japanese antique bronze mirror on wood stand - shinto altar decor

Love Japanese Style like We Do

Infuse your spiritual setting with history and reverence through this traditional Japanese Shinto home altar mirror, or shinkyo, set within a hand-carved wooden stand. Once placed on the kamidana - the household altar of a historic Japanese home - this piece carries a deep sense of presence and cultural heritage.

The rustic wooden base, weathered with time, cradles a thick, cast bronze mirror that has developed a rich, darkened patina. Together, they evoke the quiet elegance of the past, adding an authentic, soulful touch to any decor.

In Shinto practice, the shinkyo holds profound spiritual significance. It symbolizes the presence of a kami (divine spirit), most often the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. Believed to be the vessel through which a deity manifests in the physical world, the mirror serves as a sacred bridge between the earthly and the divine.

This particular mirror bears the name of its metalsmith - Fujiwara Mitsunaga - inscribed on the left side. At the top, you'll find the kanji character 「納」(osameru), which denotes a dedication or offering, further enhancing its spiritual relevance. Beneath it lies a delicately cast foliage design, adding an element of natural beauty.

Resting on its aged, hand-carved stand, the mirror has both height and presence, making it a striking focal point. It remains structurally sound, with visible signs of age and use that lend it undeniable character and folk-art charm.

A meaningful addition to an antique kamidana or a serene spiritual corner, this piece is 
0more than décor - it’s a tangible link to tradition and devotion.

- measures on stand 25 cm (9.8”) tall x 18 cm (7”) across x 4 cm (1.6”) deep.
- weighs 380 gm.

 (listing for shinto mirror and stand)

SHIPPING INFORMATION
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ABOUT OUR VINTAGE AND ANTIQUE ITEMS
We list pieces we feel are worthy of display. There may be scratches, dents, fading and signs of wear and tear. We try to explain the condition of each item exactly, but may miss something.

Information regarding the item and it’s age is obtained from dealers and our personal research. We do our best to give you the correct information but please be aware that we cannot guarantee this information.

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SHNTO MIRROR (SHINKYO)
The circular mirror of Shinto is a potent symbol. It stands on the altar reresenting the kami (god). It also functions as the ‘spirit-body’ (goshintai) of the kami. It is the object the spirit enters to take physical form. The mirror acts as an interface between the physical and spiritual realms of existence.

Japanese mythology claims that the original ‘spirit-body’ was that of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, who gave a circular mirror to her grandson, Ninigi, when he descended to earth.  It had been used previously to lure her out of a cave in which she was hiding.  Her absence had plunged the world into darkness, and to tempt her out she was told that there was another goddess as beautiful as herself.  The mirror was held up so that when she peeked out she was greeted by her own radiance, and the momentary hesitation allowed a rope to be tied across the cave entrance to prevent her from re-entering.  Sunlight was restored to the world.

Later when Amaterasu decreed that a mission be sent down to earth from the High Plains of Heaven, her grandson Ninigi-no-mikoto was chosen to lead it.  Before he departed, she presented him with the very same mirror which had played such an important part in the rock-cave incident.  ‘Take this and revere it as if it were myself,’ she told him.  Within the reflecting surface something of her essence had become ingrained.

Ninigi passed the mirror down to his heirs, who formed the imperial line which continues to this day (the present emperor is the 125th).  For a long time the mirror was kept in the palace of the king of Yamato, the dominant state in ancient Japan, but in the early centuries of the Common Era it was deposited at Ise Jingu.  Since that time it has been kept secluded from human eye, acting as the unseen focus of worship for the millions of pilgrims and worshippers who file before it each year.