Antique Japanese bandori, peasant's woven back pad for carrying heavy loads. Woven of re purposed cotton cloth, this bandori is outfitted with shoulder straps and is folded on the bottom for extra padding. The back pad is made of cotton from two different textile: a brown striped cotton and light blue and white pattern on cotton. A bandori is made specially for the person carrying the load so it is beautifully unique in it's materials and construction.

Age: Taisho Period... Click for details

Antique Japanese small Bizen ware oil lamp in the form of Fukurokuju, one of the 7 Lucky Gods. Easily identified by his elongated head on top of which is a small bowl for oil. His expression is kind and he sits holding a large gourd (hyotan) in both hands. Fukurokuju is believed to be a sennin, a philosopher who can exist without eating food. His name literally means "happiness" (fuku), "wealth" (roku) and "longevity" (ju).

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: ... Click for details

Antique Japanese scroll painting of Buddha Amitābha also known simply as Amida Buddha and two Bodhisattva attendants: Sanzon Bosatsu (with both hands holding a lotus blossom) and Seishi Raigo Bosatsu (with hands in gassho adoration mudra). The central figure, Amida Nyorai stands with each foot on a lotus blossom, floating on swirling clouds as he descents. His hands are in vitarka mudra, also known as Raikō gesture of welcoming souls to Paradise (Jōdō or Sukhavati in Sanskrit). Golden rays... Click for details

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... Click for details

Japanese antique small Buddhist zushi shrine in the form of a lotus blossom enclosing a tiny figure of Buddha Amitābha. Also known simply as Amida Buddha, he stands on a lotus blossom, floating on swirling clouds. His hands are in vitarka mudra, also known as Raikō gesture of welcoming souls to Paradise (Jōdō or Sukhavati in Sanskrit). Amitābha (which means Infinite or Immeasurable light) is much loved for his gentle wisdom and his all accepting nature. Carved of wood and intricately... Click for details

Antique Japanese ceramic bizen ware sculpture of Ebisu and Daikoku, two of the most popular of the Lucky Gods. Diakoku, who is usually pictured standing on top of bales of rice, instead stands on top of a large ball. He is shown carrying a lucky mallet (Uchide no Kozuchi) and a bag of treasure which is thrown over his shoulder. He is the protector of agriculture, farmers, and rice merchants. Standing to his left on the side of the large ball is Ebisu, the protector of fish, fisheries,... Click for details

Japanese Antique woven fruit basket with bent bamboo handle. Woven of split bamboo with a wide and rounded hexagonal, squat form with low walls. The body of the basket is woven with two layers, a wider weave on the outside, and a layer of very thin strips of bamboo in a finer pattern on the inside. The handle and the rim of the basket are made of whole stocks of bent bamboo. The basket is woven with a low foot and has a signature on the underside.

Age: Meiji Period... Click for details

Antique Japanese carved wooden Kyōgen theatre mask of Zo-onna (middle-aged woman). Still beautiful, she is more serious than her younger counterparts. Her face is longer and narrower and she does not smile but her mouth is open, showing both rows of perfect teeth. Beautifully carved of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood, signed on the inside.

The characters of the signature read 工藤則朝作 (作, saku, here means "work of _" / "made by _", and the name is 工藤則朝). 工藤... Click for details

Antique Japanese carved wood kyōgen theatre mask of the moon faced Otafuku. Her name was once Uzume and evolved into Okame which means "tortoise", a symbol of longevity. Otafuku or Okame is considered the goddess of mirth, a cheerful woman who's name means "abundant good fortune". A bringer of victory and success, she is good-natured, good-humored, good-hearted, generous, kind, serene, and patient. She is smart, strong-willed and competent as well as powerful enough to easily frighten away evil... Click for details

Antique Japanese jizai-kagi in the form of swirling clouds. In a Japanese home, water in a kettle or pot is heated over an irori (sunken hearth). The jizai hook hangs from a strong ceiling beam. From this, a long device is suspended with a hook on the end that can be adjusted up or down by moving the jizai-kagi. Often these are carved in the form of a fish. This unusual jizai-kagi is carved of kayaki (zelkova elm) wood with a dark patina from hearth smoke. Mounted on a custom metal... Click for details