寺田密次郎 ドクトル・エフ・エム・トラウツ **

 寺田密次郎 ドクトル・エフ・エム・トラウツ

This 1933 card was sent by Mitsujiro Terada (1885-1945) from Sapporo, Hokkaido, to Doctor F. M. Trautz. Terada was born in Shizuoka Prefecture in 1885 and graduated from Kokugakuin University. After serving as the chief priest of Izasumi Shrine, he became the chief priest of Hakodate Hachiman Shrine on February 6, 1930. On April 16, 1932, he became the chief priest of Sapporo Shrine, and also served as the shrine priest of Sapporo Shokonsha, the chief priest of Dewa Shrine, and the chief priest of Heian Shrine.

In the year following the sending of this New Year's greeting, Terada published a work titled "Haguroyama Kogyo Zufu" (羽黒山古鏡図譜), which suggests that it is an illustrated catalog or compilation of ancient mirrors found at Mount Haguro, a sacred site in the Dewa Sanzan region, which includes Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono. This region is significant in Shugendo, a syncretic religion combining elements of Shinto and Buddhism.

The publication date of Showa 9 (1934) aligns with his tenure as a prominent religious figure. The work focuses on ancient mirrors, which are important artifacts in both Shinto and Buddhist contexts, often used in rituals and as offerings. The reference to Tomotaro Ito, an archaeologist from Tado-cho, Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, suggests that this work was part of his collection, indicating its value and significance in the field of archaeology and religious studies.