Tennō over a demon

They form a pair (ni-tennō).
This pair of statues, with a fiercely militant appearance, are trampling monstrous figures as they raise one arm, which originally held a weapon that has since been lost. They come from the group of the Four Great Heavenly Kings (shi-tennō), who, according to Buddhist cosmology, lived on the sides of Mount Meru. Their role as protectors was soon recognised in Japan and the shi-tennō were increasingly often placed at the four corners around the main image in the temple. The two figures (ni-tennō) that ended up at the front of the main altar eventually assumed the role of protecting all four.
The two statues are carved in the ichiboku-zukuri technique from a single block of wood, except for the arms. The effective portrayal of their contained power makes them a wonderful example of the artistic production of the Fujiwara period (930-1192).