japanese antique ebisu and sake bottle with flames, shinto folk faith prayer tools

Love Japanese Style Like We Do

Lovely old Shinto folk faith tools; a pair of brass flames (omiki-guchi), in brass sake offering bottles (heishi) and a clay figure of the god Ebisu.

Sake bottles with flame shape decorations are offered at the kamidana (god shelf). They represent water and fire, the two elements seen necessary for purification in Japanese religion. They are also a symbol of good luck and good fortune, and are believed to invite prosperity and drive away evil. This pair is an unusually small size. They are hand crafted in fine detail and have the pleasing darkened tone of long use.

The Ebisu God engimono (lucky charm) is a clay figure made from a mold and then painted in mineral pigments to give form and life to the doll. Ebisu is known as the God of commerce and prosperity, the ocean and fishing. He is the guardian of all occupations. Ebisu will make sure you always have plenty of money, business success and food!

The gold colored Ebisu sits on a rock, wears a black peaked hat and holds a very large red tai (snapper) fish, a very lucky fish in Japan, eaten at all joyous occasions. As the kamidana was usually placed in the kitchen, this old clay god, covered in soot and dust from the wood stove, has darkened in tone. Ther are small areas of paint peeling, adding to his charm.

The set is in good structural condition with accumulated dust and the deeper toning of age.

Place this lovely collection in front of your antique kamidana shrine, or use it, as is, for a lovely religious folk faith decoration.

- flames in sake bottles measure around 15 cm (5.9”) tall x 7 cm (2.7”) wide.
- ebisu figure measures around 17 cm (6.7”) tall x 10 cm (4”) wide.
- total weight 650 gm.

(listing for pair of sake bottles with flames and ebisu clay figure).

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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.

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KAMIDANA
Kamidana, literally god (kami) shelf (dana) are miniature household altars used to place an enshrined Shinto kami (god). The enshrined kamifuda (board or paper, representing the god) was that of a clan deity or came from one of the major national shrines. Kamidana became popular in traditional country style minka houses.

Small shrines for tutelary deities, inside a residence, go back to ancient times among the aristocracy. The emergence of the kamidana was closely connected with the development of the domestic Buddhist altar or butsudan, which started the movement of conducting religious rituals in each household.

Kamidana were initially set up to keep Jingu Onusa, charms of the Grand Shrine of Ise, when they began to be widely distributed at the end of the Muromachi period. The Jingu Onusa symbolized Amaterasu Omikami and were considered objects of worship. A special domestic shelf, to respect these charms, was installed and was called Jingu no tana, or shelf of the Grand Shrine. By the mid-Edo era, the institution of the kamidana had spread to most homes as a result of the spread of this Ise cult.

The most common style of kamidana was a plain board forming a shelf, supported by cantilevered brackets from beneath, or stabilized with timber hangers, suspended from the beams above. On this shelf a miniature Shinto shrine was installed to contain the kamifuda. This shrine could be elaborate in design, but unlike the miniature shrine cabinet, or zushi, of the Buddhist altar, the timber was unlacquered. In days gone by, shrines for the kamidana were very expensive for common country people and they were often hand made, by the owner, giving them a lovely rough, simple and rustic appeal.

Kamidana were most often located in a high place, thought to be closest to the heavens and gods, in an area close to an earth floor. As old country kitchens had an earth floor and were a place where many people gathered, they were perfect for the kamidana and prayer. Candles were lit and offerings of rice, fruit, fish, rice and wine were made daily.

Particularly in the homes of farmers, fishermen, merchants and other craftsmen, additional deities with combined Shinto and Buddhist identities found their way to the kamidana. Ebisu and Daikoku-dana were popular. Ebisu, the god of fishing and Daikoku, the god of farming, were particular favorites amongst country folk, whose livelihood depended on agriculture and the ocean. Ebisu and Daikoku were often housed together in a special shrine with a rounded roof, and came to be known as the kitchen gods. Kojin-dana was another popular choice. Kojin was the god of domestic tranquility and good fortune. Inari-dana were also seen. Inari is the Japanese Shinto god who watches over and protects the rice harvest. A temporary toshitoku-dana was set up in almost all homes at the end of the year to welcome and worship the kami of the New Year.

Old Kamidana shrines are a wonderful example of Japanese mingei; a spiritual tool that reminds us of culture and customs of the past.

OMIKI-GUCHI
Omiki-guchi literally means, sacred sake mouth. A stylized flame, representing fire, that springs from the mouth of a sacred sake bottle, representing water. In Japanese religion, fire and water are the origins of human life and are the means by which man can purify himself. Symbols of these two staples, are important sacred tools to be offered at the Japanese home altar. An open flame was not a good idea for the home, so finely crafted wood and metal replicas came into being. The style of these mingei flames differed depending on the local area where they were made, with techniques being passed down through generations.

The wooden flames are particularly beautiful, hand crafted into delicately scented flames from Yoshino hinoki, a variety of particularly fragrant Japanese cypress. Some are very decorative, being made in a net or complex twisted pattern of wood strips. Only straight grained wood, free of knots is used, and only hinoki is flexible and strong enough to be cut into the fine strips, necessary for fitting together the pieces into a crosshatch net pattern.

.In Japan, New Year is a time for change and new hope. The house is thoroughly cleaned, as is the home altar. This is when a new special pair of mingei flames are displayed on the kamidana, to start the year off right.

With the advent of electricity and low wattage candle lamps, the popularity of Omiki-guchi declined, but there does seem to be a new interest and appreciation of this folk art recently.

TSUCHI NINGYO - CLAY DOLLS
Tsuchi Ningyo, or clay dolls, are one of the folk toys that can be seen in many areas in Japan, along with Hariko dolls, or paper mache dolls. Both have been the simplest form of dolls since the Heian period.

The shapes of the baked clay dolls are made in a mold and those same molds have been passed down through generations of the families who make them.

Clay dolls are painted and do not need to be dressed in clothes. The intricate work of the painting and the vivid colors put the soul into the dolls, making them very attractive.

The roots of tsuchi ningyo can be traced back to Fushimi Ningyo, the clay dolls made in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture. They became popular souvenirs for people who visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and they spread to many areas in Japan.

Tsuchi Ningyo in each area of Japan have close connections with local customs, folk religions and annual events. Hina Sama dolls, Manekineko dolls, Ebisu and Daikoku God dolls, Tenjinsama, (the lucky god for study) and bells depicting the 12 animals of the Japanese Zodiac are just a few examples.

As Tsuchi ningyo age the paintwork fades giving them a charm all of their own. Antique clay dolls and gods with almost no paint work are quite sought after and have a lovely ‘wabisabi’ feel.

At the end of Edo Period and Meiji Era, there were about 150 areas in Japan producing Tsuchi Ningyo. Now, there are only 40 areas; about one-fourth of the peak. Although the number of makers is decreasing, there are still many avid fans collecting Tsuchi Ningyo made by famous craftsman. Many local areas are now trying to revive the production of their special Tsuchi Ningyo.