WELCOME TO MORI CHOKOKUSHOA Guide to Our Artisans, Sculptures, and Services Explore Our CollectionSHOPAvailable Works Discover Our StoryABOUTKEEPERS OF A LIVING TRADITION The story o...

The Four Heavenly KingsKōmokuten — The All-Seeing Guardian of WisdomA Reflection on Kōmokuten by Tessō Mori (1946–2024)Visitors to Japanese temples often encounter armored guardian figures known as...

Why Does Every Daikokuten Look Different?The Artistic Freedom Behind Japan's God of FortuneDaikokuten carved by Nozomu Mori around 1986. Visit a temple, an antique shop, or a museum in Japan, ...

Why Did Japan Love Daikokuten?The Story Behind Japan's Most Beloved God of FortuneDaikokuten by Nozomu Mori Walk through almost any antique shop, temple market, or traditional art collection i...

Why Is Hand-Carved Japanese Wood Sculpture So Valuable?The True Value Behind Mori Carving StudioA traditional Japanese woodcarver at work in Mori Carving Studio. Why is a hand-carved Japanese ...

The Ox in Japanese CultureA Quiet Symbol of Patience, Good Fortune, and Rural LifeOriginal hand-carved wooden ox by Nozomu Mori (c. 1986). When many people think of Japan, they imagine cherry ...

The Inherited GuideHow a Gosho Doll Became a Wood ReliefThe Inherited Guide by Nozomu Mori. When looking at traditional Japanese woodcarvings, one question often comes to mind:Where did this d...

Traditional Japanese Hina Dolls: A Father's Gift Hand-Carved by Nozomu Mori Hand-carved White Camphor Hina Dolls by Nozomu Mori Every year on March 3, families across Japan celebrate Hina...

From Sketch to SculptureHow Nozomu Mori Transforms Nature into WoodGreen Maple and a Quiet BirdAn Original Openwork Relief by Nozomu MoriOne of the first things people notice in a wood carving is t...

Shō Kannon BodhisattvaWhy Nozomu Mori Continued to Carve Shō KannonShō Kannon Bodhisattva carved by Nozomu Mori. When people think of Japanese Buddhist sculpture, many may first imagine a prof...

Why Did Tessō Mori Carve an Owl?The Story Behind an Unusual Wooden SculptureEvery work of art tells a story.Sometimes that story is preserved in documents or family records.Sometimes it is remember...

The Buddha of SeokguramThe Korean Buddha That Inspired Tessō MoriThere are Buddhist sculptures that leave a lasting impression on those who encounter them.The Seated Shakyamuni Buddha of Seokguram ...

The Japanese Lucky CatWhy Tessō Mori Chose the Old Seto Lucky CatOld Seto-style Lucky Cat carved by Tessō Mori Today, the Maneki-neko, or Japanese Lucky Cat, is one of Japan's most recognizabl...

The Birth BuddhaWhy Japanese People Celebrate the Buddha's Birthday Every SpringBirth Buddha by Tessō Mori, carved around 2017. Every spring, temples throughout Japan become filled with flower...

DaikokutenWork Shapes the CraftsmanHow One Thousand Daikokuten Sculptures Shaped Tessō Mori"Work shapes the craftsman."— Tessō MoriFew words expressed Tessō Mori's philosophy more clearly than thes...

The Sword-Clad GuardianKen no Gohō — Japan's Flying Supernatural ProtectorKen no Gohō relief by Tessō Mori, carved approximately twenty-five years ago. A Warrior Covered in SwordsAmong the cou...