1908.82.147.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Amulet worn as disinfectant, small envelope [.1] containing black grains inside a folded envelope [.2] with inscription. [SM 17/10/2008]

Geographical reference

Japan

Asia > Eastern Asia > Japan

Honshu, Yamanashi Prefecture

Cultural groups

Japanese

Person

Field collector Basil Hall Chamberlain

PRM source Basil Hall Chamberlain

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1908

Date collected

By 1908

Acquisition information

Donated: 1908

Materials and processes

Material Paper Plant, Material Ink, Material Pigment, Process Stamped, Process Printed

Dimensions

Width: max 13 mm, Width: max 65 mm, Length: max 32 mm, Length: max 81 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1908.82.147.1 Accession number: 1908.82.147.2 Other numbers: Chamberlain no. 168

Research and responses

This object was examined by Professor Itaru Chijiwa during his research visit in November 2008. He noted that the black grains mentioned in the Accession Book Entry are a very powerful medicine produced by monks and used on people who are seriously ill. It has an inscription inside that is written in Jindai Moji, a writing system that was originally promoted as pre-dating the introduction of kanji to Japan, but has now been found to be a much more recent invention dating to the Edo period. [SM 20/11/2008]

The inscription on this object was transcribed and translated by Fusa McLynn who volunteered at the Museum in 2009 as: “Shodoku gofu Minobu” - Amulet for disinfection from Minobu. Minobu is the name of a mountain. [SM 19/2/2009]

Associated publications

Referenced as footnote 13 on page 74 in 'Chamberlain and his collection: Ofuda and maps from Meiji Japan' by Fusa McLynn in the volume 'Ofuda - On Japanese Charms' proceedings on an international conference on Ofuda held in Paris on the 1st and 2nd March 2012 where Fusa McLynn presented her paper. [FB 14/11/2014]

Search terms: Religion, Ornament, Writing, Amulet, Envelope, Inscription, Religious Object