The Bronze Mirrors of Mount Haguro: The Beauty of Japanese-Style Mirrors Offered to a Sacred Mountain
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Mirror with Pine Sprigs and Cranes
Found in the mitarashi pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata, Heian period, 12th centuryJapanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Thematic Exhibition Room
September 26, 2023 (Tue) - November 19, 2023 (Sun)On Mount Haguro, a sacred mountain in Yamagata Prefecture in northern Japan, there is a Shinto shrine known as Dewa Sanzan Jinja. The shrine faces a pond, into which numerous bronze mirrors were dropped as sacred offerings over the centuries. Thus far, approximately 600 of these mirrors have been recovered.
Most of these mirrors were created between the Heian (794–1192) and the Edo (1603–1868) period, with the ones believed to date to the late Heian period showing particularly fine craftsmanship. These mirrors are thinly cast and their reverse, non-reflective sides are decorated with images inspired by yamato-e, a classical style of Japanese painting that thrived at the imperial court.
This exhibition presents the bronze mirrors of Mount Haguro that are housed at the Tokyo National Museum. It focuses on their designs, the beauty of which reflects profound religious faith.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Mirror with Pine Sprigs and Cranes | Found in the "mitarashi" pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata | Heian period, 12th century | E-15431 | |||
| Highlight | Mirror with Plum Blossoms, Birds, and a Butterfly | Found in the "mitarashi" pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata | Heian period, 12th century | E-15406 | |||
| Highlight | Mirror with Sandbanks and Paired Birds | Found in the "mitarashi" pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata | Heian period, 12th century | E-15398 | |||
| Mirror with Chrysanthemums, Butterflies, and Birds | Found in the "mitarashi" pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata | Heian period, 12th century | E-15417 | ||||
| Highlight | Mirror with Kerria Roses and Paired Birds | Found in the "mitarashi" pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata | Heian period, 12th century | E-15404 | |||
| Highlight | Mirror with Wicker Fences and Paired Birds | Found in the "mitarashi" pond on Mount Haguro, Yamagata | Heian period, 12th century | E-15389 |