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

These three bells were originally part of a set of five ritual bells, which included a single-pronged vajra bell, a three-pronged vajra bell, a five-pronged vajra bell, a bell with a stupa, and a bell with sacred jewels. The five bells symbolize the Five Wisdom Buddhas (Skt. Pañcatathāgata) of the Diamond World (Skt. Vajradhātu), one of which is the buddha Dainichi (Skt. Mahāvairocana). During esoteric rituals, the bell with a stupa is placed in the center of a large platform and the remaining four bells are placed in the middle of each of the four sides. As these three bells were produced as part of the same set, their bodies and handles were made to the same specifications. The body of each gradually grows wider toward the base, and the bottom edge flares outward. The bodies feature little adornment, with only sets of raised lines on the upper and lower parts. The middles of the handles have “demon eyes”—oval motifs with a second oval inscribed inside—rendered in relief. Lotus petals are depicted above and below them. The petals have engraved outlines and are bound in the middle with three raised bands. The demon eyes and use of three raised bands are common in works from the late Heian period (794–1185), but the engraved outlines on the petals and shapes of the bells’ bodies seem to date to the Kamakura period (1185–1333). Consequently, the original set is thought to have been produced between the late Heian period and the early Kamakura period. The sacred jewels attached to the handle of one of the bells used to have flames around them, but this element has been lost.