説明

Title: Natsu-zuta Zu Description This tsuba is made in a yotsu-mokkō (四ツ木瓜, four-lobed mokkō) shape with an iron plate. The surface has a lively, slightly uneven texture, and the openings around the seppa-dai (the central raised area) are cut in soft, flowing shapes, giving the whole guard a light and open feeling even though the plate itself is quite solid. The plant motif appears to be tsuta (蔦), the Japanese creeper often called natsuzuta, because the leaves are drawn as three-lobed leaves, which is a typical feature of this plant. Across the face, you can see several leaves placed at different angles, connected by thin, curving stems. R In terms of technique, the design combines sukashi (透かし, openwork) with fine carving: the leaf forms are defined with crisp lines, and parts of the motif are modeled with a light ukibori (浮き彫り, shallow raised relief) effect so the leaves read clearly against the darker ground. This tsuba is also signed, bearing the inscription “Myōchin Munekatsu. The Myōchin school is a long-established lineage best known for the production of iron armor, particularly helmets (kabuto) and cuirasses (dō). Because armor-making required highly advanced forging and finishing skills, the Myōchin name became closely associated with superior ironworking techniques. In later periods, craftsmen connected to this tradition also produced other iron objects, and the Myōchin name occasionally appears in connection with sword fittings as well. What is Tsuba? Tsuba is the hand-guard of the Japanese sword. High-class Samurai wore his Katana sword with its beautiful sword mountings such as Tsuba. Tsuba’s front design tends to be more decorative as this part was often seen by other Samurais when he was walking on the streets. Why is it that the sword mounting was important for Samurai? The sword mountings of the Japanese sword have many kinds of decorations such as handguards (Tsuba), sword hilt (Menuki), pommel (Fuchi Kashira). The Japanese sword worked as a weapon and as an object to show who he was. For example, it shows their personalities and beliefs. You could say that it is like decorations for smartphones today. We recommend you zoom in on the pictures of the sword fittings. When you do so, you can see the skill of Japanese metal engraving techniques. They are mainly made of iron and copper with inlays of gold, silver, and bronze. When it comes to handguard (Tsuba), each one has a different outline and weight. These sword fittings that have lived with Japanese swords of the same age might be worth as much as the Japanese swords. They are inconspicuous parts of the Japanese sword. Nevertheless, if you are knowledgeable or particular about it, you will become a connoisseur of the Samurai. 【About us】 Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on. 【Payment method】 We accept payment through Stripe (Credit card), PayPal , Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. Also, you don’t need to make an account on Stripe for the checkout. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. You may either pay in JPY , USD , AUD , CAD , EUR , CHF or GBP . The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate. 【Shipping duration】 We normally ship via EMS (Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. It usually takes at least 5-14 days to deliver the package after you place an order. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons. We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can ship your order by EMS. If you prefer other shipping carriers, please contac