known as the Bridge of Nations Bell; the 333 character inscription begins "The Kingdom of the Ryūkyūs is in a splendid location in the South Seas, with close ties with Korea, intimate relations with China, and 'close as lips and teeth' with Japan; standing between the two as an Island of Utopia, with its ships it forms a bridge of nations, and the realm is filled with precious goods from foreign lands" (琉球國者南海勝地而鍾三韓之秀以大明為輔車以日域為脣歯在此ニ中間湧出之蓬莱嶋也以舟楫為万國之津梁異産至宝充満十方刹)[5]
three bells; two from 1495; the third, from the shōrō, was first cast in 1496 then recast in 1697; looted in the aftermath of the Battle of Okinawa, it was returned from the Philippines in 1950; with a height of 206 centimetres (6 ft 9 in) and diameter of 119 centimetres (3 ft 11 in) and weighing 1.9 tons, it is the largest in Okinawa[6][7]
used on one of the Ryukyuan missions to Edo in the mid-nineteenth century, it was presented to the Shimazu clan; discovered by historian Higashionna Kanjun (東恩納寛惇) in Tokyo, it was exhibited at the Okinawa Folk Museum (沖縄郷土博物館), which opened in 1936 in the grounds of Shuri Castle; missing after the war, it was discovered by Higashionna in Hawaii in 1954 and donated to the museum[9]
the bell's inscription includes, as translated by George Kerr: "May the sound of this bell shatter illusory dreams, perfect the souls of mankind, and enable the King and his subjects to live so virtuously that barbarians will find no occasion to invade the Kingdom"; removed in 1854 by Perry, the bell hung for many years at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis (where there is now a replica (pictured)), before being returned in 1987[10][11]
White Square Tray with Landscape with Pavilions and Figures, Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting 白密陀山水楼閣人物漆絵箔絵角盆 shiro mitsuda sansui rōkaku jinbutsu urushi-e haku-e kakubon
Red Lacquer Round Serving Tray with Landscape with Pavilions and Figures, Gold Leaf 朱漆山水楼閣人物箔絵丸型東道盆 shu urushi sansui rōkaku jinbutsu haku-e marugata tundābun
Red Lacquer Desk with Birds and Flowers, Raden Technique with Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting 朱漆花鳥螺鈿箔絵密陀絵机 shu urushi kachō raden haku-e mitsuda-e tsukue
height of 25.7 centimetres (10.1 in), length of 111.6 centimetres (43.9 in), and width of 48.0 centimetres (18.9 in); black lacquer underneath; the flowers include peonies and chrysanthemums[14]
height of 10.3 centimetres (4.1 in), length of 35.5 centimetres (14.0 in), width of 23.7 centimetres (9.3 in); a rare signed piece, inscribed underneath in gold on black lacquer "Made by Une Ryōhō of Chūzan" (中山宇根良方製之)[17]
Black Lacquer Bowl with Chrysanthemums, Flowers, Birds, and Insects, Chinkin Technique 黒漆菊花鳥虫七宝繋沈金食籠 kuro urushi kiku kachō mushi shippō tsunagi chinkin jikirō
Round Red Lacquer Footed Tray with Tomoe and Peonies, Chinkin Technique 朱漆牡丹巴紋七宝繋沈金足付盆 shu urushi botan tomoe mon shippō tsunagi chinkin ashi tsuki bon
Black Lacquer Helmet-Shaped Tobacco Container with Landscape with Figures, Raden Technique 黒漆山水人物螺鈿阿古陀形煙草入 kuro urushi sansui jinbutsu raden akodanari tabakoire
Black Lacquer Hexagonal Food Container with Twenty-Four Panels, Raden and Chinkin Technique 黒漆二十四孝唐草螺鈿沈金八角食籠 kuro urushi nijūyon kō karakusa raden chinkin hakkaku jikirō
Black Lacquer Tray with Flowers and Birds, Raden Technique with Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting 黒漆花鳥螺鈿箔絵密陀絵盆 kuro urushi kachō raden haku-e mitsuda-e bon
White Square Tray with Landscape with Pavilions and Figures, Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting 白密陀山水楼閣人物密陀絵箔絵四方盆 shiro mitsuda sansui rōkaku jinbutsu mitsuda-e haku-e yohō bon
^国宝・重要文化財 [Number of National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties by Prefecture] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. 1 January 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^ abc国・県・市町村指定文化財 [National, Prefectural, and Municipal Cultural Properties] (PDF) (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefecture. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^施策活用企業事例 [Measures to Increase Enterprise] (in Japanese). Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^"Gallery03" 白密陀山水楼閣人物漆絵箱絵角盆 [White Square Tray with Landscape with Pavilions and Figures, Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆葵紋菊螺鈿箱 [White Square Tray with Landscape with Pavilions and Figures, Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^緑漆鳳凰雲点斜格子沈金丸櫃 [Green Lacquer Round Chest with Phoenixes and Clouds, Chinking Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^朱漆山水人物沈金足付盆 [Red Lacquer Footed Tray with Landscape with Figures, Chinkin Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^緑漆牡丹唐草石畳沈金膳 [Red Lacquer Footed Tray with Landscape with Figures, Chinkin Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^朱漆寒山拾得螺鈿四方盆 [Red Lacquer Square Tray with Kanzan Jittoku, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^朱漆梅月螺鈿六角盆 [Red Lacquer Hexagonal Tray with Moon and Plum, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆菱七宝繋螺鈿伽羅箱 [Black Lacquer Box with Caltrops, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆麒麟葡萄栗鼠螺鈿重香合 [Black Lacquer Incense Container with Kirin, Grapes, and Squirrels, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆山水人物螺鈿輪花盆 [Black Lacquer Flower-Shaped Tray with Landscape with Figures, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆雲龍螺鈿盆 [Black Lacquer Tray with Dragon and Clouds, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆楼閣人物螺鈿八角食籠 [Black Lacquer Hexagonal Food Container with Pavilions and Figures, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆藻魚千鳥螺鈿八角食籠 [Black Lacquer Hexagonal Tray with Vegetation, Fish, and Plovers, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆騎馬人物螺鈿箱 [Black Lacquer Box with Figures on Horseback, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆桐鳳凰螺鈿東道盆 [Black Lacquer Serving Tray with Paulownias and Phoenixes, Raden Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆二十四孝唐草螺鈿沈金八角食籠 [Black Lacquer Hexagonal Food Container with Twenty-Four Panels, Raden and Chinkin Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆葡萄栗鼠箔絵八角食籠 [Black Lacquer Hexagonal Food Container with Grapes and Squirrels, Gold Leaf] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^潤塗舟遊草花箔絵稜花形食籠 [Lacquered Flower-Shaped Food Container with Boats and Vegetation, Gold Leaf] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^潤塗花鳥箔絵密陀絵丸形食籠 [Lacquered Round Food Container with Flowers and Birds, Gold Leaf and Litharge Painting] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^朱漆竹虎連珠沈金螺鈿座屏 [Red Lacquer Screen with Tiger and Bamboo, Raden and Chinkin Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆葡萄栗鼠螺鈿箔絵箱 [Black Lacquer Box with Grapes and Squirrels, Raden Technique with Gold Leaf] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^黒漆孔雀牡丹唐草沈金食籠 [Black Lacquer Food Container with Peacocks and Peony Scrolls, Chinkin Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^朱黒漆雲龍沈金螺鈿卓 [Red and Black Lacquer Table with Dragon and Clouds, Raden and Chinkin Technique] (in Japanese). Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^御絵図46点 市文化財に 貢納布を織る図案 [46 Patterns for Tribute Cloth Designated a Municipal Cultural Property]. Yaeyama Nippō (ja) (in Japanese). March 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
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