A wife holding an abacus and her mother-in-law sewing

A wife holding an abacus and her mother-in-law sewing

A living room in a merchant's house. The mother-in-law wearing reading glasses is engaged in needle work while her daughter-in-law is using an abacus to keep accounts. A household kamidana shrine is visible on top of the paulownia chest-of-drawers in the back.==Date:unknown, Place:unknown, Photo:R. Stillfried, (Credit:Nagasaki University Library/Kyodo News Images) [Cabinet Number78‐95‐0]

A wife holding an abacus and her mother-in-law sewing

A wife holding an abacus and her mother-in-law sewing

A living room in a merchant's house. The mother-in-law wearing reading glasses is engaged in needle work while her daughter-in-law is using an abacus to keep accounts. A household kamidana shrine is visible on top of the paulownia chest-of-drawers in the back.==Date:unknown, Place:unknown, Photo:R. Stillfried, (Credit:Nagasaki University Library/Kyodo News Images) [Cabinet Number76‐38‐0]

Seller of household altars

Seller of household altars

The kamidana (mini-shrine) for ordinary households became popular in the modern era. It coincides with the butsudan (mini Buddhist altar within the household). Usually, the ancestor deities are worshipped in the mini-shrine with an amulet from Ise Shrine, and a sakaki is placed with the omiki (sake for the Gods) and food offerings. At the December market, the mini-shrine vendor opened a shop, and people bought new ones to replace the old for New Year's.==Date:unknown, Place:unknown, Photo:unknown, (Credit:Nagasaki University Library/Kyodo News Images) [Cabinet Number18‐54‐0]