cdrcm12 Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 I recently purchased this tsuba and whilst the mei is a standard Kaneie I believe it's probably an Aizu Shoami copy in the 'style' of Kaneie. What I'm unable to figure out is the theme of the tsuba. It looks to be a group of stylised people on the front either side of a path or road, with possibly trees? On the reverse, again it appears to be groups of people near a path or road but this time there is a pole with ropes with flags/banners? on it. I thought possibly a Shinto festival but a search hasn't revealed anything that looks similar. I may be well off but your thoughts would be most welcome. Dimensions: H: 70.0mm W: 69.0mm Mimi: 3.75mm Seppa dai: 4.35mm One small piece of inlay missing on the back at 5 o'clock but interestingly the original left a gap in the inlay for the seppa here. 3 Quote
DirkO Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 Hi Colin, I would think rice fields - I like the composition! 5 Quote
Jake6500 Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 1 hour ago, DirkO said: Hi Colin, I would think rice fields - I like the composition! This is one possible answer, but I have an alternate hypothesis. I think the tsuba is showing people travelling along major roads into a city/town for the Bon Odori Matsuri. ^ Picture from a modern Bon Odori Festival in Yokohama Note these boats? We can see these in our tsuba design as well, near the festival tower. 2 1 1 Quote
DirkO Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 Wouldn't the people be shown on the roads then and not beside them? I like the idea though. Quote
SteveM Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 Fishing nets, and then probably fish drying from lines. 1 Quote
Jake6500 Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 23 minutes ago, DirkO said: Wouldn't the people be shown on the roads then and not beside them? I like the idea though. Admittedly, this is the one aspect of the design I am most puzzled by! But I think the tower with the four ropes is the strongest indicator that we are looking at an Obon Matsuri. Festival towers often have 4 ropes, one from each corner and I don't know what that part of the design could otherwise be. The boat shape from the 1930 depiction of a seaside Obon Matsuri can also be seen on the tsuba motif... Quote
Jake6500 Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 2 minutes ago, SteveM said: Fishing nets, and then probably fish drying from lines. I can see where the fish drying on lines comes from but where/what are our fishing nets? Quote
SteveM Posted January 8 Report Posted January 8 https://nihontou.jp/...ugu/tuba/1180/00.htm https://nihontou.jp/...ougu/tuba/905/00.htm https://www.choshuya.co.jp/senrigan/干し網図鍔（鐔） 銘 埋忠橘宗義/鍔/宗義 https://www.bonhams....5-1868-dated-1860-2/ https://www.alamy.co...-image391579422.html Quote
Spartancrest Posted January 9 Report Posted January 9 Another possibility is the Tanabata festival ? It may also relate to a specific local festival unique to where the tsuba was made. Quote
FlorianB Posted January 9 Report Posted January 9 A rural scene is depicted: on the front paddy farmers with their typical straw hats are planting rice. On the backside we see a thin pole with four strings (maybe a reduces number is shown?) on which several hangers are attached. These hangers are obviously floating in the wind. IMHO this construction should simply drive off birds from the fields. Best, Florian 2 Quote
Matsunoki Posted January 9 Report Posted January 9 Could the hangers be part of a Shinto ritual asking for a good harvest? Dunno. Quote
cdrcm12 Posted January 9 Author Report Posted January 9 All, Thank you for your responses, these have given me food for thought. On reflection I agree with Dirk and Florian the theme is around rice planting. Florian's picture of the farmers in the paddy field certainly rings with the design on the front, with three farmers on the left and two on the right, with the small gold vertical inlays the actual rice plants (although not the normal uniform planting). This may also account for the horizontal carvings in each quadrant on the front, representing the water in the paddy field. Similar on the back. The pole and flags may well be a simple scare crow! Your thoughts and insights are very much appreciated. 2 Quote
FlorianB Posted January 12 Report Posted January 12 Found this print, the hangers are obviously wooden rattles here. Florian 3 Quote
Jake6500 Posted January 15 Report Posted January 15 On 1/12/2025 at 5:42 PM, FlorianB said: Found this print, the hangers are obviously wooden rattles here. Florian This image is a lot more compelling to me. 1 Quote
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