Magic Mirror / Cranes

This magic mirror depicts cranes feeding on pine trees.
When light is reflected onto a wall, the image of Amida Buddha appears.
It can also be used as a regular mirror in daily life.
Its compact size makes it easy to carry and convenient for personal use.

Magic Mirror – Reflections of Hidden Devotion
A magic mirror is a remarkable Japanese craftwork that reveals hidden images when light is cast upon its surface. Though it looks like an ordinary mirror, patterns or sacred figures engraved on the reverse side mysteriously appear in the reflection.

During the Edo period, under the ban on Christianity, Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christians) are said to have used mirrors engraved with the image of Christ. By shining light onto the mirror, the figure of Christ would be projected, allowing them to pray in secret. To avoid suspicion, the reverse was often covered with a lid featuring harmless decorative patterns.

Today, magic mirrors are valued not only as rare religious artifacts, but also as exceptional examples of Japan’s advanced casting techniques and spiritual culture. Experience the mysterious beauty of light and shadow captured within this extraordinary mirror.

Width：9cm
Depth：0.8cm
Weight：250g

Bronze

AKIHISA YAMAMOTO

I hope that one day, magic mirrors (makyō) will once again be in the spotlight.

There may be processes that could be mechanized, but doing so would cause certain techniques to be lost. And there are still people today who genuinely need those very techniques.

Rather than being preserved as something to be protected, it is ideal for these skills to survive because they remain necessary. With that ideal in mind, I craft magic mirrors every day, constantly thinking about how to make it a reality.

ARTISAN STORY

Akihisa Yamamoto
Akihisa Yamamoto, the fifth-generation head of Yamamoto Alloy Works in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, is the only mirror maker in Japan who still handcrafts magic mirrors (makyō). While preserving the traditional techniques handed down from his father, he is devoted to passing on the legacy of these mysterious mirrors to the present age.

MAKYO / JAPANESE MAGIC MIRROR

About 400 years ago / 1600s / Edo Period (1603–1868)

The makyo is a polished bronze “magic mirror” that appears ordinary until strong light is reflected from its face; then a pattern corresponding to the back can appear projected on a wall. Related technology existed in ancient China, while Japanese mirror makers preserved specialized methods into the Edo and modern periods.

In Japan, magic mirrors are not normal household objects but demonstrations of extreme casting and polishing control. Stories are also associated with hidden-Christian mirrors, whose backs carried crosses or sacred images during periods when Christianity was prohibited.

The effect is not supernatural. Differences in thickness caused by the design on the back create microscopic variations in the front surface during polishing. These are too small for the eye to see directly, but reflected light amplifies them into bright and dark patterns. The mirror hides information in an apparently blank surface.

Individual Differences

As each piece is individually handcrafted, slight variations in color, pattern, shape, and texture may occur. These subtle differences are a natural characteristic of handcrafted works, making each piece truly unique. We hope you will enjoy these individual variations as part of the beauty and character of Japanese craftsmanship.

Production Time

If an item is not currently in stock, it may be made to order by the artisan. As each piece is carefully handcrafted, production may take several months depending on the item and the artisan's schedule. We appreciate your patience and understanding.