National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

A tōmari is a footed metal bowl with a lid with a sōrin-shaped (pagoda finial) button on it. Its origin is thought to be reliquaries in India. They came to Japan from Tang and were used as incense containers. There is a picture of an old monk using a tōmari with a handled incense-burner on Tamamushi no zushi (the Beetle wing Shrine). Surviving pieces other than the one in Hōryūji are known to be in places such as Shōsōin and the temple of Mt. Nantai in Nikkō. Kyakutsuki-mari (footed metal bowls) are a kind of implement for the memorial service of the dead, all of which have a trapezoidal foot. The body and the foot of both N-256 and N-257 are known to be joined with rivets, although those of N-257 were originally parts of different pieces. The lid of N-256 has been lost, while both N-255 and N-257 have a lid with a hōju (sacred jewel) shaped button. N-254's original foot is damaged and has been fixed with wood.