Fuchi Kashira Mei Identification

[Yamazakura Fr]

Hello

I have this copper Fuchi-kashira with mei but I have problem to translate the two last kanji

I read EDO No ju and perhaps Tomo ?

What symbolize the figure of this koshira ?

Thank you for your help

Regards

 

Bernard

[Blagoy]

Hello,

I can't help with the mei, but I think the subject is Shoki the Demon Slayer.

http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shoki.shtml

 

[kyushukairu]

The first three characters are 'made in Edo' (江戸住)

[Tanto54]

Dear Blagoy,

 

I agree that the figure on the Kashira looks a lot like Shoki, but in this case, I'm sure that it is Watanabe No Tsuna.  The clues are the amputated demon arm ("Oni" have three toes or fingers with claws) and the signpost on the Fuchi (reading "kinsatsu" or "prohibited" - wrong kanji - see explanation at bottom...).  This is the story of Ibaraki-doji (demon, oni, witch) and Wantanabe No Tsuna and their fight at the Rashomon Gate.

 

Here's the story from the Internet:

 

According to legend in the late 10th century of Heian Period Japan, Ibaraki-doji, a notorious Oni, resided at Rashomon Gate in Kyoto. Ibaraki-doji harassed people who tried to pass through the gate until a heroic samurai named Watanabe no Tsuna, a loyal retainer of Minamoto no Raiko, went to subdue the creature. When Tsuna arrived at Rashomon Gate [in many versions Tsuna is carrying a sign that says "kinsatsu" or 'prohibited' see pictures below] he was attacked by Ibaraki-doji. However, Tsuna was a strong and valiant swordsman who was able to defend himself against the ferocious attack. The battle raged on until Tsuna drew his katana and severed the arm of the demon. Screaming in pain Ibaraki-doji ran away from Tsuna, leaving the severed arm behind. Tsuna swept up Ibaraki-doji's arm as a trophy. When he arrived home at his mansion he wrapped up the severed arm and locked it away in a chest.

 

A few days later, an elderly woman claiming to be Tsuna's aunt, Mashiba, came to visit him. During the conversation, she aunt asked her nephew to recount how he fought with the demon, and when Tsuna mentioned that he had the severed arm in his possession, his aunt was curious and asked to see it. The unsuspecting Tsuna brought out the chest with Ibaraki-doji's arm inside and when he removed the arm, his aunt revealed herself as being Ibaraki-doji in disguise. She grabbed the arm and escaped from Tsuna's mansion. Tsuna was astonished that Ibaraki-doji had posed as his elderly aunt and did not give chase. However, even after retrieving the arm, Ibaraki-doji never returned to dwell at Rashomon Gate again.

 

Note on "misspelling": There is a curious element to this print. The sign board has the characters 金札 (kinsatsu) on it. 札 can be translated as 'placard'. However, there are two copies of vertical diptychs by Yoshitoshi in Lyon Collection, #s 1351 and 1380, which show the same sign board, but with different characters on them - 禁札.

 

 

 

 

[Yamazakura Fr]

Hello

Thank you very much for your answer

About the sign kinsatsu I think the mistake comes from that the kanji 金 and 禁 have the same pronunciation  kin

but in 金  kin is for gold and 禁 for forbiden

In the two vertical diptychs by Yoshitoshi there is a same mistake in the first we can read 金札 and on the second 禁札)