Mirror with a TLV Pattern and Beasts

方格規矩獣文鏡

At a glance — Archaeological Object · Kofun period · held by Tokyo National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Fact Sheet

Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Category: Archaeological Objects
Period: Kofun period
Date: 301–500
Held by: Tokyo National Museum
Location: Ueno, Tokyo
Catalogue ID: cobas-88378

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Same period: Kofun archaeological objects →
At this museum: All 1632 works here →

Mirrors were believed to have magic properties and were prized as symbols of authority. This mirror was made in Japan and modeled on mirrors from China's Eastern Han dynasty (25–220). The four deities and inscriptions on the original Chinese mirror were replaced with spiral patterns during copying.

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

Record & Sources

Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財), Government of Japan
Catalogue ID: cobas-88378 (permanent)
Official record: Japan Search — jpsearch.go.jp/item/cobas-88378
Holder's collection: ColBase — Tokyo National Museum
Photograph: Tokyo National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0. CC BY 4.0 licence

Cite this page: “Mirror with a TLV Pattern and Beasts（方格規矩獣文鏡）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-88378. Tokyo National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/mirror-with-a-tlv-pattern-and-beasts/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.

Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)

Category: Archaeology:Media:Metal
Genre: Archaeology
Material: Bronze
Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
員数: 1面
分類: 考古
品質形状: 青銅製
種別: 考古:材質:金属
法量: 直径23.9

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