A kei is a gong-like metal plaque that is hung from a frame and struck with a plectrum. Though there are not many kei in the shape of a lotus flower, there are similar examples from the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and on. These kei show the lotus flower from a diagonal, and they have two rings at the top from which to hang it. This work is distinguished by the veins meticulously incised in its lotus petals. It is truly stately; one senses the profoundly methodical way in which it was crafted.
 
NAITO SakaeEnglish by Mary Lewine 
Buddhist Art Paradise: Jewels of the Nara National Museum. Nara National Museum, 2021.7, p.338, no.143.