Japanese Expert Rejuvenates Laotian Buddhist Art

via Japan News, 07 March 2024: Yoshitaka Suzuki, a Japanese sculptor, is dedicating his expertise to restoring damaged Buddhist statues in Luang Prabang, Laos, a World Heritage site. Suzuki, who studied Buddhist arts at Minobusan University in Japan, initially joined a university-led restoration project in Laos in 2002. His work involves meticulous techniques to revive statues while preserving their antique appearance, also teaching local residents these restoration methods.

Born in Yokohama, Suzuki has always been fond of “old things” such as Buddhist statues. After graduating from high school, Suzuki attended Minobusan University in Minobu, Yamanashi Prefecture, to study Buddhist arts. There, he learned how Buddhist statues are produced and their restoration methods.

In the summer of 2002, about six months after he began university, Suzuki traveled to Laos as part of a Buddhist statue restoration project started by the university in 2000. “Everything I saw and heard was interesting,” Suzuki recalled. After graduating, he spent some time studying in the United States and doing other things before eventually returning to Minobusan University as a research student in 2009 and diving back into the restoration project.

Luang Prabang is an ancient city in northern Laos that once flourished as a kingdom capital. The city is known for streetscapes featuring a blend of Buddhist temples and architecture from its time as a French colony. However, many Buddhist statues were destroyed or stolen during the civil war that raged for about 20 years after Laos became independent in 1953. Knowledge of restoration techniques faded over the years, and many statues were left in a damaged condition.

Source: Laotian Buddhist Statues Get a New Lease on Life; A Japanese Sculptor Takes His Skills Overseas To Restore Laotian Artifacts – The Japan News