‘Humorous’ Glimpse into Hell on Display at Museum Exhibition in Nagano Prefecture

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:28 JST, August 25, 2025

MATSUMOTO, Nagano — The Matsumoto City Museum in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, is holding a special exhibition titled “Entrance to Hell — Where the Ten Kings Are” which features about 170 items owned by individuals, town associations or temples related to hell, such as statues of Enma, the King of Hell, and Buddhist paintings.

The Ten Kings of Hell, including Enma, are judges in the afterlife who pass judgements on the deceased according to their deeds in life and decide where they will be reborn. Among the six reincarnation destinations, hell is the lowest level.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is “Enma Zazo”（The Seated Statue of Enma), designated as an important cultural property of the city which is normally housed at Hokoan in Matsumoto. Over one-meter-tall statue greets visitors with its powerful expression of wide-open eyes and raised eyebrows.

Another highlight is the Buddhist painting “Jigokuezu” (Illustration of Hells), owned by Rinshoji temple in the city. While the painting depicts gruesome scenes such as the boiling of dead people, if one looks closely, one can spot demons with unique expressions.

“I couldn’t help but chuckle at the satisfied expression of the demon picking up the boiled dead using chopsticks,” said a 33-year-old visitor from Tokyo. “The combination of cruel punishment and the humor in the demon was fascinating.”

At the exit, there is a “hell fortune-telling booth” in the style of omikuji fortune-telling paper strips. At no cost, visitors can receive a prediction of the type of hell they might end up in.

The exhibition is held through Sept.1.