An antique Japanese bronze temple bell called Bonsho with a handle depicting diverging dragon heads called Ryuzu, protrusions called chi chi or nye to improve resonance of sound, two opposing Tsuki-za striking panels and a Mei-bun inscription of the bell's history. Bonshō (Japanese: 梵鐘, Buddhist bells), also known as tsurigane (釣り鐘, hanging bells) or ōgane (大鐘, great bells) are large bells found in Buddhist temples throughout Japan, used to summon the monks to prayer and to demarcate periods of time. Rather than containing a clapper, bonshō are struck from the outside, using either a handheld mallet or a beam suspended on ropes. Has temple inscriptions that translates to read that this bell resided at Chisoku-ji, a Zen temple of the Soto sect in Toyama Prefecture. The donor was Otsubo Kojiro joined by 16 other contributors. It was donated to the temple on February, 1947 (Showa 22) though its casting age is significantly older than this.

Age: Meiji Period (1870-1880)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" high x 13 1/2" diameter