Scroll of Horse Doctors

This illustrated scroll was handed down as a secret text for horse doctors during the Kamakura period. It contains the names of 10 renowned doctors from ancient Japan and China, as well as horses kept at stables, followed by illustrations of 17 medicinal herbs. Horses were treasured by practitioners of the military arts. Knowledge of how to use medicinal herbs would have been extremely valuable when treating injured or sick horses. A postscript at the end of the scroll describes how it was handed down by a man named Sei'a to Shichirohyoenojo Tadayasu in the New Year of 1267. The postscript also explains how the existence and contents of this scroll must be kept secret.

This all attests to the importance of this illustrated document. Despite being secret, other similar scrolls have also been passed down to us, thus suggesting they were widely disseminated. Also worthy of note are the sketch-like depictions of herbs using light colors. A secret manual for horse doctors, this scroll contains illustrations of renowned horse specialists, famous horses, and herbal medicines. The postscript records its provenance and warns that, if no disciple could inherit it, the scroll should be returned to its previous owner or burned to preserve its secrecy.

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