However, in 1968 when the statue was being photographed for 'Maitreya' - part 4 of the Mainichi Newspaper's series entitled "Fascinating Buddhist Statues," it was confirmed the back-board of the uchiguri (a cavity cut into a statue to decrease weight and prevent cracking due to drying out) was made of camphor wood and also that the robes of the back had been carved from the same wood.
ところが、1968年に毎日新聞刊の『魅惑の仏像』4「弥勒菩薩」の撮影のさい、内刳り（軽量化と干割れ防止のため、木彫像の内部を空洞にすること）の背板にクスノキ材が使用され、さらに背部の衣文もこれに彫刻されていることが判明した。