Asian Token / Fantasy Item ? | Japanese Temple Token

I don't know what it is, but I like it! Very cool looking!

bwbollom ...

Some times I get a weak moment and buy an item just because its cool and in this case it did not cost very much..

The thrill is not only in the hunt but also trying to find out what the item is... Thanks for your input..

Saruma.. thanks a bunch, I just bought it at a auction ( these are the auction pictures) and when I receive it in about 2 weeks I will take better pictures and post for your review. It would be nice to find out if this is real, what it means, if there is a year on it etc.

The shape is the same as that used for the Japanese 100 mon cash coins, but the design is radically different, and this doesn't have a hole in the centre.

Any idea what it's made of? I can't tell from the colour.

Saruma.. The word Temple is right...

I just found out that this is a Temple Token From Honmyji.

Does anyone have any more in depth information on this Honmyji Temple

Here is what I have been able to find so far..

Kumamoto, a city in Japan, on the island of Kyushu, the administrative center of the prefecture of Kumamoto. 579 thousand. Population (1990).
The city is famous in the seventh century, developed from 1601, after the construction of the castle by Prince Cat Kiyomasa.
Sights: Temple Honmyji (sixteenth century), ruins of the castle (1601), the park Suizenji founded in 1632 as part of the temple, park Tatsuta (sixteenth century) from the grave Hosokawy Gracii (1563-1600), one of the most famous women of feudal Japan, passionate Catholic women, Mariko original form of the novel and film, Shogun, the tomb of Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645), and the fencing master painter and calligrapher

Alot of searching and speaking with some knowledgeable and good people I have the answer. It is not as old as the temple but I have never seen one before and its a keeper for the collection.

From the experts.. here is what it is..

"This is a temple medal/token produced sometime post 1868. It comes from Honmyouji temple in Kumamoto city in Kyuushuu island. The front samurai is probably the warlord Kato Kiyomasa (1562-1611). His was the founder of the temple in its Kumamoto location in 1600 when he moved in as warlord. He was an ardent devotee of Nichiren (Lotus Sutra) sect of Buddhism and this temple was the main one for his household.
The flag behind the warrior and the central column on the back say the invocation of the Lotus sutra "namu myouhou renge kyou"
The front bottom has on the left "Myouhouji" the name of the temple and on the right "Higo no kuni" the name of the province that Kumamoto is located in.
On the back I cannot read the top right and top left words very well but I think they refer to protection against illness and enemies.
the bottom left says Hachiman daijin a reference to the god of war common to samurai and the bottom right says Amaterasu Oomikami a reference to the sun goddess and the imperial house."

It's a good-luck token made and sold in a gift shops. If you want something to collect I have several Japanese swords from that era 1562-1611 :-)

"Figman, the 3 experts I have spoken with would respectively disagree with you"

Let me rephrase what I said, It's a good-luck token made and sold in "Temple" gift shops. I would say 1960+.

"It dates to the 19th c. and is bronze, probably made for a warrior"
That's a good one ;-)