NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis Tsuba features intricate patterns created with gold inlays on an iron base. Based on its stylistic characteristics, it can be classified as a Heianjo-style Tsuba (平安城鐔). The Heianjo style originated in Yamashiro Province (present-day Kyoto Prefecture) and is believed to have developed during the rule of the sixth shogun of the Muromachi shogunate. Known for its elegance and decorative appeal, the style reflects the refined tastes of the warrior elite of the time. Heianjo Tsubas are generally categorized into two types: Heianjo Sukashi Tsuba (平安城透鐔), which features intricate openwork designs, and Heianjo Zōgan Tsuba (平安城象嵌鐔), which is distinguished by its use of brass or gold inlay. This Tsuba belongs to the latter category, demonstrating exquisite craftsmanship through its delicate and detailed inlay work. The central motif of this piece is a combination of sea cucumbers (namako, 海鼠) and sea shells (kai, 貝). At first glance, the sea cucumber may not be immediately recognizable, but it is represented in the openwork sections on either side of the Tsuba. In Japanese culture, sea shells carry layered meanings. The word kai (貝, shell) shares a phonetic similarity with gai as in yarigai (やりがい), a term that means “worthwhile” or “fulfilling.” This kind of wordplay often imbued decorative motifs with symbolic value. Moreover, since sea shells are naturally hard and only fit perfectly with their pair, they have also been interpreted as symbols of strength, unity, and protection. For these reasons, the motif may have resonated deeply with samurai, who saw in it both inspiration and symbolism relevant to the warrior spirit. Through the use of elegant gold inlay and meaningful motifs, this Tsuba exemplifies not only technical artistry but also the aesthetic and philosophical sensibilities of the samurai class. Authentication Paper They authenticated the Tsuba on July 14th in the 5th year of Reiwa (2023). They appraised it as Hozon Tousougu, the Tsuba worth preserving for Japanese society.
Certificate reading — 無銘（平安城象嵌）
NihontoWatchHeianjo-Zogan School平安城象嵌派
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Heianjo zogan tsuba constitute a technique-defined regional tradition rooted in Yamashiro Province, centered on the capital city of Kyoto. The NBTHK setsumei consistently describe the tradition as one that "draws upon the lineage of Onin tsuba,"[[c:1]] though the relationship is understood as broadly contemporaneous rather than strictly sequential; the earliest Heianjo inlay works are, in terms of period, close to Onin tsuba. The tradition flourished from the closing years of the Muromachi period through the Momoyama era and into the early Edo period. Connections to other iron-tsuba lineages such as Kamakura tsuba have also been contemplated. From within this milieu emerged Koike Yoshiro, who received the court title Izumi no Kami and took the name Naomasa; originally of Kyoto, he later relocated to Kaga Province and is said to have pioneered the tradition known as Kaga inlay (Kaga zogan). " The collective idiom of the tradition divides broadly into two technical approaches: suemon-zogan (flush raised inlay) and hira-zogan (flat inlay). A defining characteristic shared by both is the extensive use of brass (shinchu / 真鍮).
In terms of design, the suemon-zogan manner frequently employs crests and scrolling karakusa (唐草) arabesques developed in an ornamental, pattern-like fashion, while the hira-zogan manner often depicts grasses and flowers -- chrysanthemum, dianthus (nadeshiko), and bellflower (kikyo) motifs among them. As time progressed, the palette expanded beyond brass to include gold, silver, refined copper (suaka), shakudo, and yamagane, used in combination; pictorial designs were introduced, and some works mix suemon-zogan with hira-zogan or incorporate sukidashi-bori takabori (raised carving in scooped-out relief). The iron plates are typically of generous proportion, and the Koike Yoshiro sub-line is further distinguished by thin iron plates with successive crest openwork at the rim edge, dense karakusa hira-zogan across the ground enhanced with fine line engraving (kebori), and a subtle niku-otoshi ("set-down flesh") treatment at the rim. Across the NBTHK setsumei the tradition is repeatedly praised for an unmistakably Kyoto sensibility. "[[c:4]] The pictorial ambition of later masters such as Nagayoshi, whose sukidashi-takabori landscape compositions "successfully unfold the world of pictorial tsuba," demonstrates the breadth of the tradition beyond pure inlay ornament. Taken together, the Heianjo zogan corpus attests to a sustained metropolitan workshop culture in which brass inlay on iron plate was elevated -- through distinctive technique, refined design[[c:5]], and an abiding courtly elegance -- into one of the recognized pillars of the Kyoto tsuba canon. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Shigemitsu重光 | — | 0 |
| Hidesada英貞 | — | 0 |
| Tadatsugu忠次 | — | 0 |
| Yoshihisa吉久 | — | 0 |
| Yoshinaga吉長 | — | 0 |
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft value.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
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