Since sculptures enshrined in shrines are regarded as 'Goshintai' (an object of worship housed in a Shinto shrine and believed to contain the spirit of a deity), they are rarely open to the public, which stands a stark contrast to Buddhist statues in temples.
神社に安置される神像は「ご神体」とされて一般に公開されることはあまりなく、寺院における仏像とは対照的である。