A Mirror with One of Japan's Earliest Inscriptions
The Mirror with Human Figures (Suda Hachiman Shrine) (人物画象鏡) is a Kofun-period bronze mirror handed down at Suda Hachiman Shrine in Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture, and displayed at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park, Taito City, Tokyo, which in 1951 was designated a National Treasure.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records one mirror, first designated under the old system in 1916.
The Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual description dates the cast bronze mirror to around the fifth century.
The Inscription
According to the Japan Tourism Agency, the mirror is inscribed with 48 Chinese characters.
Several are reversed, suggesting that the craftsmen who made it were not yet familiar with this script.
What to Look For
The Japan Tourism Agency considers it especially important for the insight it gives into the period when Japan was beginning to use characters from China.
As an inscription on a Kofun-period mirror, it records the beginnings of writing in Japan.
Visiting the Mirror with Human Figures (Suda Hachiman Shrine)
According to the Japan Tourism Agency, the original is displayed at the Tokyo National Museum, and a large replica is shown at Suda Hachiman Shrine.
Check the museum's schedule for display.
Q&A
- When was the mirror designated a National Treasure?
- On 9 June 1951.
- How old is it?
- About the fifth century.
- What is special about its inscription?
- 48 characters, several of them reversed.
- Why is it important?
- It sheds light on when Japan began to use writing.
- Where can I see it?
- The original at the Tokyo National Museum, a replica at the shrine.
Basic Information
| Name | Mirror with Human Figures (Suda Hachiman Shrine) (人物画象鏡) |
|---|---|
| Location | Tokyo National Museum, 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito City, Tokyo |
| Designation | National Treasure (archaeological materials) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1951/6/9 (Showa 26); earlier designation 1916/5/24 |
| Quantity | 1 mirror |
| Dimensions | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Owner | Suda Hachiman Shrine |
| Public Access | Displayed at the Tokyo National Museum |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Mirror with Human Figures (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/834
- Japan Tourism Agency Multilingual Database: Suda Hachiman Shrine
- https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R1-00643.html
Last verified: 2026.09.29