Kannon, the Japanese name for the Indian Buddhist deity Avalokiteshvara, is the bodhisattva of compassion. Because of the boundless love he offered to all beings, this was the most beloved of all the Buddhist deities throughout Asia. The Nyoirin Kannon, a prominent deity in the Japanese Esoteric Buddhist pantheon, is one of the six "changed forms" of Kannon, especially associated with the granting of desires. The deity derives his name from two of the objects he holds in his hands: the nyoi-hoju, or cintamani, a fabulous gem capable of responding to every wish; and the nyoi-rin, meaning "wheel," symbolizing the turning of the Wheel of the Law. It is common to find that the implements held in the hands are either missing or replaced with replicas.

Nyoirin Kannon was widely worshiped by those who hoped to gain riches and see their requests fulfilled. This gracious image shows the deity seated in a pose of "royal ease." Although drawings frequently depict this deity as a bodhisattva with two arms, the six-armed form was also popular in Japan. As in this sculpture, one hand is often shown touching the cheek, to represent Kannon pondering on how to save all sentient beings. The corresponding left arm is braced against the lotus pedestal, touching an imagined Mount Fudaraku, the Pure Land of Kannon, said to be in the Southern Seas. In paintings, the bodhisattva is shown seated on the craggy bluffs of Mount Fudaraka, looking out at the surrounding sea.