The Bronze Mirror of Suda Hachiman Jinja Shrine

Suda Hachiman Shrine has dedicated worship to Hachiman, the protector of warriors, since the ninth century. The approach to the main hall passes through an elegant gate with a dragon painted on the ceiling. The shrine's most significant object is a cast bronze mirror from around the fifth century, designated a National Treasure and now held at the Tokyo National Museum. A large replica is displayed here. The mirror's inscription of 48 kanji characters is particularly valuable to historians: several characters are reversed, showing that the craftsmen who made it were still learning to use the written script newly imported from China.