The Shinansha Artefact

The Shinansha Artefact

The Shinansha Artefact is a kind of compass created by Emperor Kotei in the Folktale The Shinansha. However, instead of pointing North, it points South.

It takes the form of a carriage with the figure of a man inside always facing south. No matter which way you turn the carriage the man would spin to once again face south.

It was used by Emperor Kotei in battle against the magician Shiyu who would summon fog to confuse the Emperors men, but using the Shinansha they were eventually victorious.¹

Footnotes

1. Ozaki, Y.T. (1903) “The Japanese Fairy Book”. Westminster: Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd.

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