Also written 魚子, 斜子. Lit. "fish-roe."
1 A pattern of small dots thought to resemble fish-roe, and usually used as a background pattern on metal fittings *kanagu 金具. The pattern is beaten out with an indented burin or chisel called nanakotagane 魚々子鏨. A background pattern of this type is called nanakoji 魚々子地. The pattern is often found on silverware, as for example in the background decoration of Tang Chinese silver mirrors (618-907). It is sometimes found on Song Chinese ceramic ware (960-1279). The oldest extant example in Japan can be seen on a bronze plaque depicting a scene from the Lotus Sutra, Hokke Sessō dōban-zu 法華説相銅板図 (late 7th century) in Hasedera 長谷寺, Nara. The *Shōsōin 正倉院 in Nara, also contains items decorated with nanako, as well as the chisels nanakotagane, used to make them.
2 Also *nanakogaki 魚子垣. A type of garden fence made from semi-circular pieces.
