This is an repurposed and altered Altoid Tin Shrine or nicho. Often referred to as a pocket shrine, travel shrine, portable shrine, travel altar or prayer tin. A traditional nicho is frequently used as an extension of a family altar, venerating a favorite saint, the Virgin of Guadalupe or a loved one who has passed on. Similar to a shadow-box, nichos may combine elements of Catholicism, indigenous beliefs, and contemporary culture. I re-purpose and alter Altoid tins,cigar boxes, etc., combining mixed-media and assemblage. Custom Orders are crafted from Altoid tins and assortments of vintage; holy cards, holy medals, scapulars, rosary parts, miniature holy statues, sequins, crystal embellishments, fabric and ribbon and cultural elements. Your shrine will be personalized to suit your personal veneration or memory. I choose relevant, available sacramentals and treasures or can add your personal mementos. Message me through "Ask a Question" before purchasing to discuss your customization. Deposit may be required! Please allow 2-4 weeks for your order depending upon selection. Custom shrines of Jesus, Mary, Saints, Angels or other Deities available upon request. I have many Catholic vintage holy statues, holy cards, holy medals and rosary beads available. If you prefer to have your shrine crafted of vintage sterling silver medals the price will vary but we can discuss when placing order. All jewelry and shrines made with vintage rosary beads, crucifix and or holy medals are made from rescued broken of damaged rosaries or parts and is impossible to determine which items have been blessed. The disposition of such items according to Canon Law states, "Once a religious object is blessed and dedicated for divine worship or veneration, it must be treated with reverence and not be used in either an improper or profane way (cf. Code of Canon Law, #1171). COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All images and designs are protected under copyright. ScalvageStudio 2015-2021©

It has been months but I am FINALLY posting our last day in Japan! It is crazy to think that so much has happened since this trip! When we went on this cruise I had just moved to China and expected…

I went to the Sensō-ji again. This temple is considered to be one of the oldest if not the oldest temples in Tōkyō, even though it has been damaged and restored several times over the years. The temple is dedicated to Shō-kannon 聖観音1, of whom fishermen allegedly found a statue in the Sumida river in 628. While I was writing my master’s thesis on this Japanese interpretation of Avalokiteśvara अवलोकितेश्वर, unfortunately I was not able to visit this temple, but returning here, this time as a “Kannon scholar”, I obviously had a far better understanding of what I saw around me than the last time a few years ago. This time, I did not come particularly to see Kannon. As the honzon 本尊, or main idol, remains hidden for the public 2, there is not much to investigate for me when it comes to enshrined statues and altars, but I did remember there were several hokora 祠 (small shrines) besides the main temple. Among them is a fairly large amount of Jizō-bosatsu 地蔵菩薩 statues. The most remarkable one seemed simply damaged at first sight. Upon closer inspection however, I realised that the statue’s front had been carved away by a ritual process of devotees continuously rubbing small pebbles against the surface. Far more interesting for my research even, was a small hokora with the duo Ebisu 恵比須 and Daikoku-ten大黒天. Ebisu is believed to be purely Japanese, the kami of fishermen and the sea and Daikoku-ten is likely to have derived from the Hindu deity Mahākāla महाकाल 3., a manifestation of Śiva शिव. From the Muromachi period 4 onwards these two deities have been often enshrined together presented as being brothers, father and son or sometimes as master and apprentice. They can also be seen in the so-called Ebisu-dana 恵比寿棚, a type of kamidana. And this is where it is inspiring for my research: a Hindu/Buddhist deity and a native Japanese deity that are commonly enshrined alongside one another and venerated by the common folk to such an extent that they have been given a place in the private household. As it probably cannot get much closer to ‘syncretism in folk altars’ than this I plan to look into some historical sources to find out more about the veneration of this duo. At this point I am thinking about the following options: Ebisu and Daikoku in hokora, kamidana (Ebisu-dana) or zūshi 厨子. 1. The most basic one of the seven principle hengeshin 変化身 (manifestations) of Kannon-bosatsu 観音菩薩 2. Such “hidden Boeddha’s” are called hibutsu 秘仏 in Japanese. They are especially common in temples affiliated with the Shingon- and Tendai-sect. Sensō-ji used to be a Tendai temple, but is now independent. 3. महा=big, mega ->大 ; काल=black ->黒 4. 1336-1573 Sources: Frank, Bernard. Le panthéon bouddhique au Japon-collections d'Emile Guimet. Paris: Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, 1991. (p213). Iida, Masao (飯田雅男). 『橋から見た隅田川の歴史』 (Hashi kara mita Sumida-gawa no rekishi). Tokyo: Bungeisha (文芸社), 2002. Tanaka, Yoshiyasu (田中義恭).『面白いほどよくわかる仏像の世界: 仏像の種類・歴史から鑑賞のポイントまで』(Omoshiroi hodo yoku wakaru butsuzō no sekai: butsuzō no shurui, rekishi kara kanshō made). Tokio: Nihon bungeisha (日本文芸社), 2008.

Sasuke Inari shrine, Kamakura, Japan.