Vintage Japanese Wooden Shrine Plaque, Ema

This vintage Japanese ema plaque has an illustration of Shashin-shinko, literally meaning “offering one’s body to feed tigers”, a story featured in the Golden Light Sutra. Buddha is falling down from a cliff and there are three tigers on the bottom. The ema plaque has some inscriptions in red.

Ema is a small wooden plaque used at Shinto shrines, and sometimes Buddhist temples, that worshipers can write their wishes, hopes, and dreams on. Once written, it is hung on a special wooden stand or tree where the kami (spirits or gods) are thought to receive them.

• Yellow, green, white, red, black
• Wood
• 1986
• Some characters: 捨身飼虎 shashinshiko Buddha offering his life to feed tigers
• Item weight: 49 grams
• Packed weight: 200 grams
• Approx. 15.3 cm wide x 10.4 cm tall x 0.6 cm thick
• Good condition considering its age. Some scratches. No cord. Wear and tear due to age. Please see the photos.
• We acquired this item from an old family estate sale in Nagoya, Japan

Shipping: We ship worldwide by Japan Post. Adding this item to your cart shows you the shipping prices and options. We do combine shipping and if the cart does not give you a discount, we will refund any extra shipping paid in the case of overpayment.

About Us: We are Dan and Maiko. Since moving to Japan in 2001, we have gained a vast knowledge of Japanese antiques and vintage items. We are excited to offer you a delightful glimpse of the beauty that Japan has to offer. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.