These three vases are all about 6.5 cm tall and of similar shape. They are grayish-white in color with a rather rough base, water-ground and molded, and the bottoms are still in the itokiri style. The bottom of the jar is still intact.
It is not clear what these small vases were used for, but they were probably used for religious purposes rather than utilitarian use. A slightly larger jar, about 10 cm in height, used as a bone container was found in a cemetery in the inner sanctuary of Koyasan, Wakayama Prefecture.
Koyasan itself does not practice cremation, so it is clear that these vessels were analyzed and delivered from a remote location. In this regard, it is important to note the “resemblance” to the four-mimi jar in terms of form. The four-mimi jar is the most commonly used type of bone ware. Of course, they were sometimes used as Buddhist vessels as well.
