Leaves on tsuba

[andreYes]

Hello! Is anybody here a specialist in Japanese plants ?

 

I'm trying to define the leaves on the following tsuba.

My guess that it could be Nymphoides peltata - asaza, "floating heart" - アサザ （浅沙、阿佐佐）.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Besides, the overall design resembles me a kamon, but I've never seen this kind of leaves on a kamon...

[John A Stuart]

Why not the ubiquitous hollyhock, aoi?

[andreYes]

Why not the ubiquitous hollyhock, aoi?

If you mean the Asarum caulescens (futaba aoi), like on the Tokugawa's mon, - the leaves' shape is quite different.

 

It resembles the leaves of Alcea rosea (tachi aoi), but I've never seen it's leaves in decorations or kamon. And the footstalk seems too long in this case...

[John A Stuart]

I was thinking the alcea rosea. The stem is too long and it must be a water plant. Not lotus I think but, something close. John

[Thierry BERNARD]

Petasites japonicus giganteus ??

[Ronin Akuma]

Petasites Japonicus aka Fuki 菜蕗

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petasites_japonicus

 

Also Butterbur or Rawan-Buki

[andreYes]

Petasites japonicus giganteus ??

Thank you for the suggestion! The shape looks very similar.

The only problem, I'm afraid to imagine the size of caterpillar that could bite off nearly a half of such giant leaf :D

[John A Stuart]

Steve's smaller variety looks very like the plant depicted on the tsuba and certainly caterpillar sized munchies. Thierry's would require caterpillars from Mothra's brood. John

[Thierry BERNARD]

The only problem, I'm afraid to imagine the size of caterpillar that could bite off nearly a half of such giant leaf :D

 

[Ronin Akuma]

Steve's smaller variety looks very like the plant depicted on the tsuba and certainly caterpillar sized munchies. Thierry's would require caterpillars from Mothra's brood. John

Mothra!!!

[Mark Green]

These plants don't start out that big.

Plus, I feel the tsubashi was just making open space, with something that would look good.

 

Mark G

 

It looks like giant rhubarb. :lol:

[nagamaki - Franco]

we often see, especially with 'samurai fittings', recognizable windows into our natural surroundings. "A caterpillar munched leaf", perhaps slightly exaggerated, is presented to give pause, a reminder to stop and smell the roses, appreciate and notice the little things in life, because, for a samurai, there is the understanding that death may come at any moment.

[Muki]

Isn't the "munched" part simply the space for a kogotana cleverly done? Forgive me for being obtuse... :?

[andreYes]

Isn't the "munched" part simply the space for a kogotana cleverly done?

Sure, it's a kozuka-ana!

 

 

Thanks to everybody!

I think it's actually the Petasites japonicus.

I'm curious, why it was depicted on this tsuba: it was someone's mon, or just culinary preferences ?