Pit Workers in the Old Days #13 (2) (Lottery Paper with Figures to Raise Money for Those with a Non-occupational Illness)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yamabito #13 (2) (Byonin e no Bokin no Mon-biki-gami)
[Pit Workers in the Old Days #13 (2) (Lottery Paper with Figures to Raise Money for Those with a Non-occupational Illness)]
21.1 x 30.3 cm Ink Painting

Volunteers, whom we called in the pit (yama) "men of influence (kaoyaku)," would sometimes campaign to raise funds for those with a non-occupational illness. For that purpose, they bought some pieces of mon-biki-gami paper with lots of figures printed on them as shown here. Two or three volunteers went door to door, visiting pit workers, and sold one figure each to a family or an individual. Each printed figure was sold at about 10 sen (0.1 yen) or 20 sen (0.2 yen). A piece of mon-biki-gami was as wide as one and a half pieces of Japanese calligraphy paper and had at most about a hundred figures printed on it.
Beside the many figures, there were three figures of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes covered with little pieces of paper. The volunteers uncovered the prize figures after selling all of the figures and gave the three winners small presents, such as a pair of tabis (Japanese socks), a tenugui (Japanese face towel), etc. In short, the above lottery paper was used instead of a list of contributions (hogacho) and presumably the buyers intended to donate to the charity.

Lettering beside Figures on the Mon-biki-gami Paper
Itto: 1st prize
Nito: 2nd prize
Santo: 3rd prize
Toyama: buyer's name
Asayama: buyer's name
Saki Yamazo: buyer's name
Nomiyama: buyer's name

Words in a Figure
Tenka Taihei: World Peace


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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