Page 284 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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Edo periods, was equally well known for holes for the kozuka (small knife) and kdgai especially openwork iron tsuba, and most
metal fittings. He made a great many (skewer) are later additions. HY were decorated with inlay work. Through-
tsuba, using materials such as brass, sha- out the Edo period such important schools
kudd, and copper. Designs included depic- as the Hayashi, Hirata, Nishigaki, and
tions of such motifs from nature as oak 204 Sword guard Shimizu flourished; at the end of the Edo
trees and grapes. His skill at delineation, Hayashi Matashichi (fl. mid-iyth period the famous Kamiyoshi Rakuju
composition, and use of color evokes the century) appeared.
Rinpa style of painting. iron with inlaid gold Following the move of the Hosokawa
This round tsuba, made of brass with diam. 8.4 (3^4) clan to Kumamoto in 1632, Hayashi Ma-
a slightly raised edge, is a representative Edo period, iyth century tashichi, the founder of the Hayashi
work by Myoju. On both sides, rendered school, was engaged as an official clan
in inlaid shakudd, is an oak tree with leaves Eisei Bunko, Tokyo craftsman. This fine flower-shaped iron
and acorns surrealistically large for its Important Art Object tsuba by Matashichi is decorated with
trunk—an example of the common use of crisply executed openwork depictions of
dislocation and disjunction as decorative The metalworking industry of Higo Prov- cherry blossoms and the kuyd mon, the
devices in Japanese art. Flanking the tang ince (present-day Kumamoto Prefecture) Hosokawa family crest, all detailed with in-
hole on the front the artist's name is en- developed under the protection and pa- laid gold. The artist's name, Matashichi, is
graved: Umetada on the right, and Mydju tronage of the Hosokawa daimyo of Kuma- inlaid in gold between the tang hole and
on the left. The shakudd fillings in the moto, producing objects for the sword the kozuka (knife) hole at the left. HY
mountings for which Higo was famous.
Various types of metal fittings were made,

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