The charming illustration of a friendly horse is appealing. Size: Approximately 13.5cm x 13cm The origin of ema (votive plaques) dates back to the Nara period. Originally, the custom involved offering live horses to the gods. This practice evolved, and due to the high cost and difficulty of caring for horses, wooden and ceramic horses were used instead. By the late Muromachi period, ema spread among the common people, and the current form of painted wooden plaques became established. It's the Year of the Horse. How about it, people born in Hinoe-Uma? (Hinoe-Uma refers to the combination of the stem "Hinoe" (Fire) and the branch "Uma" (Horse) in the Chinese zodiac, occurring once every 60 years. It is believed to possess passionate and powerful energy due to the double element of fire. In Japan, the superstition that "women born in Hinoe-Uma have a fiery temper and shorten their husbands' lives" spread, leading to a decrease in births in past Hinoe-Uma years (especially 1966).) #FolkCraft #Mingei #OldPrivateHouse #FolkBelief #Prayer #Dedication #OldTemple #Shrine #BuddhistTemple #Antique #Horse #HorseRacing #GoodLuck