This vintage hand-painted dorei clay bell takes the form of a maple leaf (momiji) and is a tribute to Yamadera (山寺) — the "Mountain Temple" in Yamagata Prefecture, officially known as Risshakuji (立石寺). Founded in 860 AD, Yamadera is famed for its serene mountaintop views and spiritual atmosphere that inspired one of Japan’s most celebrated poets.
On the front, the bell features a depiction of the temple nestled among trees, conveying the quiet majesty of the site. On the reverse side, you'll find a printed haiku by Matsuo Bashō (松尾芭蕉), the famed Edo-period haiku master, who visited Yamadera in 1689 during his journey recorded in Oku no Hosomichi (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”).
The poem reads: 閑さや 岩にしみ入る 蝉の声 (Shizukesa ya / iwa ni shimiiru / semi no koe) "Such stillness— the cries of the cicadas sink into the rocks."
This haiku is one of Bashō’s most iconic works, capturing the spiritual silence and deep natural presence of Yamadera.
