Ko Kinky School Kozuka

[Chishiki]

Hi. Just wanted to share my latest buy, a ko kinky school kozuka. Now I am sure the maker thought he was making something like a mushroom? But surely at some point one of his colleagues, customers, or he himself thought, hey that looks like a penis.

 

Now I always try to be pure of mind but even at my mature age I still have a juvenile side. So, does anyone else see a dick or is it just me? How about generations of owners? Did they see it? Hey, what’s that mans name, the bloke with the penis kozuka?

 

Sorry if I upset any prudes.

 

Mark

[ChrisW]

That's probably the joke.. Samurai were known for sometimes having 'inside' jokes as part of their accoutrements.

[Pete Klein]

Well, proportionately it seems to be the right color...

[Grey Doffin]

Here is a tsuba I sold a few years ago.

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/tsuba-%26-kodogu/t107-naughty-iron-tsuba

Grey

[dominnimod]

Dick jokes are older than man itself, wouldn't surprise me

[TETSUGENDO]

I believe the phallus form item on the left may be a Genbu (tortoise/snake composit).   It is one of the four compass point guardian spirits that protects Kyoto on the north.   It is represented at the Kenkun shrine where Oda Nobunaga is interred.   As he both died and was buried in Kyoto this piece may be a reference to him?  For more related info refer to: black tortoise- on Wikipedia.  As for the creature on the right I'm not sure what it is, or what it's significance may be.

 

Cheers,

    -S- 

[b.hennick]

I'll raise your kozuka with a mushroom tsuba

 

[Guido]

The kozuka shows a 如意 (Japanese: nyoi; Chinese: rúyì), a curved ceremonial sceptre used in Chinese Buddhism.

[Henry Wilson]

To the right I see two frolicking horses.

 

The composition on the left...? Guido's suggestion seems plausible. But I keep seeing two rocks and between them the fanshape makes me think of racked gravel pattern (青海波紋 seigaihamon). Could the bit on the left represent a dry landscape garden?

 

 

(Source: an illustrated guide to Japanese traditional architecture and everyday things. Yamamoto Seiichiro)

 

Put them together and the overall composition represents the cultured samurai ideal of the Edo period.

 

Just some thoughts.

[TETSUGENDO]

I don't see sceptres, rocks, sand gardens, or frolicking horses, perhaps my vision is failing!   Are those horses...strange looking.   The only thing I'm certain of is that I'm not certain what the kozuka portrays.

This piece is like a Rorschach test.

 

-S-

p.s.- Does anyone see a tortoise/turtle head in the picture below?

 

[Henry Wilson]

It depends what you mean by a tortoise/turtle head. ????

WARNING: naughty joke!

https://www.google.co.jp/amp/s/www.urbandictionary.com/define.php%3fterm=tortoise%2bhead&=true

 

Joking aside, I can see what you mean as it does look like a little face, but personally I don't think the motif represents any Testudines of any form. I am willing to have my mind changed thought.

[Chishiki]

Thanks to everyone for contributing to the thread. Whatever the maker was trying to achieve has been reduced to a gaijin in a foreign land thinking his design looks like a dick. That refects badly on me I know, but hey, the Japanese are no strangers to phallic fun.

[Henry Wilson]

Some context to the above picture

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanamara_Matsuri

[kissakai]

Interesting background info

A little of track

All I see with the Amazon logo is a prick rather than an arrow pointing to A and Z

[TETSUGENDO]

[vajo]

I see a stupid locking shark killing the loch ness monster while it is smiling. Followed by a dog that looks like Mackie Messer.  

 

[Stephen]

One of our more bizarre threads.

Funny how ppl get upset when when things aren't seen their way. LOL

[Chishiki]

I see a stupid locking shark killing the loch ness monster while it is smiling. Followed by a dog that looks like Mackie Messer.  

 

lochness.jpglochness_.jpglochness_2.jpglochness_2_.jpg

Vajo, very creative. You could be right. The only reason I bought this kozuka is to have fun with the theme. Thanks for joining in.

Mark