Gehōbako Explained

A is a box that contains many magical items traditionally used by miko,^[1] and Itako.^{[2] [3] [4]}

It means, in reference to practices outside of Buddhist teachings. It is a box which contains secret items representative of a protective spirit, or kami. It has been described as "parallel [to] the siberian shaman's drum as a source of power They have been described as representing a pre-Buddhist shamanism.^[5] It is often used for healing people.^[6]

It is believed at some point in premodern times most miko had human skulls in their gehōbako from people who promised their skulls to them, but this practice declined over time

Dolls for Kuebiko and Kangiten were often found in them in the 1960s.

Gehōbako were common among wandering miko

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2021-02-08 . Fairchild . William P. . Shamanism in Japan . https://web.archive.org/web/20210208010309/https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/457 . 2021-02-08 . 2023-02-12 . 78.
2. Web site: 日本国語大辞典 . 精選版 . 外法箱(げほうばこ)とは？ 意味や使い方 . 2023-02-11 . コトバンク . ja.
3. Schiffer . Wilhelm . 1967 . Necromancers in the Tohoku . Journal: Contemporary Religions in Japan . 8 . 2.
4. Fairchild . William P. . 1962 . Shamanism in Japan (1–122) . Asian Ethnology . 21.
5. Book: Kamstra, Jacques H. . Encounter Or Syncretism: The Initial Growth of Japanese Buddhism . 1967 . Brill Archive . en.
6. Book: Vrijhof . P. H. . Official and Popular Religion: Analysis of a Theme for Religious Studies . Waardenburg . Jean Jacques . 1979 . Walter de Gruyter . 978-90-279-7998-8 . en.