Yokogi were indoor fixtures which hung over live coals. In the center of the main room of traditional houses of the Edo and Meiji periods stood an open hearth in which a small charcoal fire was kept burning. Above the fire was a suspension device called a “jizai” (self-adjuster) from which an iron kettle could be hung and raised or lowered as needed. A large wooden pothook hanger (“jizai-gake”) was suspended by a heavy rope from the high roof beams. The other end of this rope was attached to the adjuster (“yokogi,” i.e., crosspiece) through which the rope passed just above the iron hook. The weight of a pot on the iron hook pulled down on the rope and jammed it tight inside its hole through the crosspiece. Moving the yokogi to a horizontal position released this tension and permitted the kettle to be raised or lowered. Wooden crosspieces were usually carved in fanciful forms having auspicious and protective symbolism. A yokogi in the form of a carp (koi) was meant to inspire and instill courage and perseverance in the male children of the family and thus help to bring about success in their subsequent careers. Carp, like salmon, swim upstream to spawn, struggling bravely to overcome barriers such as rapids and waterfalls. In addition to the symbolism of the carp, fish-shaped yokogi in general symbolized the presence of water and were thought to magically prevent the fire in the hearth from starting a conflagration and destroying the house.

The lotus (“hasu”) is a water flower that rises above large fan-shaped leaves, growing in still, shallow bodies of fresh water and mud. Buddhist traditions hold that the lotus is a sacred flower. In secular Chinese art, the lotus has many auspicious meanings, variously symbolizing harmony, love, sympathy and prosperity. Boxwood, the hardwood of choice for Japanese carvers, is usually carved into smaller items such as netsuke and okimono, so a boxwood carving in this size is quite unique and rare.

Buddha’s hand is an aromatic but inedible citron that is said in its irregular shape to resemble the hand of Buddha. Its Chinese name is a homophone for the words “happiness” and “longevity.” The fruit may be given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples. According to tradition, Buddha prefers the "fingers" of the fruit to be in a position where they resemble a closed rather than open hand, as closed hands symbolize to Buddha the act of prayer. Objects formed in the shape of a Buddha’s hand were favored by Chinese literati of later dynasties, and in Japan the citron is regarded as an accoutrement of literati and tea ceremony masters.

Yokogi were indoor fixtures which hung over live coals. In the center of the main room of traditional houses of the Edo and Meiji periods stood an open hearth in which a small charcoal fire was kept burning. Above the fire was a suspension device called a “jizai” (self-adjuster) from which an iron kettle could be hung and raised or lowered as needed. A large wooden pothook hanger (“jizai-gake”) was suspended by a heavy rope from the high roof beams. The other end of this rope was attached to the adjuster (“yokogi,” i.e., crosspiece) through which the rope passed just above the iron hook. The weight of a pot on the iron hook pulled down on the rope and jammed it tight inside its hole through the crosspiece. Moving the yokogi to a horizontal position released this tension and permitted the kettle to be raised or lowered. Wooden crosspieces were usually carved in fanciful forms having auspicious and protective symbolism.

A yokogi in the form of a carp (koi) was meant to inspire and instill courage and perseverance in the male children of the family and thus help to bring about success in their subsequent careers. Carp, like salmon, swim upstream to spawn, struggling bravely to overcome barriers such as rapids and waterfalls. In addition to the symbolism of the carp, fish-shaped yokogi in general symbolized the presence of water and were thought to magically prevent the fire in the hearth from starting a conflagration and destroying the house.

Sake has always been an integral part of Japanese life and the number and variety of kanban for the brew reflect this. Sake is stored in “sake-daru,” the cedar or cypress barrels which are wrapped in straw. The “shimenawa,” a braided straw rope sacred in Shinto belief and a portent of good luck, was an essential part of the barrel. The larger brewers licensed certain retail shops to display their kanban, just like the promotional product advertising still seen in modern shops. (For a similar example, see Plate 5 in KANBAN: SHOP SIGNS OF JAPAN by Dana Levy, Lea Sneider and Frank Gibney.)

Kanban are the traditional shop signs of old Japan. During the Edo and Meiji periods, large areas of the major cities were filled with rows of shops from which almost every conceivable form of trade was carried out. Because the shops were small, crowded and similar in appearance, the merchants were forced to advertise their wares through the use of banners, lanterns and shop signs. Signs with pleasing designs played an important role in catching the attention of passers-by and attracting potential customers. Visible from the street, the signs had to advertise the shop’s products in an original and appealing manner that would be immediately comprehensible to the public. Kanban were often decorated with bold patterns and characters advertising the wares of the shop, the owner, and the unique qualities of the products sold. While many of these signs were simple rectangular shapes, others resembled the objects associated with the wares sold in the shop and were elaborately carved and painted.

This antique kanban for Kiku-Masamune sake is particularly elegant. The workmanship is indicative of the quality of craftsmanship and the originality demanded of the carvers of shop signs in 19th century Japan, and the gilding is lush. This sign is an example of a “yoki kanban,” which is a sign that identifies the product by its container. Such shop signs started centuries ago and were important when not everybody could read. Most had recognizable symbols, like this sake cask, and they advertised common household necessities and were directed to a largely illiterate audience. This kanban is an important example of Japanese folk art equaling the quality of those found in most of the major mingei collections or illustrated in reference books and catalogs about Japanese folk art.