Votive Offerings 中金堂鎮壇具

National Treasures

These objects are votive offerings placed in the ground during ceremonies performed prior to the construction of temple buildings. They represent gifts to the local deities of the earth expressing prayers for the longevity and safety of the new structures.

As many as 1,800 such offertory objects have been found in the foundation of Kofukuji’s Central Golden Hall, which burned down a total of seven times over its history. These objects include ceremonial implements, gold, silver, coins, swords, balls of crystal and other stones, and mirrors. Votive offerings excavated at Kofukuji in 1874 are stored at the Tokyo National Museum, while those excavated in 1884 and 2001 are stored at Kofukuji.