This is a beautiful set of tosogu (sword fittings) by Issai Toumei, featuring a kozuka and kogai. Crafted during the Edo period, the shakudo nanako base is delicately engraved with millet designs in color. Issai Toumei, born in 1817, was a popular artist who studied under Goto Tohjo and Goto Ichijo, and was known for his millet cluster carvings.
Certificate reading — 銘 一斎東明（花押）
NihontoWatchmei · late Edo (1817–1870)
Araki Tomei
late Edo (1817–1870)
Signed
Tokuho (NBTHK)
Iebori · Yamashiro
5 pieces on the market now
Araki Tomei was born in Kyoto in Bunka 14 (1817) and entered the apprenticeship of Goto Tojo at the age of thirteen, from whom he was granted the use of the character "to" and took the name Tomei. He later studied under Goto Ichijo, receiving the art name "Issai," and thereafter signed his works "Issai Tomei." He also employed the go Ginshotei and, less frequently, Matsugintei; among comparatively few examples, certain works bear the signature "Tomei Arashu Nobunobu," which constitutes valuable documentary material. In addition to his metalworking training within the Goto lineage, Tomei studied preparatory drawing (shita-e) under the Kyoto painter Hayashi Ranga. It is said that his celebrated specialty -- the carving of millet ears (awaho) -- was devised through research undertaken together with Ranga, and that this distinctive motif brought him renown already in his own day. Active in the Bakumatsu era, Tomei is recognized as an eminent figure in the metalworking world of late Edo-period Kyoto and a distinguished disciple of Goto Ichijo.
Tomei's technical mastery centers on the sculptural rendering of millet ears through specialized chisels. Each ear is conceived as a single bloom composed of seven conical grains, with sharply defined tips; the heavy, abundantly ripened clusters appear as though the grains might spill outward at any moment. This three-dimensional modelling, driven in with purpose-built tools, is described as a domain that permits no rival among other craftsmen[[c:1]]. His preferred grounds include shakudo nanako-ji and polished iron (migaki-ji), upon which the millet is expressed through takabori with suemon-zogan and polychrome iroe in gold, silver, suaka, and shibuichi. The leaves and stems receive equally attentive treatment: the appearance of foliage beginning to wither and change color in autumn is conveyed through the differential application of gold and plain copper, while the branches are rendered with heightened animation. When working on iron grounds, he employs sunago-zogan to evoke haze suspended across the scene, a technique inherited from the Ichijo line. The shiguregane catch construction on the fuchi ceiling plate, and the file marks applied to rim areas, likewise display characteristics transmitted from Ichijo. His menuki are typically executed in solid gold (kinmuku) with sculptural yobori, while his chirimen-ishime-ji ground treatment on shakudo is so finely wrought that it can be mistaken for the texture of silk crepe.
Across his designated works, the NBTHK consistently praises Tomei's millet-ear carvings as occupying a distinctive world of expression that admits no rival. The phrase "the arena in which Tomei excelled above others" recurs as a hallmark evaluation, underscoring that this sculptural artistry was uniquely his domain, far beyond the reach of other artists. Even works departing from the millet subject -- such as his depictions of Mt. Fuji with the Longevity Star Deity, or the Two Deities Daikoku and Bishamonten -- are recognized for exceptionally precise carving and high technical ability applied to a dense, lustrous shakudo. His compositions balance splendor and restraint in just measure, and his complete mounting suites are praised for achieving a refined elegance of unmistakably Kyoto-style character. The NBTHK describes the overall tone of his representative works as elevated and dignified, with a lyrical feeling that fully merits the appellation "Tomei of the millet ears." His position within the late Goto tradition is that of a master who, while grounded in the hereditary methods of the Ichijo school, brought to them a pictorial sensibility and sculptural vitality that defined the highest achievement of Bakumatsu-era kinko in Kyoto.
Where Tomei stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Iebori · Kyoto
33 pieces on the market now
" Ichijo was the fifth-generation head of the Shichiroemon house, a cadet branch of the Goto family, and trained under Hanzaemon Kamejo before succeeding to the headship at fifteen. His imperial commissions -- fittings for Emperor Kokaku in 1824 and Emperor Komei in 1862 -- earned him the ranks of Hokyo and Hogen respectively, and his atelier in Kyoto attracted a circle of gifted disciples who extended his aesthetic into the Bakumatsu and early Meiji periods. Among them, the celebrated "Five Tigers" (Goko) -- Funada Ikkin, Imai Nagatake, Hashimoto Isshi, Nakagawa Issho, and Wada Isshin -- together with the master's younger brother Goto Koran, constituted one of the most prolific and technically accomplished workshops in the history of Japanese tosogu production. The collective technical identity of the Ichijo school rests upon a foundation of shakudo nanako-ji of surpassing fineness -- described as "minute and orderly, deep and limpid," meriting the appellation kinume-nanako -- upon which elaborate pictorial compositions are built through takabori enriched by polychrome iroe employing gold, silver, shakudo, shibuichi, and suaka. Ichijo himself established the artistic direction by shifting from the canonical iebori subjects of dragons and lions toward compositions centered on close observation (shasei), rendering grasses, flowers, insects, birds, and landscapes with meticulous carving and refined dignity. This painterly sensibility pervades the entire school. Nagatake brought a distinctive ornamental density, arranging seasonal plants across entire surfaces with richly varied colored metals.
" Ikkin developed an unrivaled command of kosuki-bori -- a bold, thick chiseling technique that even Ichijo conceded was "beyond my own reach[[c:1]]" -- and his dragon subjects carried a distinctive forcefulness. " Isshin absorbed the hereditary vocabulary while concentrating creative zeal into individual passages of invention, and Issho achieved works of luxurious, courtly elegance through refined kinu-nanako and precise kebori. Koran, working in a manner akin to his elder brother yet "finished with an even more delicate and nuanced sensibility," brought the Shichiroemon branch to its most accomplished expression. Across the school, the favored tsuba form is the sumi-iri mokko-gata, and many works exhibit chuya shitate -- "day-and-night" construction using contrasting alloys on obverse and reverse. Complete daisho soroe kanagu sets, coordinated around seasonal, auspicious, or literary-historical themes, represent the school's highest format. " This standard was transmitted faithfully through the circle. " The school's productions are consistently praised for an elevated, Kyoto-inflected refinement that balances splendor and restraint in just measure. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Goto Ichijo後藤一乗 | — | 91 |
| Tomei東明 | — | 31 |
| Nagatake永武 | — | 14 |
| Ikkin一琴 | — | 11 |
| Issho一匠 | 1828-1876 | 10 |
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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.
NBTHK official siteIf you wish to return an item, please notify us within 3 days of receipt. After this period we cannot accept cancellations. Please ship the return to us within 5 business days. Cancellation is conditional on the item being kept in the same condition as at the time of sale, so please handle it with care.
This is a beautiful set of tosogu (sword fittings) by Issai Toumei, featuring a kozuka and kogai. Crafted during the Edo period, the shakudo nanako base is delicately engraved with millet designs in color. Issai Toumei, born in 1817, was a popular artist who studied under Goto Tohjo and Goto Ichijo, and was known for his millet cluster carvings.
Certificate reading — 銘 一斎東明（花押）
NihontoWatchmei · late Edo (1817–1870)
Araki Tomei
late Edo (1817–1870)
Signed
Tokuho (NBTHK)
Iebori · Yamashiro
5 pieces on the market now
Araki Tomei was born in Kyoto in Bunka 14 (1817) and entered the apprenticeship of Goto Tojo at the age of thirteen, from whom he was granted the use of the character "to" and took the name Tomei. He later studied under Goto Ichijo, receiving the art name "Issai," and thereafter signed his works "Issai Tomei." He also employed the go Ginshotei and, less frequently, Matsugintei; among comparatively few examples, certain works bear the signature "Tomei Arashu Nobunobu," which constitutes valuable documentary material. In addition to his metalworking training within the Goto lineage, Tomei studied preparatory drawing (shita-e) under the Kyoto painter Hayashi Ranga. It is said that his celebrated specialty -- the carving of millet ears (awaho) -- was devised through research undertaken together with Ranga, and that this distinctive motif brought him renown already in his own day. Active in the Bakumatsu era, Tomei is recognized as an eminent figure in the metalworking world of late Edo-period Kyoto and a distinguished disciple of Goto Ichijo.
Tomei's technical mastery centers on the sculptural rendering of millet ears through specialized chisels. Each ear is conceived as a single bloom composed of seven conical grains, with sharply defined tips; the heavy, abundantly ripened clusters appear as though the grains might spill outward at any moment. This three-dimensional modelling, driven in with purpose-built tools, is described as a domain that permits no rival among other craftsmen[[c:1]]. His preferred grounds include shakudo nanako-ji and polished iron (migaki-ji), upon which the millet is expressed through takabori with suemon-zogan and polychrome iroe in gold, silver, suaka, and shibuichi. The leaves and stems receive equally attentive treatment: the appearance of foliage beginning to wither and change color in autumn is conveyed through the differential application of gold and plain copper, while the branches are rendered with heightened animation. When working on iron grounds, he employs sunago-zogan to evoke haze suspended across the scene, a technique inherited from the Ichijo line. The shiguregane catch construction on the fuchi ceiling plate, and the file marks applied to rim areas, likewise display characteristics transmitted from Ichijo. His menuki are typically executed in solid gold (kinmuku) with sculptural yobori, while his chirimen-ishime-ji ground treatment on shakudo is so finely wrought that it can be mistaken for the texture of silk crepe.
Across his designated works, the NBTHK consistently praises Tomei's millet-ear carvings as occupying a distinctive world of expression that admits no rival. The phrase "the arena in which Tomei excelled above others" recurs as a hallmark evaluation, underscoring that this sculptural artistry was uniquely his domain, far beyond the reach of other artists. Even works departing from the millet subject -- such as his depictions of Mt. Fuji with the Longevity Star Deity, or the Two Deities Daikoku and Bishamonten -- are recognized for exceptionally precise carving and high technical ability applied to a dense, lustrous shakudo. His compositions balance splendor and restraint in just measure, and his complete mounting suites are praised for achieving a refined elegance of unmistakably Kyoto-style character. The NBTHK describes the overall tone of his representative works as elevated and dignified, with a lyrical feeling that fully merits the appellation "Tomei of the millet ears." His position within the late Goto tradition is that of a master who, while grounded in the hereditary methods of the Ichijo school, brought to them a pictorial sensibility and sculptural vitality that defined the highest achievement of Bakumatsu-era kinko in Kyoto.
Where Tomei stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Iebori · Kyoto
33 pieces on the market now
" Ichijo was the fifth-generation head of the Shichiroemon house, a cadet branch of the Goto family, and trained under Hanzaemon Kamejo before succeeding to the headship at fifteen. His imperial commissions -- fittings for Emperor Kokaku in 1824 and Emperor Komei in 1862 -- earned him the ranks of Hokyo and Hogen respectively, and his atelier in Kyoto attracted a circle of gifted disciples who extended his aesthetic into the Bakumatsu and early Meiji periods. Among them, the celebrated "Five Tigers" (Goko) -- Funada Ikkin, Imai Nagatake, Hashimoto Isshi, Nakagawa Issho, and Wada Isshin -- together with the master's younger brother Goto Koran, constituted one of the most prolific and technically accomplished workshops in the history of Japanese tosogu production. The collective technical identity of the Ichijo school rests upon a foundation of shakudo nanako-ji of surpassing fineness -- described as "minute and orderly, deep and limpid," meriting the appellation kinume-nanako -- upon which elaborate pictorial compositions are built through takabori enriched by polychrome iroe employing gold, silver, shakudo, shibuichi, and suaka. Ichijo himself established the artistic direction by shifting from the canonical iebori subjects of dragons and lions toward compositions centered on close observation (shasei), rendering grasses, flowers, insects, birds, and landscapes with meticulous carving and refined dignity. This painterly sensibility pervades the entire school. Nagatake brought a distinctive ornamental density, arranging seasonal plants across entire surfaces with richly varied colored metals.
" Ikkin developed an unrivaled command of kosuki-bori -- a bold, thick chiseling technique that even Ichijo conceded was "beyond my own reach[[c:1]]" -- and his dragon subjects carried a distinctive forcefulness. " Isshin absorbed the hereditary vocabulary while concentrating creative zeal into individual passages of invention, and Issho achieved works of luxurious, courtly elegance through refined kinu-nanako and precise kebori. Koran, working in a manner akin to his elder brother yet "finished with an even more delicate and nuanced sensibility," brought the Shichiroemon branch to its most accomplished expression. Across the school, the favored tsuba form is the sumi-iri mokko-gata, and many works exhibit chuya shitate -- "day-and-night" construction using contrasting alloys on obverse and reverse. Complete daisho soroe kanagu sets, coordinated around seasonal, auspicious, or literary-historical themes, represent the school's highest format. " This standard was transmitted faithfully through the circle. " The school's productions are consistently praised for an elevated, Kyoto-inflected refinement that balances splendor and restraint in just measure. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Goto Ichijo後藤一乗 | — | 91 |
| Tomei東明 | — | 31 |
| Nagatake永武 | — | 14 |
| Ikkin一琴 | — | 11 |
| Issho一匠 | 1828-1876 | 10 |
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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.
NBTHK official siteIf you wish to return an item, please notify us within 3 days of receipt. After this period we cannot accept cancellations. Please ship the return to us within 5 business days. Cancellation is conditional on the item being kept in the same condition as at the time of sale, so please handle it with care.
