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Buddhist Altar Bell Striker - Large Antique Wooden Bai
Important note Due to its size and weight this item must be shipped via Express Mail Service (EMS) airmail which includes a tracking number and full value insurance. Please see the shipping quote within the listing for information about shipping charges to your area.
Description
This interesting item is an very large antique wooden bell striker (bai)
for use with large Buddhist temple bells. The striker dates from the early
to mid Showa period (1926-1989) and has seen much past use and today is
in poor condition with a worn and tattered fabric striker. The solid wood
handle is in good condition though there are chips and scratches from past use.
Due to its condition and age we recommend this striker as a display item only.
Size of striker:
Length: 14.4 inches (37.0 centimeters or 12.3 sun*)
Weight: 7.7 ounces (220 grams)
* The Japanese still measure many traditional craft items
according to the old kanejaku system of measure which was formally
replaced with the metric system in 1891. Altar bells and accessories are one
example where this old system of measure is still used, and brand new religious
items will commonly include labels stating the item's size in kanejaku
units. The basic unit of measure within
this system is the "sun" which equals roughly 3 centimeters.
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Japanese Buddhist home altars
At the start of the long
Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) the Shogun,Tokugawa Ieyasu determined that the country of Nippon (Japan) should
be closed to the outside world with the exception of a few ports of trade.
This was done in an effort to protect Japan from the colonizing forces of the
west and in particular to isolate the Japanese people from the influences of
Christianity, which the Shogun viewed as a threat to the principals of
Confucianism upon which his rule did depend. Over time this fear
of Christianity grew such that laws were eventually passed requiring the
Japanese to annually swear devotion to Buddhism. Fearing the threat and
penalties of Christian belief, many Japanese families began to erect small
Buddhist altars within their home as further proof of their loyalty to Buddhism.
These home altars or butsudan as they are called were commonly outfitted with
religious implements such as bells, incense burners, candlesticks and statues
such that they might resemble Buddhist temples in miniature. Specialist
crafts developed for the sole purpose of manufacturing beautiful wooden
butsudan and their associated articles of worship. Over time, the
practice of maintaining a home altar lost it's original purpose of publicly
expressing one's loyalty to Buddhism and instead became an accepted and
important household function, particularly with families acting as the head of
the household name (usually the home of the first born son). Far from
being forgotten as a relic of Japan's past, the butsudan is today an
important household fixture which may receive daily attention by family members
who consider the altar to symbolically enshrine the spirits and memories of
departed ancestors.
item code: R1S3-0005678
category code: (nipponrin) (butsudannomono)
ship code: B
We really want you to be happy with your purchase! For this reason all
items include a 100% money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any
reason, you may return your purchase immediately for a full refund. Your purchase
and all shipping costs will then be refunded to you after the item has been returned
to our office in Japan. Please see our Contact page if you need to reach us for any reason.
Please see our Shipping page for full details regarding shipping rates, available shipping methods and combined shipping discounts. All shipments are via Japan Post standard airmail or Express Mail Service (EMS) airmail. EMS airmail includes a tracking number and is typically faster than standard airmail. Please note that we do not use less secure shipping methods such as surface or SAL delivery due to the higher incidence of loss, damage and significant delay which we have previously encountered using these methods. Your understanding and consideration prior to bidding is greatly appreciated. We ship anywhere and happily combine orders to help you save money. We
carefully weigh and measure each item prior to listing in order to determine
that item's actual shipping cost. This allows us to then include a shipping quote
within each listing which is sufficient to cover postage and handling costs to
any address worldwide. Purchases are carefully packed and
shipped within 72 hours of receipt of payment though holidays and weekends may cause additional delay. Standard airmail delivery to addresses in
North America and Europe average one to three weeks with more or less time
sometimes required for other areas of the world. International buyers should be aware of the laws of
their own country and be prepared to deal with any and all customs-related fees
and charges. Taxes, duties, VAT and any other levies accessed are the
responsibility of the buyer. We self insure the full purchase value of
each order.
Shopping with us is easy. Buy one item or shop for several days. There is never any hurry and we are happy to hold purchases while you continue shopping. Within 24 hours of the close of each transaction you will be sent an invoice including instructions to help you complete your purchase. When you pay for your purchase we will begin the shipment process. Please do not make payments for any individual items you wish us to combine as we are unable to combine items once payment has been received. When you are all done shopping please just send us an email to let us know and we will combine your unpaid purchases into a single order and send you an invoice with combined shipping. PayPal and ProPay are our preferred methods of payment.
Please note that we frequently use photographic models with our listings. This means that when we create a new listing we will randomly select from
inventory a sample of the item for the purpose of photography. The item
you receive therefore may differ slightly from the sample shown in the listing
photos. Your satisfaction guarantee however is always in force and we will
promptly refund or replace the item if you are not pleased with your purchase. Please contact us to ask if a model was used with any listing you may be interested in.
Our family business is located in one of the most beautiful and historic
areas of Japan (Shizuoka) and we take great pleasure in sharing videos, stories, facts
and images from this exciting and interesting culture. Please consider
visiting our
About Japan page where you can read our exclusive articles about Japan,
Japanese culture and even our recommended travel itinerary for those considering
a visit to the land of the rising sun.
*The estimated delivery time is based on the seller's handling time, the shipping service selected, and when the seller receives cleared payment. Sellers are not responsible for shipping service transit times. Transit times may vary, particularly during peak periods.
We really want you to be happy with your purchase! For this reason all items include a 100% money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase immediately for a full refund. Your purchase and all shipping costs will then be refunded to you after the item has been returned to our office in Japan.
The buyer is responsible for return shipping costs.
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