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

鏡板裏面墨書
「為　真嶋円益信士　同妙寿信女　寿慶信女　おゆき信女惣法界　無ゑん法界　六親けんそく七世父母」
（第六字）「信」
の左端に「円」字重ね書きがある
(Inscription written in ink on the reverse side of a panel-plate, "[This sutra stand is made] for [the benefit of]: pious man Majima Eneki, pious woman Majima Myouju, pious woman Jukei, pious woman Oyuki, for all the realms of the universe, for the realms not related [to me/us], and also for six kinds of closest relatives, all the relatives [of mine/ours], and seven generations of fathers and mothers [of mine/ours]." On the left edge of sixth character, "信", another character "円" is written over.)


The top plate of this sutra stand is made of parallel-board jointed black persimmon dyed with purplish-red pigment made from su plant (suou). It is supported by short legs with a frame at the bottom called tatamizuri (lit. tatami-scraper). Strips of henon bamboo cover the corners and edges of the plate, while gilt-bronze fittings with a cloud-arabesque pattern are nailed along the corners of the sides for both decoration and protection. The legsshow a large curve from the top to the bottom, forming kozama (decorative carving on the base of a craftwork). The motifs commonly used in yamato-e (Japanese-painting), such as mandarin ducks and trees, are pictured on the greenish-blue surfaces of the legs. The sheets made from ox-horn/hoof were used to draw the pictures on and to cover the legs. This technique is called kakaku (lit. brilliant-horn).