Kozuka with Kadori Myôjin and the Earthquake-fish

Description The earthquake-fish ("namazu") is a large catfish with a body that resembles an eel. It was thought to live underneath the Japanese islands and cause earthquakes by its movements. The god Kadori Myôjin was thought to rub it with a gourd to help keep it quiet. The kozuka shows two figures with gourds attending to the earthquake-fish.

Provenance Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Signature] On kozuka: 後藤顯乘; [Translation] Gotô Kenjô

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters