Other Historical Tsuba Shapes

7) Iron sukashi tsuba

This katana sized tsuba is of a rounded square shape and has two hitsu-ana and one udenuki-ana. The rim displays a feature known as tokketsu (bones) which are hard bits of iron impurities that are the result of the forging and considered desirable attributes. The iron plate itself has a good patination and overall the piece gives a strong and manly appearance. The surface of the plate, both on the front and reverse, has a tile or tortoise-shell (Bekkō) ground that is blurred and does not extend over the entire surface. In negative silhouette (yo-sukashi) there is an axe upon which is a nata or billhook, in low relief. One may be forgiven for thinking that the blurring of the ground is due to mistreatment or rubbing, but this is far from the case.

This tsuba refers to a semi-mythical person who was nicknamed “the Butcher”, who having subdued the greater part of Japan decided to liquidate a certain noble warlord whose territory he coveted. He assembled his commanders in a large garden house consisting of one room. This room was lined with hexagonal porcelain tiles (this might indicate a Chinese origin to the story). The local noblemen’s sons attended the meeting having disguised themselves as half-witted gardeners and sought employment with the Butcher, and as such attended the briefing meeting where they were completely ignored. Previously they had put away their swords and armed themselves with nata, a humble gardening tool, and at an opportune moment flung themselves at the Butcher and his commanders, killing the leader and some of his generals before being cut to pieces themselves.

The blurred hexagons refer to tiles heavily splashed with the three men’s blood. Usually there are three nata but in this case there is one and an axe. The nata crossing the axe alludes to the fury of the combat. The expedition withdrew leaving the territory unscathed.

So a blurred or rubbed surface turns out to be something quite different showing that, as is so often the case in kodogu, all is not what it first appears to be. I think that this may be 18th century Miochin work as the subject is frequently seen in their work.

ecovolo wrote
I saw the tanto tsuba on one of the other websites . . . but the urn-shaped tsuba is a new one to me. How old is it?

--Edward