CB080 - Japan Vintage Dorei Bell Usa Shrine 宇佐神宮

This delightful clay bell in the form of a dove is a charming piece of traditional Japanese folk craft from Usa in Oita Prefecture. The bird is hand-painted in vivid shades of turquoise, soft yellow, crimson, and black, evoking a gentle and auspicious aura. It is a representation of the "Mikuji Hato" (Fortune Dove), historically used in the practice of drawing sacred lots—omikuji (おみくじ)—at Usa Shrine (宇佐神宮), one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines. In ancient times at Usa Shrine, a white dove was believed to draw omikuji fortunes with its beak, delivering divine guidance to the people. Those who received favorable fortunes would cherish the message and bring home a dove as a symbol of luck. Eventually, ceramic versions of these birds were created to serve as souvenirs and protective charms. Believers would hang these clay doves around their necks or in their homes, often as omamori (amulets) or decorative symbols of good fortune and peace. This particular piece was created by Toyokunidō (豊国堂), a traditional workshop known for folk crafts from the region. With its rustic charm and sacred association, this clay bell serves as both a delightful collectible and a spiritual symbol rooted in Shinto beliefs and the historic culture of Usa. Size: 8 x 5.5 x 6cm#CB080#Bellkyo· · ─ 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 ─ · ·https://maisonkyo.be/blogs/news/history-of-clay-bells-tsuchi-bue-dorei-%E5%9C%9F%E9%88%B4· · ──── ✨𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚✨ ──── · · 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑄𝑅 𝑐𝑜𝑑𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝐾𝑈 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟. 𝑆𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒.