This tsuba, signed Fujiwara no Kunishige, depicts the legend of Tawara no Tota slaying the giant centipede. Made in the mid-Edo period in Musashi province, it features a brass mokko-shaped plate with intricate flat inlay work. The design showcases the treasures received by Tawara no Tota from the Dragon King, set against the waves of Lake Biwa.
NihontoWatchmei · Edo
Kinko · around 1670
3 pieces on the market now
Where Kunishige 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.
Kinko · Hizen
4 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kunishige国重 | 1670 | 1 |
A Hozon-certified fitting of notably superior craftsmanship and condition, often with signature or workmanship of high reference 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.
NBTHK official siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
This tsuba, signed Fujiwara no Kunishige, depicts the legend of Tawara no Tota slaying the giant centipede. Made in the mid-Edo period in Musashi province, it features a brass mokko-shaped plate with intricate flat inlay work. The design showcases the treasures received by Tawara no Tota from the Dragon King, set against the waves of Lake Biwa.
NihontoWatchmei · Edo
Kinko · around 1670
3 pieces on the market now
Where Kunishige 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.
Kinko · Hizen
4 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kunishige国重 | 1670 | 1 |
A Hozon-certified fitting of notably superior craftsmanship and condition, often with signature or workmanship of high reference 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.
NBTHK official siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
