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

This saucer is made of very thinly cast sahari (an alloy of copper, tin and lead). A cylinder ornamented with engraved horizontal lines from the top to the bottom is attached on the low-footed plate. This structure is the same as tenmoku-dai (stand for tenmoku-bowls) for tea ceremonies. Probably it was used to put a metal bowl (mari) on. Since there is the word "Maitreya" written in ink on it with N-271, this piece is thought to be a religious instrument to put on a bowl of offerings for Maitreya. There is a saucer similar to this one with a shorter cylinder in Hōryūji temple.