A while back I posted about a co-worker who 40 years back had
purchased a Habachi Table in Japan in a antique store. The table
drawers were swollen shut with the humidity and when he brought it
hope he set it before a fire till it dried out enough to open the
drawers. Inside he found two small boxes that were very very light to
the touch.
Well last week I was finally able to catch up with him and set up a
meeting with Tokiko (I'll get her last name later, I thought i had
it). She is the mother of my best friend and loves history. Born and
raised in a Budhist Temple, her father was the high monk.
The first contents of the box were four items. The first item she
pulled out was the letter. The paper was very light and almond
colored, but the writing on it was very bold. She had no problem
reading it. Inside the letter was a snake skin that had been wrapped
around what looked like cotton. The skin was so dry that it was
crumbling. Inside the lid of the box was some writing.
Now I'm not sure where the date was written, if it was in the lid or
on the letter. But Tokiko San said that it was written the 6th year
of Kaei. When we looked it up, it was 1854. A year after Commodore
Perry arrived.
The letter in a nutshell was from Miyawaki San explaining that the
snake inside was being given as a gift of monetary luck. The design
on the snake was the same as the coin with the square hole in the
middle.
Under the letter and snake skin were three talismans. Two small ones
and then a large one. She tried opening the large one, but it had
never been opened before and was VERY fragile. She said that it is
the kind of talisman not to be opend otherwise what ever fortune or
protection it was providing would go away.
In the second box was a scroll. I wish i had gotten a picture of it
undraveled. It was a red one. And Tokiko San said that these
talismans can still be purchased at any shrine in Japan. When she and
her daughter began to unravel the scroll, it was as strong as the
paper the letter was written on. It didn't tear or rip. (much to my
delight, my poor heart was in my throat) She said that the scroll was
a protection scroll of the 9 Kami-samas or 9 spirits. She was not
able to translate the scroll, much.
The wood the boxes are made of is called Kiri or Paulownia. She said
it was very common to use this kind of wood because the bugs didn't
like it and it was very light.
The Talismans came from Komeira Shrine.
I have posted my myspace site where I have posted the pictures.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?
fuseaction=user.editAlbums&MyToken=dbceeb4a-2d7a-457f-a758-
e51e81229c33
and also the site for the Komeira Shrine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotohira_Shrine
This was such an exciting thing. Thanks for letting me share.
p.s. The gentleman who owns these was wondering if there was any way
to determine their monetary value?
I would also like your opinions on these items. :)