OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 201 



It had to admit the native gods, the Icamis, as manifestations of 

 the Buddha or as Bodhisattvas. In this manner and through the 

 efforts of such men as Dengyo Daishi (died in 822) and Kobo 

 Daishi (died in 834) arose the so-called Ryohu Shinto—mixed Shinto. 

 At the beginning of the eighteenth century the revival of pure Shinto 

 set in under national and patriotic influences. It was only the 

 revolution, however, of 1868 which reinstated the Alikado, the living 

 kami, that made Shinto once more the religion of the state, and 

 effected, as far as possible, the separation of the two systems. 



"Shinto is kept alive mainly by popular festivals and pilgrimages, 

 of which religion forms a small part. To Shinto also belongs the 

 religious element in the cult of the Mikado, and the sensibility to the 

 divine in nature, which is characteristic of the Japanese nation." ^^ 



COLLECTION 



1. Shrine. — Made of plain wood. Inside is a rudely carved wooden 

 figurine of Daikoku, one of the Japanese gods of good fortune. Height 

 15 inches; width, 25 inches; depth, 7^ inches. Japan. (Cat. No. 

 4287, U.S.N.M.) Collected by the United States expedition to 

 Japan under Commander Perry in 1854. 



2. 5'Anne.— Made of plain wood and inclosed within a structure 

 of latticework. Inside are plain wooden tables and three figurines of 

 Daikoku. Height, 20 inches; width, 40 inches; depth, 14 inches. 

 Kobe, Japan. (Cat. No. 154843, U.S.N.M.) 



3. Shrine. — Wood, painted red and green, with a Torii in red and 

 black and steps leading up to the entrance. Inside is the mirror in 

 form of a disk of white metal on a stand. Height, 16 inches; width, 

 17 inches, depth, 18 Inches. Japan. (Cat. No. 150612, U.S.N.M.) 



4. Shrine. — Plain wood. Resting on a platform with steps leading 

 up to the entrance. Surrounded by a sort of gallery or portico. 

 Height, 163^ inches; width and depth, 814 inches. Japan. 



5. Milcoshi, or portable shrine. — Model of wood and wickerwork. 

 From the overhanging roof on the four corners are suspended bells. 

 Provided with Toriis and entrances on all four sides, and on the roof 

 is perched some mythical bird. 



The milcoshi is carried about in procession on festivals and contains 

 the usual objects (shintais) of a Shinto shrine, such as the mirror and 

 gohei, and tablets on which the names of the gods are inscribed. The 

 bells are attached to it and are rung while the procession is in prog- 

 ress. Height, 15^ inches; and 13^^ inches square. Kobe, Japan. 

 (Cat. No. 154820, U.S.N.M.) 



6. Household shrine {Boko mamore). — Wood, carved, decorated 

 with brass fittings and ornaments, tassels, and embroidered cloth. 



«i G. W. Aston, Hastings Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. XI, 1921 ,p. 471 



61551—29 14 



