Page 59 - 2021 March 16th Japanese and Korean Art, Christie's New York City

The dragon is associated with a wealth of legend and
symbolism in old Japan, signifying both the holy nature
of Shinto and the wisdom of Buddhism. Representations
of the dragon are found from the earliest historical
period, wall paintings in the stone tomb chambers of
the Kofun period (4th-7th centuries) together with tiger,
phoenix, and gryphon. In Shinto mythology the deity
Ryujin is a dragon who lives under the sea and bears a
jewel that controls the tides. In esoteric Buddhism, the
dragon and the sword indicate the rope and double-
edged sword of Fudo Myo-o.

For a silver ornament of a dragon and crystal ball see
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). Dragon (ryu), from Picture Book on Heroes of China and
Joe Earle, Splendors of Meiji, Treasures of Imperial Japan, Japan (Ehon wakan no homare). Japan. Edo period, 1850. . The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, 2013.882
Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection(St. Petersburg,
Fla.: Broughton International, Inc., 1999), pl. 135.