1. Mr. and Mrs. Chinen (Okinawa City)
2. Mrs. Ōshiro (Itoman City)
3. Mr. and Mrs. Chinen (Sashiki Town)
4. Mr. Seiei Ōshiro (Sashiki Town)

【Summery】
We visited four family members of present or former blacksmiths who possess images of the Blacksmith Divinity. Mr. Seiei Ōshiro, a descendant of a blacksmith family has found these images in his previous research. We have not seen images of the Blacksmith Divinity in southern part of the main island except for that of Mr. Seiei Ōshiro and, thus the fieldwork meant one step forward.
The composition and detail of these four images are similar to the typical iconographic pattern of the Blacksmith Divinity found in northern part of the island. However, they differ from one another in details such as drawing skill, techniques and iconographic elements. The central figure of the Blacksmith Divinity basically follows the style of “Sanpō-Kōjin（三宝荒神）” the guardian deity of Buddha of the sutras and the sanga, but also the appearance differs widely from each other: one looks like a male divinity (①) , one like a female (③), one depicted as the Buddhist Thousand-Armed Kannon (千手観音) style(②), and one is unisex (④). As for the composition, almost every piece keeps a standard form to the very detail: The Blacksmith Divinity stands in the center or upper part. Underneath the Divinity is a box bellow with a female operator Hakozashi（箱差し）. At the lowest part is a male operator Yokoza(横座) on the left , while the assistant sledgehammer Sente(先手) as demons (Oni) on the right. The only exception is the painting No.2, which is a reversed version.
Through the interviews we found that the paintings were drawn by professional painters at the requests of families, and the date of making is supposed to be not far from the end of WWII if not immediately after. The paintings still remain in vivid color and relatively good condition, except the painting No.2 which unfortunately is seriously damaged in the upper half, where the silk is almost torn off and broken down. The painting requires an immediate repair and appropriate treatment for preservation. Because of the serious damage of the paintings, some family members proposed to throw it away. Actually an image of the Thousand-Armed Kannon they have possessed before has been already cleaned up at Shuri Kannon-Dō（首里観音堂）. The four families we visited have continued the ritual customs on the Blacksmith Divinity until now, possibly because blacksmithing has been their family business up until very recent time (the generation of their parents or brothers). However, from now on it is expected that the images and the customs will be disappeared more and more as the generations change. So possibly prompt research is needed.
The images of Fūchi-nu-kami, or the Blacksmith Divinity are placed at the right corner of the Buddhist alter(①③) or on Tokonoma ,the alcove(②④). All four images are mounted in the picture frame, and the size is relatively small, just around 40 to 50 centimeters in length, by 20 to 35 centimeters in width.

【Custom on Blacksmith Divinity】
”Fūchi-nu-Yūē”, the Festival of the bellow was held at November 7th by lunar calendar. And then the offerings are prepared such as “Chiragā（面皮）” the face mask of a hog (①), a block of bacon stuffed in ceremonial dish-boxes, and a whole chicken which often stands stretching its wings and a leaf in its beak. Some held the Festival for Anvil (Kanaka 金床) on the following day, November 8th. And also they have had some customs of “Nakijin-umāi”, or pilgrim to Nakijin, to visit their legendary ancestor the blacksmith Okuma every several years, or ”Katsuren-umāi”, or pilgrimage to Katsuren, “Agari-umāi”, or pilgrimage to the east. According to their family genealogy, the time they started blacksmithing work as their family business is supposed to date back to the early Meiji Era. A lot of samurai class members lost their jobs at that time and acquired some skill to go to the countryside to start a new activity. This fact may be related to the period of their beginnings in blacksmithing.

Images of Blacksmith Divinity
No.1: Mr. and Mrs. Chinen (Okinawa City)
Painter: Yanagi Kōkan (Japanese style Painter)
Date of Making: 1969
Size: 46.2×24.8（length×width/centimeter）
＊every size shows the inner size of the flame.
Inscription: (blanc) date (blanc) month, the year of the Cock, 1999
the painter’s name Yanagi Kōkan sincerely painted
*The inscription written at the lower left corner on the reverse of the flame.
Materials and technique: multiple colored on silk (with gold and silver pigment)