Chishaku-ji Deitō (mud pagoda)

Region/Era Japan / Kamakura period
Size H5.5×W2.3×D1.2cm
Condition Good antique condition
Accessory paulownia box
No. 43nk-125

This small deitō (mud pagoda) was excavated from the Chishakuji Temple ruins in Tottori Prefecture.

Deitō are commemorative objects shaped like Buddhist pagodas, molded from clay. They were created from the Nara period to the Edo period as a way for people to offer prayers.

They were made in various locations, but this particular piece is one of those excavated in the early Showa period from the Chishakuji Temple ruins on Mt. Senjō, located in Kotoura Town, Tōhaku District, Tottori Prefecture.

The Sanskrit character "Ka," representing Jizō Bodhisattva (地蔵菩薩), is carved in the central part (pagoda core), and the character "Nan,"(難) taken from a sutra in the Lotus Sutra, is carved in the lower part (base). The back is a flat plate.

There are many earthenware products with pagoda shapes and Sanskrit characters carved into them, but those with sutra texts are said to be unique to those excavated from the Chishakuji Temple ruins.

After the Heian period, the practice of deito kuyo (mud pagoda memorial service) became popular, where people gathered deito to build mounds and offer prayers in hopes of fulfilling their wishes.

In a diary of a Heian period aristocrat, there is a record of deito being offered to Esoteric Buddhist temples for memorial services. This type of memorial service initially gained popularity among aristocrats, but by the Kamakura period, it had spread among the common people as well.

Since the Lotus Sutra has approximately 70,000 characters, it can be inferred that this piece is one of many created for a large-scale memorial service.

While the shape itself was made by molding, the sutra texts were carved by hand, character by character, by people in the Kamakura period, imbued with their wishes.

When you hold it in your hand and look closely, you can see fine minerals mixed into the soft reddish-brown clay, sparkling at different angles.

The rough, rustic texture of the unglazed earthenware has a warmth that makes you want to cherish it in your palm.

While many individual pieces have damage or wear on the jewel-shaped top, this piece is in good condition, with its form and carvings well-preserved, making it a valuable item.

This item allows you to feel the prayers of the people of that time; please enjoy it in your hands.

[Staff | Megu Fukaya]

To pick up and see the actual item in the gallery.

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