Fumei Kanayama

[sabi]

I was fortunate to have this guard offered to me recently, and am supremely honored to be the next in a long line of caretakers.

 

Its heavy rim encircles a typically abstract design, which is affectionately described as "Fumei" in the 2016 KTK catalog where it makes an appearance.  I was enamored with the dynamic presentation of this unknown motif and excited to see if I could discover more about it.  I'm never one to leave well enough alone, but hey that's part of the fun right?? 

 

Many Kanayama tsuba feature motifs derived from various religions - the iconic temple bell, daruma dolls, gourds...  Even some of the not so obvious ones can be twisted in that direction.  A gunbai design has been interpreted as the ears of the Buddha/Ebisu, and another well known piece has possible ties to the concept of "Mu" (emptiness) along with some serious Enso vibes. 

 

The circles on this guard are featured in the same manner on other Kanayama works, and are usually described as Sun and Moon (see also: Mind and Body, Heaven and Earth).  The forms making up the hitsu ana are especially peculiar, the KTK write up notes them as possibly a "matsu pine bark kamon" or simply a "pleasant geometric abstraction" in addition to the fumei call.  Whether I'm on to something or have just been starting at it for too long, I'd like to humbly suggest that they could be a depiction of a seated Buddha, and perhaps more specifically, him as an ascetic. 

 

The statue below is of this form, located at the Kita-in shrine in Saitama.  If you squint just a little bit, there's a pretty striking resemblance - legs crossed, a prominent halo and the angular section emphasizing his emaciated state.  While not necessarily to the Buddha's extreme (the ascetic lifestyle was abandoned in favor of the "Middle Way"), this discipline has a strong relationship with Zen, and I imagine a Bushi relating well to these teachings.  The mid Momoyama period, which I believe this to be a product of, is also the source of many other similarly influenced works from Owari province in the form of ji sukashi, Yamakichibei, Hoan, and the famous inscribed tsuba of Nobuie.  To those few that are still with me, it sounds crazy right? Yeah maybe a little 😅.  But with the similar silhouette and circles tying into the theme, it's been a fun possibly to consider at the very least.

 

I'd love to know if anyone has seen a design like this used on another occasion or anything juicy that might add to the speculation.  I've had a blast with this piece so far and wanted to share my thoughts, and would happily open this up to any other similarly abstract guards out there that our members may have some ideas about.  👺🙏⛩️

[Spartancrest]

Just from a quick search both these guards have similar elements to your example and are both Kanayama.

 

https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/holbrook-tsuba/h307-kanayama-tsuba

 

https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/holbrook-tsuba/h308-kanayama-tsuba

[FlorianB]

Hello Evan,

 

Kanayama design is often very abstract and difficult to interpret - if interpretation is intended at all.

Another idea concerning Your guard: these forms could also symbolize a stupa or a gravestone.

 

 

Best, Florian

[sabi]

Thanks Florian! 

 

Researching gravestones was what led me to the Buddha idea and I still think it's a possibility.  Just haven't found one convincing enough yet (most are a variation of the five tiered style) but I'm still looking! 

 

Really appreciate your contribution, it makes this one all the more fun to study. 

[Curran]

  On 1/3/2022 at 5:53 AM, FlorianB said:

Hello Evan,

 

Kanayama design is often very abstract and difficult to interpret - if interpretation is intended at all.

Another idea concerning Your guard: these forms could also symbolize a stupa or a gravestone.

 

 

Best, Florian

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Seeing this thread, my though was "Gorinto".

It seems you guys had the same thought.

[sabi]

It definitely has that vibe, someone on FB commented that it could also be the top of a stupa.  I hadn't come across any with the same configuration until seeing their reference - one of the Hyakumantō (one million pagodas) commissioned by Empress Shōtoku in the 8th century.

 

Any of these seem like a real possibility and it's been a joy to explore them so far.  Rich T. said it perfectly years ago in one of his write ups - "The general graphic employed in Kanayama tsuba designs display I believe the rustic quirkiness common in the Momoyama period but having said that, I still feel there is an overall simpleness to these designs. It may just be that they are displayed with an artistic bent we are not exposed to on a daily basis in these modern times."

[Iaido dude]

Evan, I know this is a post from several years ago, but I want you to know that this brilliant tsuba with such quiet haki is now with me as of 4/24. I happen to have focused my collecting to tsuba with religious iconography. This was the first. Recently I start a post on a kuruma Ohno tsuba that only arrived a week or so ago. I chose to interpret the tsuba as “the buddha with stars, or moon and stars.” 

 

 

The Momoyama is a time of great adoption of foreign war-related arts and crafts, but bent to the powerful Wabi Tea-Ceremony aesthetic, including tsuba. Here we see ji-sukashi tsuba fashioned after European sword guards. I think it was especially important for these Momoyama and early Edo Kanayama and Ohno to incorporate zen buddhist iconography. Confucianism would allow unification at the expense of zen culture. Daimyo dropped their zen advisor and tracher of his household. I may be getting ahead of myself. 

 

 

This is a representation of Dharma Wheel, the Eightfold Path of Siddartha Gautama through which me may break through the endless cycles of suffering and rebirth. c1915. 

[PhoenixDude]

You might be interested in a motozane fk and kozuka I am sending for papers then...

[sabi]

  On 8/20/2024 at 8:11 PM, Iaido dude said:

Evan, I know this is a post from several years ago, but I want you to know that this brilliant tsuba with such quiet haki is now with me as of 4/24. I happen to have focused my collecting to tsuba with religious iconography. This was the first. Recently I start a post on a kuruma Ohno tsuba that only arrived a week or so ago. I chose to interpret the tsuba as “the buddha with stars, or moon and stars.” 

 

 

The Momoyama is a time of great adoption of foreign war-related arts and crafts, but bent to the powerful Wabi Tea-Ceremony aesthetic, including tsuba. Here we see ji-sukashi tsuba fashioned after European sword guards. I think it was especially important for these Momoyama and early Edo Kanayama and Ohno to incorporate zen buddhist iconography. Confucianism would allow unification at the expense of zen culture. Daimyo dropped their zen advisor and tracher of his household. I may be getting ahead of myself. 

 

 

This is a representation of Dharma Wheel, the Eightfold Path of Siddartha Gautama through which me may break through the endless cycles of suffering and rebirth. c1915. 

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Hey Steve!  

 

So glad it's found a good home, this was one I had intended on keeping for the long haul, but received a trade offer I couldn't refuse 😅.

 

Kanayama designs tend to be unique and I found this one to be especially so.  Great size and condition on top of that, a high level guard in all respects. 

 

The two circles I had interpreted as the sun and moon, but yeah I think any combination of the cosmos is a fair assessment. 

 

Thanks for posting this update, nice to see where it ended up and know that it's being appreciated.  👺🙏

[Iaido dude]

I like sun and moon personally, although I did see another tsuba with two circles interpreted as stars. I think it’s fair to say the motifs are abstract enough and mysterious enough to allow for some imagination in the absence of some long and detailed compendium of motifs from tsubako of that era. We are forever post-rationalizing, which may well be the eventual downfall of western civilization…

[Iaido dude]

You collect chawan, correct?