Documents related to Tōdaiji and other temples

This handscroll contains succession records known as tetsugi shōmon for a plot of land located at 1 tsubo, 5-ri, 5-jō, Naranaka Village, Soekami County, Yamato Province. This is in the vicinity of Nara Shrine in present-day Nara Town, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture. The scroll contains sixteen sales receipts, created after each transfer, which were attached to the previous receipt. From the Heian period (794–1185) onward, this practice of creating succession records served as proof of land ownership. Along with the handscroll are three other documents.

One of them, dated 1148, is a certificate of transfer, passing on ownership of the buildings and estates in Kōfuku-ji Tō-in Temple from Shinkyō to Kakuchō, two head monks. Another one dated 1249 is a receipt issued by Tōji Temple acknowledging offerings from Noto Province (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture). A 1271 document orders the recipient to borrow rice to feed the horses that were performing in a ceremonial ritual at Hie Shrine. On the back, sacred Buddhist text has been copied out.

— Museum description: Kyushu National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.