Page 276 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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as prominent "feet" a /iundo-shaped tsuba, consuming to manufacture, simplified 187 Set of daishô mountings
and extensive metal fittings with colorful styles gradually came to be used. One such wood, rayskin, silk, lacquer, shakudô,
enamel inlay distributed over the length of substitute was the hosodachi, or slim tachi. gold, silver, horn
the sheath. The curve and breadth of the Another was the even more simplified length top, 92 (36 V4); bottom, 56 (22)
sheath indicate that it was owned by a maki-e no tachi type, of which this pair, Edo period, i8th century
warrior. It was transmitted in the Maeda transmitted in the Hosokawa family and Watanabe Kunio Collection, Tokyo
family of the Daishóji domain, a branch of thought to date from the late Edo period,
the powerful Maeda clan of the Kaga do- is a representative example. They are iden- From the Muromachi period, warriors are
main (cats. 260, 261). The oak-leaf mon, tically made except that one has metal known to have worn long katana and short
dispersed over the sheath in maki-e lac- fittings of gold, to be used on festive occa- wakizashi swords together as a pair, but in
quer on a nashiji ground and also on the sions, and the other has metal fittings of the Edo period combinations of long and
metal fittings, was the crest used by the silver, to be used on solemn occasions. short swords with identical mountings
Yamanouchi daimyo of Tosa, on the island The hilts are covered with white ray- were standardized and were known as
of Shikoku. This mounting was presented skin. Along the lower part of the hilts are daishd goshirae, or large and small mount-
to one of the Maeda lords to mark some rows of five cherry blossom-shaped orna- ings. For formal occasions sets were worn
occasion. HY mental studs, and at the center are menuki in which the sheath of each sword was
consisting of three kuyd mon, the Hoso- covered with black lacquer, with the
kawa family crest of eight small circles metalwork made of shakudd, either unor-
185 Silver maki-e no tachi mounting
wood, rayskin, lacquer, silver, leather around a single large circle. The sheaths namented or with the family mon on a
are decorated
with the
kuyô mon in maki-e
length 98 (38 5/s) lacquer on a nashiji lacquer ground. The nanako (raised-dot) ground. Lacquered
Edo period, late i8th century metal fittings encircling the mounting at horn was typically used for some of the
as the
small parts, such
kashira (pommel),
Eisei Bunko, Tokyo various points are also decorated with the the rings for the tying cords on the sheath,
kuyô mon on a nanako (raised-dot) ground. and the tip of the sheath of the long
The "feet" are those of an ordinary tachi, sword.
186 Gold maki-e no tachi mounting
wood, rayskin, lacquer, gold, leather without the prominent appendages seen This pair of daishd goshirae, dating
kazaritachi. The
tsuba, shaped like a
in the
length 96 (37 3/ 4) fundó (balance weight), and the hanging from the eighteenth century and unusual
Edo period, late i8th century cords bound with seven metal rings, how- for its felicitous decorative motifs, was
Eisei Bunko, Tokyo ever, represent traces of the kazaritachi handed down in the Maeda family, daimyo
of a wealthy domain in Kaga Province
style retained in these otherwise simplified
As the ceremonial kazaritachi mounting ceremonial swords. HY (part of present-day Ishikawa Prefecture).
(cat. 183) was expensive and time- The hilts are covered with white rayskin
263