Purchased from a Kyoto antique dealer (Showa era) Boxed Edo Japanese Mirror with Star Plum Blossom Crest, Copper Mirror Inscribed: Tenkaichi [Best in the World] ◯◯ Izumi-no-jo Shige◯ One of the mysteries of Japanese mirrors is the prevalence of Fujiwara inscriptions, with surnames changing depending on the era. Similarly, from the mid-Edo period onwards, inscriptions became longer, as seen with swords. The paulownia box with the star plum blossom crest is the family crest of the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto and the Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine, deeply connected to the god of learning, Sugawara no Michizane. The design features pine, bamboo, and plum, cranes and their chicks, and a pair of turtles, all fundamental symbols of celebration. This is a higher-grade copper mirror with a thick design. Copper mirror collectors will appreciate the difference.