Originally, kirikane patterns have been applied totextiles, metal work or leather to adorn the clothes and armor of statues andpictures of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Kirikaneflourished in the field of Buddhist art with the purpose of celebrating thegrandeur of the images of Buddha. Nowadays, this technique subsists only inJapan. It is an independent category of traditional crafts which has gonebeyond the boundaries of Buddhist art.