Cultural Properties of the Munakata Region
| Name |
Letter of Shōgo-in Dōzō |
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| Address |
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| Form |
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| Survey year |
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| Storage status |
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| Excavated relics |
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| Age |
Dated Eiroku 7 (1564) |
| Description |
This is a letter from Shôgô₋in Dôzô, the 25th head priest of Kyoto Shôgô₋in Temple, asking Munakata Daigûji Ujisada for the return of the cargo of a ship that was wrecked offshore of Tsuyazaki in the Genki Sea. At the time, Douzou had been dispatched to Kyushu as an envoy of peace on behalf of the Mouri Clan in Aki and the Otomo Clan in Bungo. There exists a meticulous recording of the processes involved in the construction of Munakata Shrine’s Hetsu-miya main hall, and among these is recorded one instance involving the return of shipwrecked cargo. The ship in question was returning from a mission to China, and the owner of the cargo was a vassal of Muromachi Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru. The cargo included many Chinese-style chests, which contained red and white silk thread, as well as cotton, and other things. The request for the return was at the wishes of the Shogun, but Munakata Shrine emphasized that they had held the right to acquire items washed ashore since ancient times, and denied the request, using the cargo towards the cost of the main hall. |
| volume / scale / area |
16.5x53.2 cm |
| Collection |
Munakata Shrine Collection |
| References |
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| Catalog page |
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