Shaka at Birth (Tōdai-ji)

The "Shaka at Birth" (誕生釈迦仏, Tanjō Shaka Butsu) is a small bronze statue depicting the infant Siddhartha Gautama, more commonly known as the Buddha, immediately after his birth. This particular statue is housed at Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan. It is an important object of veneration during the Hanamatsuri (Flower Festival), also known as Buddha's Birthday, celebrated annually on April 8th.

The statue generally depicts the infant Buddha standing upright, with one hand pointing towards the sky and the other towards the earth. This gesture is said to symbolize his declaration of uniqueness and enlightenment. The Tōdai-ji version shares these common characteristics.

During Hanamatsuri, the "Shaka at Birth" statue is placed in a flower-decorated altar called a hanamido (花御堂), representing Lumbini Garden, the Buddha's birthplace. Visitors pour sweet tea, called amacha (甘茶), over the statue as a symbolic act of cleansing and reverence. The amacha is believed to have beneficial properties and is sometimes drunk after being offered to the Buddha. The pouring of tea symbolizes the purification of the infant Buddha with water poured by celestial beings after his birth, as recounted in Buddhist scriptures.

While numerous "Shaka at Birth" statues exist across Japan and other Buddhist countries, the Tōdai-ji version is significant due to its location within one of Japan's most important and historically significant temples. The ceremony surrounding the statue at Tōdai-ji is a vibrant display of Buddhist tradition and a key aspect of the annual Hanamatsuri celebrations.