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

This is referred in the "Gohomotsu-zue" (The Illustration of Imperial Treasures) as "Doutomata-tsurimasu" (a bowl made of bronze hung by several chains). It is like a large steel bowl and has fittings for rings (Kanza) that are shaped into flowers with six petals at four spots near the lip. Two of the four fittings have been lost now, but it can be found that this bowl was originally hung by threading chains through the rings. The inscriptions "Judai-nijurokkin" and "Ju-ik-koku-yon-to" refer to the weight of this bowl and the capacity, respectively. Judging from the style of handwriting and the form of the flower-shaped fittings, it is thought that this was created in the Nara period. The many damaged and repaired sections may prove that it had been used for a long time.

The inscription on the pair of hooks on the lip: "Twenty-six kin (斤) in weight, one koku (石) and four to (斗) in capacity (Judai-nijurokkin, Ju-ik-koku-yon-to)"