| Description
Brand new, small size Shinto religious offering tray. Trays such as this are called takatsuki in Japanese and are used to hold food items placed as offerings before the altars of Shinto shrines and smaller home altars called kamidana. These trays are made of wood or ceramic and offerings may include foods such as rice, fruits and vegetables as well as liquids such as water or sake rice wine. Salt is also sometimes offered as an object of purification.
About the Listed Item
This brand new small takatsuki is roughly the size of a Japanese sake cup (guinomi) and has the same general shape with the upper bowl. The tray would therefore make an excellent offering vessel for offerings of wine or water though it is also suitable of other, appropriately sized items. The takatsuki is made of high quality glazed porcelain with gold trim along the lip and a decorative accent on the stem. The pattern on the stem is an ancient swirling comma pattern called tomoe. The basic tomoe design originated in China and has been used in Japan since at least the Yayoi period (300 B.C.-300 A.D.). The pattern always includes one or more comma-shaped swirls oriented in a right or left facing pattern. This image is thought to symbolize water as the Chinese character used to write this name translates as either 'whirlpool' or 'eddy'. The tomoe design has spiritual connotations as well and is frequently seen on religious implements and used with temple and shrine architecture. The pattern on this takatsuki is a three comma, right-facing design called migimitsudomoe. Please read below to learn more about Japan's native religion, Shinto.
Size:
Height: 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters)
Diameter (at top): 2.5 inches (6.5 centimeters)
Weight: 2.2 ounces (63 grams)
More about the Shinto religion
Shinto is one of the two major religions of Japan (the other is Buddhism). Shinto is often considered to be the native religion of Japan, and is as old as Japan itself. The name Shinto means "the way of the gods." Shinto is a pantheistic religion, in which many thousands of major and minor gods are thought to exist. The Japanese have built thousands of shrines (jinja) throughout the country to honor and worship these gods. Some shrines are huge and are devoted to important deities. Other shrines are small and may be easily missed when strolling along roads in the countryside.
Shinto gods are called kami. Kami are thought to have influence on human affairs, and for this reason many Japanese make regular pilgrimage to community shrines in order to offer prayers to local kami. The act of prayer involves approaching the shrine structure, passing through the gate-like torii, cleansing the hands and mouth with water and possibly ascending stairs to the main entrance of the shrine. Usually without entering the shrine the worshipper will throw some coins into a stone or wooden collection box and then rattle the suzu bell which is at the top of a long hemp rope. The worshiper grabs hold of the rope and shakes it back and forth causing the copper bell at the top to rattle. This is thought to get the attention of the shrine god. The worshipper then bows twice, claps his or her hands twice and then bows again. In addition, the worshipper may clasp their hands together in silent prayer. Shintoism and Buddhism have managed to find a comfortable coexistence in Japan. Evidence of this harmonious relationship is found in the fact that that most Japanese are married in a Shinto shrine, but buried by a Buddhist priest.
 item code: INV-0000118_03
ship code: L1650 |
