NihontoWatch Mon

NihontoWatch

Market
Encyclopedia
Kantei
NihontoWatch Mon

NihontoWatch

Market
Encyclopedia
Kantei

Description

This is a Juyo Tosogu designated work by Yasuchika, a master of the Nara school, known as one of the 'Nara Sansaku' alongside Nara Toshiju and Sugiura Joi. This tsuba, signed 'Tou', is a late-period work by Yasuchika, created after he shaved his head at 61. It features auspicious designs of ancient Japanese coins, the 'Wado Kaichin' and 'Komahiki Saruzeni', with a unique anthropomorphic monkey wearing clothes, showcasing Yasuchika's mature skill in sukedashi-bori and subtle surface textures.

NBTHK Setsumei

Jūyō-Tōsōgu, 59th Session — Designated October 11, 2013 Tsuba, mei: Tōu (東雨) Measurements Tate (height): 7.3 cm Yoko (width): 7.3 cm Mimi thickness: 0.45 cm Description Form: maru-gata Material: iron Construction: ichimai; ground finished in tsuchime-ji (hammered surface) Design: On the omote, the inscription of Wadō Kaichin (和同開珎), Japan’s first minted coin; on the ura, the auspicious Komabiki-zaru coin design (駒曳猿銭), said to have been cast from the Kan’ei era through the Genroku era Decoration: the entire iron ground is given variation through tsuchime and chisel texturing (tagane work) producing clustered ground effects; carving is in the thin-relief sukidashi-bori favored in the Tōu period Rim: dote-mimi formed by sukinokoshi (leaving the rim standing) Hitsu-ana: two openings, fitted with shakudō plugs (shakudō ategane) Signature: mei “Tōu” (東雨) Artisan Nara school; Nara Yasuchika (安親), working under the gō Tōu (東雨) Era Mid-Edo period Explanation Yasuchika (安親) also used the name Yagohachi (弥五八). He was born in Kanbun 10 (1670) as the son of Tsuchiya Chūzaemon, a retainer of the Shōnai domain. As he grew up, he studied under Shōami Chinkyū (正阿弥珍久) and married his teacher’s daughter. In Genroku 16 (1703), at the age of thirty-four, he went up to Edo, where he undertook further training under Nara Tatsumasa (奈良辰政), and his innate talent came fully into bloom. Around the Shōtoku era (1711–1716), he entered the service of Matsudaira Daigaku-no-kami (松平大学頭), nephew of Tokugawa Mitsukuni (水戸光圀) and lord of 20,000 koku at Moriyama in Ōshū. In Kyōhō 16 (1731), at sixty-one years of age, Yasuchika shaved his head, adopted the art name Tōu (東雨), left many masterpieces to the world, and was later praised together with Nara Toshihisa (奈良利寿) and Sugiura Jōi (杉浦乗意) as the “Three Great Masters of Nara” (Nara Sansaku, 奈良三作). This tsuba bears the late-life signature “Tōu” used by Yasuchika in his final years. The omote takes as its motif Wadō Kaichin, the earliest coinage produced in Japan, while the ura is based on the felicitous Komabiki-zaru coin design, said to have been cast from the Kan’ei era through the Genroku era. On both sides, the iron surface is worked overall with hammering and chisel texturing to create varied effects in the ground. The carving method is thin-relief sukidashi-bori, a technique Tōu particularly favored during this period. The vigorous characters on the front are intentionally given areas of wear and pitting, expressing an atmosphere of great age. In contrast, the back adopts a light, stylish composition that emphasizes movement. The work displays the polished and distinctive approach unique to Yasuchika, here brought into especially sharp focus. Category:

NihontoWatch MonNihontoWatch
MarketEncyclopediaKantei
Fittings›Machibori›Nara›Tsuba: Tou (Yasuchika's later inscription)
tsubaJūyō
Nara School

Tsuba: Tou (Yasuchika's later inscription)

mei · Nara · Edo

SOLD
Nara School — 1 of 6
Nara School — 2 of 6
Nara School — 3 of 6
Nara School — 4 of 6
Nara School — 5 of 6
Nara School — 6 of 6
1 / 6
1 / 6
Nara School — 1 of 6Nara School — 2 of 6Nara School — 3 of 6Nara School — 4 of 6Nara School — 5 of 6Nara School — 6 of 6
Measurements & details
Maker

Nara School

Era

Edo

Province

Dewano Kuni

Signature

Signed

Papers

Jūyō #59 (NBTHK)

Description

This is a Juyo Tosogu designated work by Yasuchika, a master of the Nara school, known as one of the 'Nara Sansaku' alongside Nara Toshiju and Sugiura Joi. This tsuba, signed 'Tou', is a late-period work by Yasuchika, created after he shaved his head at 61. It features auspicious designs of ancient Japanese coins, the 'Wado Kaichin' and 'Komahiki Saruzeni', with a unique anthropomorphic monkey wearing clothes, showcasing Yasuchika's mature skill in sukedashi-bori and subtle surface textures.

NBTHK Zufu Commentary

Juyo #59

AI translation — may contain errors

-Tōsōgu, 59th Session — Designated October 11, 2013

, : Tōu (東雨)

Measurements (height): 7.3 cm (width): 7.3 cm Mimi thickness: 0.45 cm

Description Form: Material: iron Construction: ; ground finished in (hammered surface) Design: On the , the inscription of Wadō Kaichin (和同開珎), Japan’s first minted coin; on the , the auspicious Komabiki-zaru coin design (駒曳猿銭), said to have been cast from the ’ei era through the Genroku era Decoration: the entire iron ground is given variation through and chisel texturing ( work) producing clustered ground effects; carving is in the thin-relief favored in the Tōu period Rim: dote-mimi formed by sukinokoshi (leaving the rim standing) : two openings, fitted with plugs ( ategane) Signature: “Tōu” (東雨)

Artisan Nara school; Nara Yasuchika (安親), working under the gō Tōu (東雨)

Era Mid- period

Explanation Yasuchika (安親) also used the name (弥五八). He was born in 10 (1670) as the son of Tsuchiya Chūzaemon, a retainer of the Shōnai domain. As he grew up, he studied under Shōami Chinkyū (正阿弥珍久) and married his teacher’s daughter.

In Genroku 16 (1703), at the age of thirty-four, he went up to , where he undertook further training under Nara Tatsumasa (奈良辰政), and his innate talent came fully into bloom. Around the Shōtoku era (1711–1716), he entered the service of Matsudaira Daigaku-no-kami (松平大学頭), nephew of Tokugawa Mitsukuni (水戸光圀) and lord of 20,000 at Moriyama in Ōshū. In Kyōhō 16 (1731), at sixty-one years of age, Yasuchika shaved his head, adopted the art name Tōu (東雨), left many masterpieces to the world, and was later praised together with Nara Toshihisa (奈良利寿) and Sugiura Jōi (杉浦乗意) as the “Three Great Masters of Nara” (Nara Sansaku, 奈良三作).

This bears the late-life signature “Tōu” used by Yasuchika in his final years. The takes as its motif Wadō Kaichin, the earliest coinage produced in Japan, while the is based on the felicitous Komabiki-zaru coin design, said to have been cast from the ’ei era through the Genroku era. On both sides, the iron surface is worked overall with hammering and chisel texturing to create varied effects in the ground. The carving method is thin-relief , a technique Tōu particularly favored during this period.

The vigorous characters on the front are intentionally given areas of wear and pitting, expressing an atmosphere of great age. In contrast, the back adopts a light, stylish composition that emphasizes movement. The work displays the polished and distinctive approach unique to Yasuchika, here brought into especially sharp focus.

Category: [Tōsōgu XIV]

About the school

Nara

奈良

Machibori · Edo

79 pieces on the market now

›

The Nara school of kinko (metalwork) emerged in the mid-Edo period as one of the most celebrated independent traditions of sword-fitting craftsmanship, its masters working outside the patronage structures that governed the Goto house. The school coalesced around the figure of Nara Toshihisa (1667--1736), also known as Tahee, who as head master during its creative zenith defined the mature idiom of the lineage. Though the school's origins are often traced through the successive generations of the Nara family beginning with Toshiharu, its lasting fame rests upon the Nara sansaku — the Three Masters of Nara: Toshihisa, Tsuchiya Yasuchika, and Sugiura Joi. " Joi (1701--1761), trained under Juei in the lineage of Toshiharu, rose to become the third pillar of this triumvirate. Together, and joined by masters of allied lineages such as Hayashi Shigemitsu of the Higo kinko tradition, the Nara school and its circle represent the highest achievement of independent metalwork in the Edo period. The collective technical vocabulary of the Nara school encompasses an extraordinary breadth of materials and methods. Its masters worked in iron, shakudo, shibuichi, brass (shinchu), refined copper (suaka), and oborogin, treating surfaces as polished grounds (migaki-ji), hammered textures (tsuchime-ji), and stone-grain finishes (ishime-ji) — the latter developed by Toshihisa into a distinctive personal manner. The school's carving methods span the full spectrum: sukidashi-bori modeled relief, takabori high relief, the thread-fine line work of kebori, and the single-stroke katakiribori incision. " Yet individual specialties distinguish the masters within this shared vocabulary.

Toshihisa's art finds its fullest expression in sukidashi takabori — relief carving in which figures are raised with subtly graduated heights to produce an illusion of spatial depth — executed against his richly textured ishime-ji grounds. Joi developed nikuaibori, a modulated relief technique of unrivaled refinement, producing entire compositions through chisel work alone on polished oborogin grounds, dispensing with inlay and colored-metal accents. Yasuchika's range is perhaps the broadest, encompassing the distinctive daigaku-gata iron tsuba conceived for his patron and kozuka that "draw forth a small universe" within a confined surface, while his late works signed with the art name Tou achieve an austere, detached realm the NBTHK terms kotan. The legacy of the Nara school rests on the singular ability of its masters to transcend decorative function and achieve genuine artistic expression within the confines of sword fittings. Toshihisa, as the senior figure among the sansaku, established the standard of dignified, powerfully carved relief against richly textured grounds, and his figural subjects — gamecocks, tigers, Bishamonten — consistently achieve what NBTHK scholarship identifies as the philosophical duality of do (movement) and sei (stillness) within a single composition. " Joi, working primarily in the intimate format of the kozuka, achieved expressive authority through the sheer subtlety of his nikuaibori chisel work — his celebrated lion-and-cub compositions existing in closely related versions across multiple designations and published in the canonical reference Tagane no Hana. That the school also attracted masters of allied provincial traditions — Hayashi Shigemitsu of Higo, whose iron tsuba display the characteristic murasaki-sabi patina and "somewhat gentler feeling" that distinguishes the second generation from the founder Matahichi — attests to its gravitational influence on Edo-period metalwork as a whole. Across the school's production, the NBTHK's evaluative language converges on a consistent theme: compositional intelligence, technical command across the full range of materials and carving methods, and an expressive depth that elevates the finest works from accomplished craft to art of the highest order. Learn more →

23 recorded smiths181 designated works
Leading smiths
SmithEraDesignated
Yasuchika安親—85
Joi乗意—12
Toshinaga利寿—28
Toshiyoshi利善—0
Shigechika重親—0
Explore the Nara school →
NBTHK Certificate
Jūyō Tōsōgu重要刀装具
Important Fitting
›

Exceptional craft of very high artistic value, judged to rank with a nationally recognized Important Art Object (Jūyō Bijutsuhin).

About the NBTHK›

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 site→
Seller
I
Iida Koendo
Established 1880 · 146 yrs on the market
🇯🇵Ships from Japan
›
✓Verified dealeriidakoendo.com
✓Ships worldwide✓English supportWire transfer
Return policy

Customer-initiated returns accepted within two days of arrival; return shipping paid by customer and fees non-refundable. Returns/refunds unavailable for overseas deliveries.

View all of Iida Koendo’s listings→View this item on the dealer’s site→

Previously sold — Nara School

View all →
Japanese Sword Books and Tsuba
Tsuba - by Nara School - Large Signed Iron Tsuba, DragonTsuba - by Nara School - Large Signed Iron Tsuba, Dragon
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Soryu
Menuki - by Nara School - Nara School Shibuichi Menuki with Momotaro ThemeMenuki - by Nara School - Nara School Shibuichi Menuki with Momotaro Theme
Sold

Menuki

ByNara School
SOLD
Soryu
Tsuba - by Nara School - "Honrai Muichimotsu" Daruma TsubaTsuba - by Nara School - "Honrai Muichimotsu" Daruma Tsuba
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Choshuya
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Herdboy in the Moonlight Motif, Signed Nara Masayuki (Kao)Tsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Herdboy in the Moonlight Motif, Signed Nara Masayuki (Kao)
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Soryu
Tsuba - by Nara School - Brass Tsuba: Nara Shigemasa - Hawk and MonkeyTsuba - by Nara School - Brass Tsuba: Nara Shigemasa - Hawk and Monkey
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Choshuya
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Dragonflies on the Waterside by Otsuryuken MibokuTsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Dragonflies on the Waterside by Otsuryuken Miboku
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Choshuya
Hozon
Tsuba - Hozon - by Nara School - Landscape with Pavilions - Signed ToshiharuTsuba - Hozon - by Nara School - Landscape with Pavilions - Signed Toshiharu
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Japanese Sword Books and Tsuba
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara School - Fuchi Kashira with Hozon PaperFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara School - Fuchi Kashira with Hozon Paper
Sold

Fuchi-Kashira

ByNara School
SOLD

More from the Nara school

View all →
Connoisseur Arms
Jūyō
Tsuba - Jūyō - by Hamano Sekibun - Masterpiece Tsuba by Yurakusai SekibunTsuba - Jūyō - by Hamano Sekibun - Masterpiece Tsuba by Yurakusai Sekibun

Tsuba

ByHamano Sekibun
Ask
Samurai Nippon
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano School - Kashorin ZuTsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano School - Kashorin Zu

Tsuba

ByHamano School
¥820,000
Touken Matsumoto
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara Munetoshi - Fuchi Kashira: Waterside Village SceneFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara Munetoshi - Fuchi Kashira: Waterside Village Scene

Fuchi-Kashira

ByNara Munetoshi
¥75,000
Aoi Art
Tokubetsu Kichō
Tsuba - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Nara School - Unsigned (Ko-Nara) - Kinko Sennin DesignTsuba - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Nara School - Unsigned (Ko-Nara) - Kinko Sennin Design

Tsuba

ByNara School
Starting Bid¥350,000
Choshuya
Tokuho
Kozuka - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Kozuka with Hagoromo Design, Signed Yurakusai Sekibun (with Kao)Kozuka - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Kozuka with Hagoromo Design, Signed Yurakusai Sekibun (with Kao)

Kozuka

ByHamano Sekibun
Ask
Toushin
Tsuba - by Hamano Naoyuki - Tsuba with Seven Gods of Fortune Design by Naoyuki (Kao)Tsuba - by Hamano Naoyuki - Tsuba with Seven Gods of Fortune Design by Naoyuki (Kao)

Tsuba

ByHamano Naoyuki
Ask
Nihontocraft
Tokuho
Fuchi-Kashira - Tokuho - by Hamano Hiroyuki - Fuchi Kashira: Hamano YasuyukiFuchi-Kashira - Tokuho - by Hamano Hiroyuki - Fuchi Kashira: Hamano Yasuyuki

Fuchi-Kashira

ByHamano Hiroyuki
¥2,900
Connoisseur Arms
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Dragon in Waves by Yurakusai SekibunTsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Dragon in Waves by Yurakusai Sekibun

Tsuba

ByHamano Sekibun
Ask

More from the Machibori tradition

View all →
Nihontocraft
Jūyō
Fuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Omori Teruhide - Omori Eishu (Teruhide)Fuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Omori Teruhide - Omori Eishu (Teruhide)

Fuchi-Kashira

ByOmori Teruhide
¥55,000
Ginza Seikodo
Tokuho
Kozuka - Tokuho - by Yokoya Somin - Somin - Depiction of Shoki (Zhong Kui)Kozuka - Tokuho - by Yokoya Somin - Somin - Depiction of Shoki (Zhong Kui)

Kozuka

ByYokoya Somin
¥1,500,000
Wakeidou
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Otsuki Tokuoki - TokuokiTsuba - Tokuho - by Otsuki Tokuoki - Tokuoki

Tsuba

ByOtsuki Tokuoki
¥700,000
Yamasiroya
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Kikuoka Mitsumasa - Fuchi-Kashira: Unryu Zu, Signed RinsendoFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Kikuoka Mitsumasa - Fuchi-Kashira: Unryu Zu, Signed Rinsendo

Fuchi-Kashira

ByKikuoka Mitsumasa
¥140,000
Wakeidou
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Omori Hidetoshi - Fuchi-Kashira: Hidetoshi (Kao) - Sunrise Sailboat DesignFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Omori Hidetoshi - Fuchi-Kashira: Hidetoshi (Kao) - Sunrise Sailboat Design

Fuchi-Kashira

ByOmori Hidetoshi
¥450,000
Aoi Art
Jūyō
Fuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Iwamoto Konkan - Fuchikashira: Iwamoto KonkanFuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Iwamoto Konkan - Fuchikashira: Iwamoto Konkan

Fuchi-Kashira

ByIwamoto Konkan
¥2,500,000
Nihonto Art
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Mito School - Edo Mito Unsigned Willow and Waterfowl - NBTHK Tokubetsu HozonTsuba - Tokuho - by Mito School - Edo Mito Unsigned Willow and Waterfowl - NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Tsuba

ByMito School
¥2,250
Samurai Nippon
Tokubetsu Kichō
Kozuka - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Otsuki Mitsuhiro - Wave and Plover DesignKozuka - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Otsuki Mitsuhiro - Wave and Plover Design

Kozuka

ByOtsuki Mitsuhiro
¥85,000

Swords

  • Katana
  • Wakizashi
  • Tantō
  • Tachi
  • Naginata
  • Yari

Fittings

  • Tsuba
  • Fuchi-Kashira
  • Kozuka
  • Menuki

Armor

  • Kabuto
  • Samurai Armor

By Certification

  • Tokujū
  • Jūyō
  • Tokuho
  • Hozon

Resources

  • Dealer Directory
  • Artist Directory
  • The Daily Kantei
  • Glossary
  • Browse All
Nihontowatch© 2026
TermsPrivacyCookiesAbout

Description

This is a Juyo Tosogu designated work by Yasuchika, a master of the Nara school, known as one of the 'Nara Sansaku' alongside Nara Toshiju and Sugiura Joi. This tsuba, signed 'Tou', is a late-period work by Yasuchika, created after he shaved his head at 61. It features auspicious designs of ancient Japanese coins, the 'Wado Kaichin' and 'Komahiki Saruzeni', with a unique anthropomorphic monkey wearing clothes, showcasing Yasuchika's mature skill in sukedashi-bori and subtle surface textures.

NBTHK Setsumei

Jūyō-Tōsōgu, 59th Session — Designated October 11, 2013 Tsuba, mei: Tōu (東雨) Measurements Tate (height): 7.3 cm Yoko (width): 7.3 cm Mimi thickness: 0.45 cm Description Form: maru-gata Material: iron Construction: ichimai; ground finished in tsuchime-ji (hammered surface) Design: On the omote, the inscription of Wadō Kaichin (和同開珎), Japan’s first minted coin; on the ura, the auspicious Komabiki-zaru coin design (駒曳猿銭), said to have been cast from the Kan’ei era through the Genroku era Decoration: the entire iron ground is given variation through tsuchime and chisel texturing (tagane work) producing clustered ground effects; carving is in the thin-relief sukidashi-bori favored in the Tōu period Rim: dote-mimi formed by sukinokoshi (leaving the rim standing) Hitsu-ana: two openings, fitted with shakudō plugs (shakudō ategane) Signature: mei “Tōu” (東雨) Artisan Nara school; Nara Yasuchika (安親), working under the gō Tōu (東雨) Era Mid-Edo period Explanation Yasuchika (安親) also used the name Yagohachi (弥五八). He was born in Kanbun 10 (1670) as the son of Tsuchiya Chūzaemon, a retainer of the Shōnai domain. As he grew up, he studied under Shōami Chinkyū (正阿弥珍久) and married his teacher’s daughter. In Genroku 16 (1703), at the age of thirty-four, he went up to Edo, where he undertook further training under Nara Tatsumasa (奈良辰政), and his innate talent came fully into bloom. Around the Shōtoku era (1711–1716), he entered the service of Matsudaira Daigaku-no-kami (松平大学頭), nephew of Tokugawa Mitsukuni (水戸光圀) and lord of 20,000 koku at Moriyama in Ōshū. In Kyōhō 16 (1731), at sixty-one years of age, Yasuchika shaved his head, adopted the art name Tōu (東雨), left many masterpieces to the world, and was later praised together with Nara Toshihisa (奈良利寿) and Sugiura Jōi (杉浦乗意) as the “Three Great Masters of Nara” (Nara Sansaku, 奈良三作). This tsuba bears the late-life signature “Tōu” used by Yasuchika in his final years. The omote takes as its motif Wadō Kaichin, the earliest coinage produced in Japan, while the ura is based on the felicitous Komabiki-zaru coin design, said to have been cast from the Kan’ei era through the Genroku era. On both sides, the iron surface is worked overall with hammering and chisel texturing to create varied effects in the ground. The carving method is thin-relief sukidashi-bori, a technique Tōu particularly favored during this period. The vigorous characters on the front are intentionally given areas of wear and pitting, expressing an atmosphere of great age. In contrast, the back adopts a light, stylish composition that emphasizes movement. The work displays the polished and distinctive approach unique to Yasuchika, here brought into especially sharp focus. Category:

NihontoWatch MonNihontoWatch
MarketEncyclopediaKantei
Fittings›Machibori›Nara›Tsuba: Tou (Yasuchika's later inscription)
tsubaJūyō
Nara School

Tsuba: Tou (Yasuchika's later inscription)

mei · Nara · Edo

SOLD
Nara School — 1 of 6
Nara School — 2 of 6
Nara School — 3 of 6
Nara School — 4 of 6
Nara School — 5 of 6
Nara School — 6 of 6
1 / 6
1 / 6
Nara School — 1 of 6Nara School — 2 of 6Nara School — 3 of 6Nara School — 4 of 6Nara School — 5 of 6Nara School — 6 of 6
Measurements & details
Maker

Nara School

Era

Edo

Province

Dewano Kuni

Signature

Signed

Papers

Jūyō #59 (NBTHK)

Description

This is a Juyo Tosogu designated work by Yasuchika, a master of the Nara school, known as one of the 'Nara Sansaku' alongside Nara Toshiju and Sugiura Joi. This tsuba, signed 'Tou', is a late-period work by Yasuchika, created after he shaved his head at 61. It features auspicious designs of ancient Japanese coins, the 'Wado Kaichin' and 'Komahiki Saruzeni', with a unique anthropomorphic monkey wearing clothes, showcasing Yasuchika's mature skill in sukedashi-bori and subtle surface textures.

NBTHK Zufu Commentary

Juyo #59

AI translation — may contain errors

-Tōsōgu, 59th Session — Designated October 11, 2013

, : Tōu (東雨)

Measurements (height): 7.3 cm (width): 7.3 cm Mimi thickness: 0.45 cm

Description Form: Material: iron Construction: ; ground finished in (hammered surface) Design: On the , the inscription of Wadō Kaichin (和同開珎), Japan’s first minted coin; on the , the auspicious Komabiki-zaru coin design (駒曳猿銭), said to have been cast from the ’ei era through the Genroku era Decoration: the entire iron ground is given variation through and chisel texturing ( work) producing clustered ground effects; carving is in the thin-relief favored in the Tōu period Rim: dote-mimi formed by sukinokoshi (leaving the rim standing) : two openings, fitted with plugs ( ategane) Signature: “Tōu” (東雨)

Artisan Nara school; Nara Yasuchika (安親), working under the gō Tōu (東雨)

Era Mid- period

Explanation Yasuchika (安親) also used the name (弥五八). He was born in 10 (1670) as the son of Tsuchiya Chūzaemon, a retainer of the Shōnai domain. As he grew up, he studied under Shōami Chinkyū (正阿弥珍久) and married his teacher’s daughter.

In Genroku 16 (1703), at the age of thirty-four, he went up to , where he undertook further training under Nara Tatsumasa (奈良辰政), and his innate talent came fully into bloom. Around the Shōtoku era (1711–1716), he entered the service of Matsudaira Daigaku-no-kami (松平大学頭), nephew of Tokugawa Mitsukuni (水戸光圀) and lord of 20,000 at Moriyama in Ōshū. In Kyōhō 16 (1731), at sixty-one years of age, Yasuchika shaved his head, adopted the art name Tōu (東雨), left many masterpieces to the world, and was later praised together with Nara Toshihisa (奈良利寿) and Sugiura Jōi (杉浦乗意) as the “Three Great Masters of Nara” (Nara Sansaku, 奈良三作).

This bears the late-life signature “Tōu” used by Yasuchika in his final years. The takes as its motif Wadō Kaichin, the earliest coinage produced in Japan, while the is based on the felicitous Komabiki-zaru coin design, said to have been cast from the ’ei era through the Genroku era. On both sides, the iron surface is worked overall with hammering and chisel texturing to create varied effects in the ground. The carving method is thin-relief , a technique Tōu particularly favored during this period.

The vigorous characters on the front are intentionally given areas of wear and pitting, expressing an atmosphere of great age. In contrast, the back adopts a light, stylish composition that emphasizes movement. The work displays the polished and distinctive approach unique to Yasuchika, here brought into especially sharp focus.

Category: [Tōsōgu XIV]

About the school

Nara

奈良

Machibori · Edo

79 pieces on the market now

›

The Nara school of kinko (metalwork) emerged in the mid-Edo period as one of the most celebrated independent traditions of sword-fitting craftsmanship, its masters working outside the patronage structures that governed the Goto house. The school coalesced around the figure of Nara Toshihisa (1667--1736), also known as Tahee, who as head master during its creative zenith defined the mature idiom of the lineage. Though the school's origins are often traced through the successive generations of the Nara family beginning with Toshiharu, its lasting fame rests upon the Nara sansaku — the Three Masters of Nara: Toshihisa, Tsuchiya Yasuchika, and Sugiura Joi. " Joi (1701--1761), trained under Juei in the lineage of Toshiharu, rose to become the third pillar of this triumvirate. Together, and joined by masters of allied lineages such as Hayashi Shigemitsu of the Higo kinko tradition, the Nara school and its circle represent the highest achievement of independent metalwork in the Edo period. The collective technical vocabulary of the Nara school encompasses an extraordinary breadth of materials and methods. Its masters worked in iron, shakudo, shibuichi, brass (shinchu), refined copper (suaka), and oborogin, treating surfaces as polished grounds (migaki-ji), hammered textures (tsuchime-ji), and stone-grain finishes (ishime-ji) — the latter developed by Toshihisa into a distinctive personal manner. The school's carving methods span the full spectrum: sukidashi-bori modeled relief, takabori high relief, the thread-fine line work of kebori, and the single-stroke katakiribori incision. " Yet individual specialties distinguish the masters within this shared vocabulary.

Toshihisa's art finds its fullest expression in sukidashi takabori — relief carving in which figures are raised with subtly graduated heights to produce an illusion of spatial depth — executed against his richly textured ishime-ji grounds. Joi developed nikuaibori, a modulated relief technique of unrivaled refinement, producing entire compositions through chisel work alone on polished oborogin grounds, dispensing with inlay and colored-metal accents. Yasuchika's range is perhaps the broadest, encompassing the distinctive daigaku-gata iron tsuba conceived for his patron and kozuka that "draw forth a small universe" within a confined surface, while his late works signed with the art name Tou achieve an austere, detached realm the NBTHK terms kotan. The legacy of the Nara school rests on the singular ability of its masters to transcend decorative function and achieve genuine artistic expression within the confines of sword fittings. Toshihisa, as the senior figure among the sansaku, established the standard of dignified, powerfully carved relief against richly textured grounds, and his figural subjects — gamecocks, tigers, Bishamonten — consistently achieve what NBTHK scholarship identifies as the philosophical duality of do (movement) and sei (stillness) within a single composition. " Joi, working primarily in the intimate format of the kozuka, achieved expressive authority through the sheer subtlety of his nikuaibori chisel work — his celebrated lion-and-cub compositions existing in closely related versions across multiple designations and published in the canonical reference Tagane no Hana. That the school also attracted masters of allied provincial traditions — Hayashi Shigemitsu of Higo, whose iron tsuba display the characteristic murasaki-sabi patina and "somewhat gentler feeling" that distinguishes the second generation from the founder Matahichi — attests to its gravitational influence on Edo-period metalwork as a whole. Across the school's production, the NBTHK's evaluative language converges on a consistent theme: compositional intelligence, technical command across the full range of materials and carving methods, and an expressive depth that elevates the finest works from accomplished craft to art of the highest order. Learn more →

23 recorded smiths181 designated works
Leading smiths
SmithEraDesignated
Yasuchika安親—85
Joi乗意—12
Toshinaga利寿—28
Toshiyoshi利善—0
Shigechika重親—0
Explore the Nara school →
NBTHK Certificate
Jūyō Tōsōgu重要刀装具
Important Fitting
›

Exceptional craft of very high artistic value, judged to rank with a nationally recognized Important Art Object (Jūyō Bijutsuhin).

About the NBTHK›

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 site→
Seller
I
Iida Koendo
Established 1880 · 146 yrs on the market
🇯🇵Ships from Japan
›
✓Verified dealeriidakoendo.com
✓Ships worldwide✓English supportWire transfer
Return policy

Customer-initiated returns accepted within two days of arrival; return shipping paid by customer and fees non-refundable. Returns/refunds unavailable for overseas deliveries.

View all of Iida Koendo’s listings→View this item on the dealer’s site→

Previously sold — Nara School

View all →
Japanese Sword Books and Tsuba
Tsuba - by Nara School - Large Signed Iron Tsuba, DragonTsuba - by Nara School - Large Signed Iron Tsuba, Dragon
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Soryu
Menuki - by Nara School - Nara School Shibuichi Menuki with Momotaro ThemeMenuki - by Nara School - Nara School Shibuichi Menuki with Momotaro Theme
Sold

Menuki

ByNara School
SOLD
Soryu
Tsuba - by Nara School - "Honrai Muichimotsu" Daruma TsubaTsuba - by Nara School - "Honrai Muichimotsu" Daruma Tsuba
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Choshuya
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Herdboy in the Moonlight Motif, Signed Nara Masayuki (Kao)Tsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Herdboy in the Moonlight Motif, Signed Nara Masayuki (Kao)
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Soryu
Tsuba - by Nara School - Brass Tsuba: Nara Shigemasa - Hawk and MonkeyTsuba - by Nara School - Brass Tsuba: Nara Shigemasa - Hawk and Monkey
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Choshuya
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Dragonflies on the Waterside by Otsuryuken MibokuTsuba - Tokuho - by Nara School - Dragonflies on the Waterside by Otsuryuken Miboku
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Choshuya
Hozon
Tsuba - Hozon - by Nara School - Landscape with Pavilions - Signed ToshiharuTsuba - Hozon - by Nara School - Landscape with Pavilions - Signed Toshiharu
Sold

Tsuba

ByNara School
SOLD
Japanese Sword Books and Tsuba
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara School - Fuchi Kashira with Hozon PaperFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara School - Fuchi Kashira with Hozon Paper
Sold

Fuchi-Kashira

ByNara School
SOLD

More from the Nara school

View all →
Connoisseur Arms
Jūyō
Tsuba - Jūyō - by Hamano Sekibun - Masterpiece Tsuba by Yurakusai SekibunTsuba - Jūyō - by Hamano Sekibun - Masterpiece Tsuba by Yurakusai Sekibun

Tsuba

ByHamano Sekibun
Ask
Samurai Nippon
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano School - Kashorin ZuTsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano School - Kashorin Zu

Tsuba

ByHamano School
¥820,000
Touken Matsumoto
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara Munetoshi - Fuchi Kashira: Waterside Village SceneFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Nara Munetoshi - Fuchi Kashira: Waterside Village Scene

Fuchi-Kashira

ByNara Munetoshi
¥75,000
Aoi Art
Tokubetsu Kichō
Tsuba - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Nara School - Unsigned (Ko-Nara) - Kinko Sennin DesignTsuba - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Nara School - Unsigned (Ko-Nara) - Kinko Sennin Design

Tsuba

ByNara School
Starting Bid¥350,000
Choshuya
Tokuho
Kozuka - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Kozuka with Hagoromo Design, Signed Yurakusai Sekibun (with Kao)Kozuka - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Kozuka with Hagoromo Design, Signed Yurakusai Sekibun (with Kao)

Kozuka

ByHamano Sekibun
Ask
Toushin
Tsuba - by Hamano Naoyuki - Tsuba with Seven Gods of Fortune Design by Naoyuki (Kao)Tsuba - by Hamano Naoyuki - Tsuba with Seven Gods of Fortune Design by Naoyuki (Kao)

Tsuba

ByHamano Naoyuki
Ask
Nihontocraft
Tokuho
Fuchi-Kashira - Tokuho - by Hamano Hiroyuki - Fuchi Kashira: Hamano YasuyukiFuchi-Kashira - Tokuho - by Hamano Hiroyuki - Fuchi Kashira: Hamano Yasuyuki

Fuchi-Kashira

ByHamano Hiroyuki
¥2,900
Connoisseur Arms
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Dragon in Waves by Yurakusai SekibunTsuba - Tokuho - by Hamano Sekibun - Dragon in Waves by Yurakusai Sekibun

Tsuba

ByHamano Sekibun
Ask

More from the Machibori tradition

View all →
Nihontocraft
Jūyō
Fuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Omori Teruhide - Omori Eishu (Teruhide)Fuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Omori Teruhide - Omori Eishu (Teruhide)

Fuchi-Kashira

ByOmori Teruhide
¥55,000
Ginza Seikodo
Tokuho
Kozuka - Tokuho - by Yokoya Somin - Somin - Depiction of Shoki (Zhong Kui)Kozuka - Tokuho - by Yokoya Somin - Somin - Depiction of Shoki (Zhong Kui)

Kozuka

ByYokoya Somin
¥1,500,000
Wakeidou
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Otsuki Tokuoki - TokuokiTsuba - Tokuho - by Otsuki Tokuoki - Tokuoki

Tsuba

ByOtsuki Tokuoki
¥700,000
Yamasiroya
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Kikuoka Mitsumasa - Fuchi-Kashira: Unryu Zu, Signed RinsendoFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Kikuoka Mitsumasa - Fuchi-Kashira: Unryu Zu, Signed Rinsendo

Fuchi-Kashira

ByKikuoka Mitsumasa
¥140,000
Wakeidou
Hozon
Fuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Omori Hidetoshi - Fuchi-Kashira: Hidetoshi (Kao) - Sunrise Sailboat DesignFuchi-Kashira - Hozon - by Omori Hidetoshi - Fuchi-Kashira: Hidetoshi (Kao) - Sunrise Sailboat Design

Fuchi-Kashira

ByOmori Hidetoshi
¥450,000
Aoi Art
Jūyō
Fuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Iwamoto Konkan - Fuchikashira: Iwamoto KonkanFuchi-Kashira - Jūyō - by Iwamoto Konkan - Fuchikashira: Iwamoto Konkan

Fuchi-Kashira

ByIwamoto Konkan
¥2,500,000
Nihonto Art
Tokuho
Tsuba - Tokuho - by Mito School - Edo Mito Unsigned Willow and Waterfowl - NBTHK Tokubetsu HozonTsuba - Tokuho - by Mito School - Edo Mito Unsigned Willow and Waterfowl - NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Tsuba

ByMito School
¥2,250
Samurai Nippon
Tokubetsu Kichō
Kozuka - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Otsuki Mitsuhiro - Wave and Plover DesignKozuka - Tokubetsu Kichō - by Otsuki Mitsuhiro - Wave and Plover Design

Kozuka

ByOtsuki Mitsuhiro
¥85,000

Swords

  • Katana
  • Wakizashi
  • Tantō
  • Tachi
  • Naginata
  • Yari

Fittings

  • Tsuba
  • Fuchi-Kashira
  • Kozuka
  • Menuki

Armor

  • Kabuto
  • Samurai Armor

By Certification

  • Tokujū
  • Jūyō
  • Tokuho
  • Hozon

Resources

  • Dealer Directory
  • Artist Directory
  • The Daily Kantei
  • Glossary
  • Browse All
Nihontowatch© 2026
TermsPrivacyCookiesAbout
NihontoWatch Mon

NihontoWatch

Market
Encyclopedia
Kantei
NihontoWatch Mon

NihontoWatch

Market
Encyclopedia
Kantei