Tanuki Tsuba

[rematron]

At long last I’ve managed to add the elusive tanuki to my ever growing collection.  I really like the detail and coloring of this one. 

7.28x6.94x.35cm

My question: What is this flowering plant? Some sort of fennel or anise maybe?

 

 

 

 

[BIG]

Hi rematron, looks like a water chestnut..

 

Best

[BIG]

Curious, hishi and matsukawa-bishi is yagyu theme..

 

Best

[BIG]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_caltrop#/media/File:Leiden_University_Library_-_Seikei_Zusetsu_vol._28,_page_024_-_芰_-_Trapa_sp,_1804.jpg

[rematron]

Thank you, Peter. The stem and flowers of the water chestnut didn’t really look right to me so I kept digging. 

 

After staring at Japanese flowers and herbs for the past couple of hours, I think it could very well be OMINAESHI. 

It would makes sense with the autumn moon and grass and coloring of the actual inlayed flowers. What do you think?

https://howtojapan.net/2022/08/25/the-seven-autumn-flowers-or-herbs～lets-enjoy-seeing-flowers-in-the-fields-of-autumn～/
 

http://wildplantsshi...a_scabiosaefolia.htm

 

https://en.m.wikiped...trinia_scabiosifolia

 

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/217860

 

 

[Soshin]

Thanks for sharing. I agree with @rematron. I think the flower is likely ominaeshi. Its association with autumn is an important one given the overall theme of the tsuba. 

[Matsunoki]

  On 8/9/2023 at 7:03 AM, rematron said:

I think it could very well be OMINAESHI. 

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Jeremy, hello.

A tsuba that makes you smile! He is a rather spirited and enthusiastic little critter isn’t he? 
Not sure about the flowers in question. I’m no botanist but Japanese craftsmen are usually pretty careful  in depicting things fairly accurately and in this case I’m not sure the leaves are right for ominaeshi. However I’m having no better luck in my searches! Half the fun is trying to figure these things out isn’t it? Best.  Colin

[Matsunoki]

???Achillea??…..grows in Japan

 

 

 

[rematron]

  On 8/9/2023 at 5:20 PM, Matsunoki said:

???Achillea??…..grows in Japan

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Hi, Colin.  You and I both love to research these things.  I've said it before but tosogu is one of my favorite aspects of nihonto just because of how much I learn about Japanese culture by studying pieces.  I appreciate all efforts and opinions. 

 

I'm somewhat sure at this point, after doing even more reading and researching today, that the inlayed flowering plant is indeed ominaeshi.  To me, the achillea leaves look even further removed from the inlay design.  The Mt. Fuji print above has similar looking leaves to the tusba on its depiction of ominaeshi/golden lace/easten valerian (lots of names for this one) and the history of ominaeshi in literature goes all the way back to the Tales of Genji. 

 

I also think it was a very conscious decision to use it in combination with the tanuki considering the tanuki is in the process of beating his stomach as a drum to lure travelers off the road and into the wilderness to get them lost.  The tanuki is also fabled to be able transform itself into a seductive woman and thus lure people to it.  Ominaeshi translates as "maidenflower" or "ladyflower".

 

Check out this link: A Waka Anthology, Volume Two: Grasses of Remembrance - Edwin A. Cranston - Google Books

 

 

Cheers,

Jeremy

[rematron]

Here's a very comprehensive article with links inside:

 

Hayefield

[MauroP]

Definitely ominaeshi - 女郎花 (Patrinia scabiosifolia).

 

See: https://www.dropbox....nr69bcp/FHJ.pdf?dl=0

[rematron]

Here are some photos with more detail of the leaves and stalks as they look later in fall.

 

 

 

[rematron]

More images of ominaeshi in art:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Larason2]

Haha, just to stir the pot, are we sure it's a tanuki and not a mujina? I'm used to tanuki having broader faces, and the mujina are supposedly the ones that inflate their belly and drum them. In some places in Japan, they use the same word for both. 

 

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

[rematron]

  On 8/10/2023 at 12:02 AM, Larason2 said:

Haha, just to stir the pot, are we sure it's a tanuki and not a mujina? 

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@Larason2 Carlos, hahaha!  I don’t know!  I mean, I’ve read the same mythical abilities attributed to the raccoon dog.  I do like the link you posted though.  Hadn’t read that yet and it was a fun read.  The tsuba is papered as “tanuki” but we all know that doesn’t necessarily end the debate, especially since people call badgers AND raccoon dogs “tanuki”.  Which tanuki did they mean at the NBTHK?  Perhaps we’ll never know… 

[Larason2]

Haha! Yes, that was just for fun, and I agree the wikipedia article is a fun one. The two animals do look alike though, so I can also understand the confusion. 

[Soshin]

I have a tsuba with what I think is a Mujina on it. It is artistically different than the above example and my tsuba considerably older. Unfortunately, the NTHK completely ignored the design when they wrote an appraisal paper for the tsuba. I still think you have Japanese raccoon-dog (Nyctereutes viverrinus) on your tsuba and not a Japanese badger (Meles anakuma) which is pictured on my tsuba.      

[rematron]

@Soshin, your tsuba sounds intriguing.  Could we see a photo of it for reference?

[rematron]

I just found this fun article that outlines the evolution of the tanuki in mythology and art from its early mentions all the way to the little statues you see around Japan outside of shops and izakayas and the like.  It’s a good read. 
 

https://hyakumonogat...gory/tanuki-stories/

 

 

[Soshin]

  On 8/12/2023 at 3:34 PM, rematron said:

@Soshin, your tsuba sounds intriguing.  Could we see a photo of it for reference?

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Here is the tsuba per your request above. This tsuba was attributed by the NTHK to be the work of Heianjō (平安城) group circa the early Edo Period. I have more photos on my website here: Tsuba Gallery #10 | Tsuba Otaku. It is the third tsuba from the top of the webpage as you scroll down. I have the lower design as a badger (mujina 狢), the NTHK does not discuss what the design is on its appraisal paper.

 

Here is an interesting quote from the article about Tenuki you linked to. The artist's depiction of these animals has changed over the centuries from a more realistic one to a more cartoonish one. 

  

  Quote

The depiction of tanukis evolved slowly, with new stories adding new elements and transforming them slowing from the realistic animals to the cartoonish figured seen all over Japan today. The big round stomach and accompanying belly-drumming didn’t become attacked to tanuki lore until the 18th century. Several stories of tanukis’ belly-drumming appear around this time, although their famous nut sacks are still regular size. They didn’t develop elephantitis until later.

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[Larason2]

Are you sure it's a mujina? Looks like a squirrel to me! Though I'm not sure there's any mammal with a neck that long!

[Nobody]

  On 8/14/2023 at 1:26 AM, Larason2 said:

Are you sure it's a mujina? Looks like a squirrel to me! Though I'm not sure there's any mammal with a neck that long!

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It looks more like a weasel.

 

 

[Soshin]

  On 8/14/2023 at 1:26 AM, Larason2 said:

Are you sure it's a mujina? Looks like a squirrel to me! Though I'm not sure there's any mammal with a neck that long!

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No squirrels in Japan. That I know. I find this interesting from a biological perspective.   

Moriyama-san I agree. It is the Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi). Second follow-up question why would they be featured so prominently on a tsuba? The Wikipedia article (Japanese weasel - Wikipedia) says that the animal is written with katakana (itachi イタチ), which I find interesting. Does this mean the weasel originally came from mainland Asia?   Thank you.    

[Bugyotsuji]

There are many types of squirrel in Japan, including Hondo-risu, Ezo risu, shima-risu, Taiwan risu, ji risu, musasabi, etc.

 

The designs on the latter tsuba are so crude that it may be impossible to say what animal it is for certain, but the bushy tail seems distinctive. 'Risu' or squirrels featured in designs that came from China, but squirrels 栗鼠 (= 'chestnut mouse') stored up food, so they were considered a good omen, a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Combined with the inome, kikusui and kemari balls, the feeling I get from this tsuba design is general good fortune.

[Soshin]

Thanks for the information and pointing out my inaccurate information. I was thinking this is not accurate, thinking about what I know of the basic biology of squirrels and the trees of Japan. 

 

  On 8/14/2023 at 9:51 AM, Bugyotsuji said:

The designs on the latter tsuba are so crude that it may be impossible to say what animal it is for certain, but the bushy tail seems distinctive. '

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The latter tsuba is not crude, which the term crude itself is an impolite and vague term to begin with and not helpful for a meaningful study or discussion. The basic workmanship and artistic expression of my tsuba is quite different and much older than the tsuba that started this topic. I posted it per request as my tsuba does have a small mammal pictured on it, that I mislabeled as badger (mujina 狢). This was likely a mistake as the topic is now starting to drift from the original tsuba.      

[Bugyotsuji]

Quick apology to David before reverting to starter’s topic. The word crude could perhaps be substituted for earthy or rustic.(?) Early I can accept, an artisan maybe playing with new techniques, but the design itself is not great art, and if not crude, how should we express it? Honest, wholesome?
(Personally speaking, I like the tsuba.)

[Larason2]

Sorry to continue hijacking this thread, but I agree the weasel makes sense. There are weasels like the Japanese weasel "Mustela itatsi" that have a bushy tail. 

 

Personally I'm grateful to David for posting his tsuba, and I think it is a nice one.

 

Overall, I think this thread is very appropriate for the tanuki; shapeshifter, jokester; with multiple cases of (possible?) mistaken identities and doubt in the minds of observers what was actually seen and what they are actually seeing, different opinions about what the Tanuki is, and whether or not something is actually a Tanuki! It's like we're crafting our own Tanuki legend right here on this forum!

[rematron]

Yes @Soshin, thank you very much for adding your photo.  I agree with @Larason2that it's relevant to the discussion.  Also, I like your tusba a lot.  I'm a fan of furry creatures depicted on tosogu and this thread is similar to one I started a few months ago: 

 The menuki turned out to be KITSUNE but I learned a ton in the process of discovery.

 

 

 

Weasels (ITACHI) have quite a lot of history in Japanese folklore.

 

Itachi – Yokai.com

 

And the subcategory of the KAMAITACHI:

 

Kamaitachi - Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

As far as squirrels go, they are a pretty common tosogu theme, but they are typically depicted along with grapes somewhere in the composition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The overall figure and form of David's critter in addition to the lack of grapes, puts me in the ITACHI camp as well.  

 

Cheers,

Jeremy

[Soshin]

Sorry for my late reply on the topic and might have overreacted a bit to your crude comment @Bugyotsuji. I have been dealing with family health issues, which was eating up my free time outside of work but for now it is resolved. I agree with "camp" that my tsuba is likely displaying a Japanese Weasel (itachi 鼬) (Mustela itatsi). This contrasts with the original topic tsuba. I am going to update my write-up on my tsuba. Thanks everyone for the help and good discussion.