Tsuko-Tegata' (通行手形) are a kind of wooden passport that was used in the Edo Period as an identity card for travelers when passing from region to region. They are now sold as souvenirs at hot spring resort as well as famous temples and sights all over Japan. Many people travel all over Japan collecting these and this is one such collection.
Most have an 'official' side that says: Tsuko-Tegata, with stamps and seals. The reverse often has a picture of the resort area they are from. They are all made of natural Japanese wood of various types and measure an average of 10 cm or 4” long (a few are smaller and that will be noted). They all have a braided string and usually a brass bell (note that some may be rusty).
These days they are often hung from the rear-view mirror of a car or as a decoration on a bag but they could be used to add an exotic, Japanese touch to many things…
These were collected from all over Japan from the 1960's to 1980's - some may be older… Most are in excellent condition but please go by the photos to determined the condition as they are all sold 'as is'. If you purchase two or more, please wait for an invoice from us after making your purchases and we will calculate the correct shipping amount to save you money.