This is Kannon, the bodhisattva of infinite mercy and compassion, and possibly the most popular of all Buddhist deities. Kannon is revered throughout Asia, although by different names. In Chinese, Kannon is known as Kuan-yin, in Sanskrit as Avalokiteshvara, and in Tibetan as Spyan-ras gzigs, in Mongolian as Mongolia as Nidü-ber üjegci, and in Thai as Lokeshvara. Kannon is one of the few Mahayana diety commonly revered by Theravada Buddhists.
Kannon appears in multiple forms. According to legend, Kannon was so overwhelmed by human suffering that his head split. Amida Buddha put Kannon back together, but gave Kannon eleven heads and a thousand (meaning "many" arms). Kannon images are therefore usually multi-faced and mutli-limbed. Kannon's gender is ambiguous in both Japan and China.
Some famous Kannon images in Japan are: