Very unusual 1900s (late Meiji) miniature Japanese bronze reliquary to be worn as a pendant or used on a house altar. Beautifully made crisp image of Amida Buddha modeled on the Great Buddha of Kamakura, front and back are hinged on the bottom and open to reveal small storage space for a tiny object of religious significance to the owner...

A very large example of an antique Japanese Baku corbel used in a temple or shrine. The Baku is a mythical spiritual creature which resides in the Buddhist realm. Its purpose is to devour evil spirits as well as one's nightmares. Carved from one solid block of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood, this architectural sculpture has stood the test of time.

Edo Period (early 19th Century)

Dimensions: 44 1/2" Long by 19 1/2" High by 13 1/4" Deep

An antique Japanese bronze Buddhist temple bell called Bonsho with a carrying handle depicting diverging dragon heads called Ryuzu. The upper protrusions called Chi or Nyu improves the resonance of the sound when struck. Two opposing striking panels called Tsuki-za is the point on the bell where the best and longest sound is achieved. A bell of this size was hung in a neighborhood temple to summon the monks to prayer...

An antique Japanese 2 section Buddhist altar called Butsudan with all original wood carving and lacquer work. Makie landscape art on the drawer fronts and sliding doors with Makie Phoenix motif to the interior floors. Two sets of doors open to an ornate interior featuring a dragon, flowers, a Toro and a plinth where Buddha would sit or stand. 3 side by side drawers at the bottom of the inner sanctum where small accessories were kept...

Antique Japanese small drum. Likely for ceremonial use, this drum could have been placed on a stand or held by its handle while in use. Made of keyaki (zelkova elm) wood and painted leather with iron and bronze.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 7 3/4" wide x 4" deep

Antique Japanese pair of shokudai (candle sticks) for butsudan. Made of bronze and decorated with unusual silver crest. Each with small animal head handles on either side. Nice weight and patination.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 11" high x 4" wide each

Antique Japanese small zushi, a shrine made for traveling. Carved of wood and lacquered black on the outside, the tiny doors open to reveal the figure of a praying abbott standing on a lotus pedestal. The interior of the shrine as well as the abbott himself are all lacquered gold and he holds a tiny strand of glass prayer beads. There is a tiny metal hook on the top of the zushi.

Age: Edo Period 1603-1867

Dimensions: 4 5/8"H x 2"W x 1 3/8"D

Very unusual Late Meiji Period C.1900 cypress wood 'Kannon' bodhisattva. Great condition. Ask for shipping quote from CA warehouse.

An antique Japanese Kannon Bosatsu (Kwan-Yin, Guanyin) large Buddhist wood statue. Depicting the Goddess of compassion, mercy and kindness she hears the suffering souls of the world using her hands to help save them through their misfortunes. With Amida Buddha atop her head overseeing and assisting her actions, she has 11 heads surrounding her crown to hear those in pain and suffering...

19th century Japanese copper and brass keman in a shape of a rounded fan (uchiwa) with pierced low relief decoration of two phoenixes confronting each other in flight above lotus flowers, buds and leaves rising from a pond, and an elaborate knot in the center. Hanging pendants representing the Wheel of the Buddhist Law and lotus flowers, old glass beads...

Tall zushi or Buddhist temple shrine, housing the wooden figure of the standing Buddha Amida, Buddha of the Western Paradise. Both his hands in mudra. He is standing on a multi-tiered hexagonal base, decorated with flowers. His eyes inset in glass or crystal, which are hardly visible due to old layers of re-lacquering and soot.

The baldachin decorated with double family crest...

Large incense burner made for a Buddhist temple. Square format with beautiful curves and two handles on the upper rim. Cast bronze with brown patina (sentoku), the shoulder decorated with butterflies in the clouds, done in gold and silver nunome zogan and silver wire inlay.

Japan, Edo period, 19th century

H 8.5 x W 11.75 x 11.5 in.

Unfortunately badly abused as a planter, causing water damage on the patina on the outside, and with numerous small and unobtrusive dents...

A Rare Spirit Stone (Ishikami), Natural Rootwood Embracing Stone. A unique creation of Mother Nature with minor modification to the root wood grown around a stone to emulate a standing Daruma, the Patriarch of Zen Buddhism wrapped in his robe. These kind of quite rare “spirit stones”are always been highly appreciated by the Japanese. Very good, old patina; it has a very pleasant feeling to the touch. Edo, 18-19th century. H 10,5 cm. Condition: Perfect.

. The bronze is very thick yellow, the casting is made in several parts, the arms are cast separately and welded, the ribbons too. The finish is very neat. The old patina is beautiful. The base is cast separately, the walls are thin unlike the statue, but it is indisputable that the two were made together. On the base and at the bottom of the statue are incised characters that date it. I do not know what the exact time is, but I can do research on request. The glory is added later...

Buddhist shrine containing the deity Uga Benzaiten surrounded by Fifteen Children (Jugodoji), all sitting and standing on a rock formation. In the foreground are the ox and the horse, a boat laden with rice bales and the snake god Ugajin. Hidden between the jugodoji is the tiny figure of Amida Buddha.

In this shrine Benten appears in her eight-armed martial form holding various weapons (wheel, bow, spear, sword, club, lock, and arrow) and the wish granting jewel (all of them missing)...

Zushi, Buddhist shrine, containing a highly complex deity. On an eight-tiered lotus throne sits beautifully carved and decorated Dainichi Nyorai, his hands folded in his lap in meditation mudra. On his head he wears a cap in the shape of a lion head. He sits in front of a disc-shaped mandorla.

From the ceiling of the zushi hangs a drapery, decorated with of two phoenixes in fine gold on a lapis blue ground.

Wood with mineral colors, gofun, and fine decorations in gold...

Antique Japanese small bronze tsuridoro, Buddhist hanging temple lantern. Finely incised with designs of clouds, waves, scrolling vines and hollyhock leaves. A handle for hanging is attached by a chrysanthemum bud finial.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 6 1/2" high (including handle) x 4 5/8" wide roof (2 3/8" wide body)

Antique Japanese horagai, conch shell trumpet made from the shell of Charonai tritonis and outfitted with a wooden mouthpiece. Horagai were used by samurai during war times to communicate location to each other over mountain terrain. They are also closely associated with Yamabushi, warrior monks of the Shugendo tradition. The Japanese conch shell horagai is special in that it can produce a range of 3 to 5 different notes. Today, horagai are still used by monks during ceremonies such as the...

An antique Japanese rare 2 section Butsudan (Buddhist Altar) hand made with elaborate Makie lacquerwork. Upper section has two large hinged doors decorated with a blooming Peony tree. The interior of the doors each feature a Buddhist diety, one holding a mushroom scepter with a Baku at his feet and the other studying a horizontal scroll with a Shishi (Foo dog) at his feet. Below the doors are three small drawers where Buddhist accoutrements were stored. The interior was lacquered in gold.

Very rare bronze sculpture of Daiitoku, one of the five Myoo. He is represented with six heads (three large, three small), six legs and six arms that are holding the different attributes, while he is sitting on the back of a reclining long-horned buffalo. Here, Daiitoku holds his main hands clasped together. In the others he holds a staff, chakra, sword and trident. A flaming mandorla has been inserted in the back of the buffalo and is held in place by a metal strip on the back of Daiitoku . Bro...

Set of three large identical keman, made of gilt bronze. Decorative hangings from a Buddhist temple.

Each keman is fan-shaped (or perhaps boar's eye-shaped) with a design of two pairs of double chrysanthemum family crests set between karakusa (winding weeds) in openwork. The knotted cord in the center is executed in gilt bronze repoussé (hollow underneath). The openwork design is very carefully executed, with engraved details and nanako ground.
The ‘saddles’ are decorated with ...

Antique Japanese small zushi (traveler's shrine) with unusual scene of Buddha seated on a lotus throne which rises out of billowing waves. Below him, two lords stand on top of the water while smaller lotuses bloom around them. Carved of wood with painted and lacquered details.

Age: Edo Period (1603 - 1867)

Dimensions: 5 1/2" high x 4 1/4" wide (9 1/4" wide when open) x 2 5/8" deep.

Antique Japanese zushi shrine for travelers. Doors open to reveal Aizen-Myōō, one of the Wisdom Kings. Venerated in Japanese Esoteric and Vajrayana Buddhism, Aizen-Myōō is known for transforming worldly lust into spiritual awakening. In his six hands he hold attributes including a bell which calls awareness and a vajra which represents the diamond that cuts through illusion. In Sanskrit, his name is Rāgarāja which was translated into Chinese during the Tang Dynasty as Àirǎn Míngw�...

Very small portable shrine, zushi. The figure of Amida Nyorai is standing on a lotus base with intricately carved curled lotus petals. His slender body covered in a finely, gold ornamented garment, his left hand pointing down in mudra, his now missing right hand would be held up in mudra, as well.

Soft wood stained dark brown, with gold painted decoration and some red.
The insides of the doors decorated in reddish brown with meandering flowers over gold foil on black lacquer.

...

Antique Japanese zushi (traveler's shrine) with double panel doors which open to reveal a standing figure of Jizo Bosatsu (O-Jizo-Sama). Jizo is the protector of travelers and firefighters as well as the guardian of the souls of all children. He stands on a lotus base with a Buddhist ring staff (shakujo) in his right hand and a jewel in his left. The doors of the shrine are painted with tennin, celestial beings on either side. Made of wood with lacquer and gold gilt.

Age: Edo Per...

Small and shallow (thin) shrine. Inside are the figures of Bishamonten (right) and Kongoyasha Myoo (left), both standing. Bishamon holds a pagoda and a halberd. The three-headed Kongoyasha’s two hands are empty.
Both are standing on a rock which is placed on a pedestal and both have a small mandorla behind their heads.

Soft wood carved and decorated with mineral colors. Mandorlas, attributes and helmet ornament in gilt metal.
Case is lacquered black on outside with gilt co...

Richly decorated Buddhist shrine containing the deity Uga Benzaiten flanked by Daikoku and Bishamon and surrounded by Fifteen Children (Jugodoji), all sitting and standing on a rock formation. In the foreground are the ox and the horse, a boat laden with rice bales and jewels and a cart laden with something related to harvest and riches. The group is surrounded by choppy waters, imaged in makie gold lacquer on the inside and outside of the shrine.

The esoteric trinity of Benten (defender o...

A pair of antique Japanese Baku corbels hand caraved from solid Keyaki wood. Rare flaming mane design adds a dragon-like fear to wore off evil spirits. Used under the eaves of Japanese temples and shrines, they devour dreams and nightmares as they protect against evil. The open mouth Baku expels all evil while the closed mouth Baku retains the good spirit.

Age: Edo Period (1750-1800)

Dimensions: Approximately 25" Long by 16" High by 10 1/2" Wide

An antique pair of medium sized bronze Japanese temple lanterns each comprised of three sections with hinged door for access to the interior. Original beautiful patina consistant with age. Sturdy and overall great condition. Would do well inside or outside and could command a presence in any garden setting.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: Each 36 3/4" High by 14" Diameter

Miniature shrine, or zushi, with figure of Bishamonten, carved in wood.
Bishamon stands on a demon that is lying on a rock. In his left hand he holds a pagoda and in the right a short staff or stick. Behind his head a gilt metal flaming mandorla. The garment of Bishamonten is decorated in gold paint, the crown and mandorla made of gilt copper.
The inside of the doors decorated with waribishi (diamond) pattern. The back of case inscribed in red lacquer: Fu-kan-jo, which together could...

Antique Japanese cast iron figure of Bishamonten, chief of the Four Heavenly Kings and guardian of the north. Dressed for war, he stands on the back of an evil spirit. He holds a club in his right hand in association with his role as guardian. In his left hand, he holds a small pagoda representing the divine treasure house alluding to his association with wealth and good fortune. This sculpture is signed by Sekino Seiun (1889-1947)

Bishamonten is also sometimes called Tamonten,...

An antique Japanese Buddhist altar stand made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original Urushi lacquer and each part was hand carved. Featuring a center lotus flower with a 4 petal Dorje Vajra on each side. Beautiful craftsmanship throughout. Slight loss to back leg support.

Age: Meiji Era (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 24 1/2" Wide by 9" High by 11 3/4" Deep

Kane gong or bell of a very simple, cylindrical or dish shape, without any sort of decoration. Two loops for cords to hang the gong on a wooden rack. Yellow bronze (sentoku).
Inscription incised in the rim on the back/inside. It mentions the dedication of this gong at the Zenshoji temple in Meiji 40 (1907).

Diam. 12.5 in.; H ca. 3.5 inches.

There are several temples in Japan with that name. One in Tottori Prefecture, one on Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, one on Kyushu, o...

Small painting of the 11-headed Kannon standing on a lotus dais, flanked by Bishamonten and Fudo Myoo.
In the front two red colored Nio are guarding the deities.
Inscription on the central base reads: Ichijoten (name of the temple hall), junsan koichi hongu.
The inscription on the bottom reads: Kazusa Shibayama Tenozan Kanon kyoji.
Rollers cut off and framed in mounting.

Black ink and colors on paper.
Japan, Edo period, 19th century.

Painted area: 22 7/...

Hanging scroll. The founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism in Japan, Kobo daishi (774-835), seated at a priest’s seat, holding a vajra and a rosary in his hands.
His shoes and a ewer stand underneath his chair.
Ink, mineral colors and gold on silk.
Japan, 19th century.

Painted area: ca. 34.7 x 15.95 inches (93.1 x 40.4 cm); total length 65.2 inches (165.5 cm)

Scratch through upper part, few horizontal dull creases, basically good condition. Mounting with damage.

...

Highly unusual Buddhist shrine with the image of a horse looking back. The horse has a ‘brocade’ cover over his back and is standing behind a mesh wire fence, the way they would be kept in temple compounds.

Polychromed wood with some gold details. The roof of the shrine is a separate piece and can be detached, which allows for taking apart the zushi.

Japan, Meiji period, 19th century.
Height of zushi ca. 7.8 inches (19.5 cm).

Frontal golden curtain dislodged due to war...

Elegant gold gilt Meiji Period c.1900 Zen Buddhist Altar Inner Mirror meant to reflect the soul. Beautifully carved buddhist clouds and waves. Holds a bevelled round mirror. Back is thick black lacquer. Ecellant condition. 11" by 11". Ask for shipping quote from California warehouse.

Antique Japanese taiko Buddhist temple drum. Made of keyaki (zelkova elm) wood. Painted with mitsu domoe design, the three comma motif also used as a popular family crest. The design is painted in bold red, blue and green colors. Tightly stretched on both sides with bronze and iron hardware. Taiko (literally meaning "drum" in Japanese) first came about as a way to frighten away evil spirits and crop-threatening pests as well as to call the rain spirit to nourish the fields. Taiko drumming...

Antique Japanese small and detailed wood carving of standing Buddhist attendant figure. Gracefully positioned on a rocky out cropping, the male figure, possibly a Bosatsu himself exudes a sense of calm strength. Flowing drapery is carved with movement and intricately painted with mineral colors.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 9" high x 4 1/2" wide x 3" deep.

Antique Japanese carved wood figure of the esoteric Guardian of Buddhism, Fudō Myō-ō. The figure is simultaneously finely detailed and charmingly primitive adding to the authentic spirit of this Shingon temple guardian.

Also called Acala Vidyarāja (Sanskrit meaning unmovable king of esoteric knowledge), Fudō (sometimes simply called Fudō san in Japan) is usually the central figure in depictions of the five Wisdom Kings (Vidyarāja, Myōō). The purpose of his frightening ap...

Antique Japanese large hanging Buddhist temple lantern made of gilt copper. Elaborately designed with a three dimensional hexagonal form and decorated all over with pierced scrolling filigree featuring chrysanthemum blossoms and swirling mist. Smaller friezes display ocean waves. Raised roundels with peonies decorate the feet. The interior is lined with rice paper.

Age: Late Meiji Period (circa 1900)

Dimensions: 29" high x 33" long x 31" wide

Buddhist shrine, or zushi. Inside stands Jizo bosatsu, holding a wish-granting jewel (hoju no tama) in his left hand and his staff in the right. Very elaborate wooden carving with thick layers of lacquer on top of which gilding. Unusual face with down cast eyes. Metal staff with moving rings.
Height 11.2 inches (29.2 cm).
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.

Jizo’s right foot and left hand repaired (old), vertical crack from his left shoulder down and from his right armpit dow...

Very unusual figure of the Kigyo Kishimojin, standing with a baby in her arms, holding up a pomegranate in her right hand. In this form she represents the protector of children.
Almost abstracted wooden figure with dark patina. The mouth painted red, the eyes inlaid with glass or crystal painted with gold in reverse technique, the pomegranate made of a red kernel.

This is a very rare appearance, a kind of in-between form between the child robbing and devouring monster and the transfor...

Buddhist shrine containing a sculpture of Shichimen Daimyojin in sitting pose, one leg crossed over the other. She sits on the summit of mount Shichimen, one of her shoes by her side, holding a (golden) jewel in her left hand. In the right hand she hold another object, likely a key that is now missing.
Wood decorated with gold and mineral colors. Gilt metal mandorla behind her head, decorated with flaming jewels.
The baldachin above the figure is decorated with auspicious symbols in ...

Small Buddhist shrine, or zushi, containing the figure of the Bodhisattva Kannon Nyoirin in six-armed form, sitting on a lotus base positioned on rocks. Kannon sits in position of royal ease, his head resting on his main right arm. In his other right hands he holds the wish-granting jewel (nyoi hoju) and a rosary of stringed beads. His main left hand rests on the lotus, while the others hold a script and a, now missing, lotus flower. He wears a crown and jewelry on his chest made of gilt metal a...

Japanese antique pair of small Inari Shinto shrine foxes made of pottery with traces of Mica in the clay. Originally painted, these foxes still have traces of bright pigment. Also called Zenko, these good spirit Kitsune (foxes) are specifically associated with the Goddess, Inari.

Believed to be both messengers and guardians, Kitsune served Inari in her role as the Goddess of agriculture, specifically rice. Part of the folklore surrounding the fox is it's ability to shape shift into t...

Very small, black lacquered shrine (gilded on the inside) with inside the wooden figure of the Bodhisattva Marishi-ten in three-headed form (left head is a boar's head), sitting on a lotus base carried on the backs of seven boars. In his hands he holds a branch of the asoka tree, a sword, bow and arrows. The carving is slightly abstracted, but nevertheless full of detail. The halo and attributes are all gilded metal.
On the outside bottom there is a paper label with inscription in ink, s...

Buddhist shrine with sculpture of the bodhisattva Myoken, deity of the Polar Star and of the Big Dipper.
He is dressed in Chinese garment, standing on the back of a kida (a beast that is half turtle, half dragon-snake), holding an enormous sword. Behind his back a nimbus with seven discs, representing the seven stars of the Big Dipper. To the left of the rock base the head of a snake pops out. (Probably a snake was wound ”around” the giant turtle and broke off. When the sword was repla...

Small but exquisite scroll paintings in mineral colors and gold on silk. The background in the upper halves in gold.
Aizen Myoo sits on his typical lotus throne on top of the vase full of jewels, surrounded by a circular, red, flaming nimbus. Around the foot of the jewel filled vase are sacred treasures scattered around.
Daiitoku Myoo rides in standing position a long horned buffalo who jumps over waves, while Daiitoku draws his bow.
Rich brocade mounting with the chrysanthemum...

Small shrine with the esoteric Buddhist figure of the Fudo Myōō who personifies Dainichi Nyorai. He is standing on a rock pedestal – symbol of his steadfastness - with a rope in his left hand and formerly with a sword in his right hand (broken off and missing). Behind him a flaming red mandorla. The patterns on his garment and his jewelry painted delicately in gold and mineral colors.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.

Height of zushi: ca. 5.8 inches (14.6 cm).

Baldachin split an...

Hanging scroll. A circle on a black background, divided into ten sections around a white central circle that holds the character ‘shin’, meaning heart or soul. The ten sections represent the ten realms that are the ten possibilities of rebirth. On top the four realms of enlightened beings: Buddhas, Boshisattvas, arhats and pratyeka Buddhas. Underneath, the six realms (rokudo): Heavenly beings, humans, Bellicose demons (Ashura), animals, hungry ghosts and hell. Ink, mineral colors, gofun and ...

Small round zushi consisting of two parts. The outside of both are covered in nashiji lacquer. On the inside of the one part in relief is carved in fine detail the image of Bishamonten holding a trident and a pagoda, subduing two demons. Inside the cover sits Benzaiten playing the biwa.
Bishamon and Benten are two of the seven gods of good fortune (shichifukujin), but they each hold a position in the Buddhist pantheon, as well.
Both images in plain, unpainted camphor wood.

Jap...

Shrine with the very rare image of the death of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, called nehan-zu, and his entrance into the state or perfect peace, called nirvana or nehan. The Buddha lays stretched out on a rectangular lotus base, his head resting on his right arm. Although normally in nehan-zu one will see gathered around the bed 52 kinds of beings, human and animals mourning the Buddha, there are none present in this zushi. From the ceiling of the case hangs a curtain of sorts.
Carved ...

Circular hand shrine, or zushi, in two halves. Inside, one half shows the bodhisattva Kokuzo carved in relief with a sword in the right (to cut through ignorance) and a wish-granting jewel in his left hand. He sits on a lotus base, placed on a rock. Details of the carving and the background painted in gold, black, red and malachite green. The other half shows a lotus pond, a rock and a cloudy sky painted in delicate lines of gold and silver, heightened with black. The outside of the zushi is le...

Nichiren Buddhist shrine containing a sculpture of Kishimojin in demonic appearance, her hands folded in prayer. Kishimojin, or Kishibojin, or Kariteimo, is a complex deity. Originally, she was a demon who stole and killed other people’s children in order to feed her numerous own children. After Buddha Shakyamuni made her see how she made people suffer, she repented and devoted herself to protecting all children. Instead of the flesh of children, she fed her own children pomegranate henceforth...

Wooden nyoi (ruyi in Chinese) scepter, an implement used by Buddhist priests during a ceremony or during formal preaching. Carved naturalistically in the shape of a lotus bud on a long stem with a lotus leaf wrapped around the stem. Rose wood or sandal wood. Made in two pieces.
Japan, 19th century.

Length 13-1/8 inches

Tiny chip at leaf edge. Fine condition.

Japanese Buddhist reliquary made of gilt bronze and crystal in a miniature lotus lantern or stupa form. The sarira, or human pearls, are delicately displayed in the central portion of the reliquary through a crystal cylinder. Two types of sarira are divided between two levels, with three smaller yellowish churira on top (originating from the liver) and two larger, whitish sharira (originating from the head) on the lower shelf. These human pearls are the crystalline traces left behind in t...

Antique Japanese mokugyo, fish bell, carved of keyaki (zelkova, elm) wood with traces of red and white lacquer. This wooden temple bell was used by Buddhist priest during religious ceremonies and chants. Laid on it's side on a pillow, the bell was struck to a rhythm to match the cadence of the chant. The carving on the bell is of two fish embracing a pearl, a symbol of unity. The fish themselves symbolize wakefulness, in this case to remind the chanters to focus on the sutra.

Late Meiji (1890s to 1912) Japanese boxwood seal, most probably used in a temple to stamp pilgrimage papers. The impression of the seal is shown on the first photo (image is flipped left to right to present the image as it will actually print on paper). Excellent quality crisp carving of 2 rows of differently sized characters, caked old red seal paste on the bottom. Metal stud on the side indicates the position of the top of the imprint. Beautiful patina on the surface of wood. Height 2 3/16 inc...

Late Meiji Period C.1900 gold lacquer on zelkova wood mirror stand. Used in the inner chamber of altar shrine to reflect the void. Bronze mirror has plum blossoms and pine leafs in relief. Very good condition. (see pics). 11" tall by 7" wide. Ask for shipping quote.