu goddess Dakini. Shinto tengu are fierce, long-beaked, and winged goblins with a bird’s face and a human body, and we can see those features here. Like the Buddhist Wisdom King Fudō Myōō, Akiba Gongen is dressed as a Buddhist monk and holds a double-edged sword and a rope. Dakini is a Hindu goddess who rides on a white fox and flies through the sky, just as Akiba Gongen does.