Page 287 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

211

212

kufu in Edo. For his artistic achievements mountains, behind which peaks the sun. 210 Sword guard
he received in 1834 the honorary rank The rocks are depicted in high relief and Tsuchiya Yasuchika (1670-1744)
hokkyd and in 1863, hdgen. For his finely gold, the sun with inlaid gold, while the iron with inlaid gold
executed works Ichijô employed a wide other motifs are rendered in low relief. Fu- diam. 7.7 (3)
range of subject matter, including natural- tamigaura has long been a popular place to Edo period, i8th century
istic floral motifs, landscapes, and figures, visit on the first day of the year; appropri-
in addition to motifs typical of earlier ately, the reverse of this tsuba is decorated Tokyo National Museum
Goto work, such as shishi (mythical lion- with cranes and the sacred sakaki tree, Tsuchiya Yasuchika was born in Shônai in
like animals) and dragons. both of which have auspicious associations Dewa Province (presently most of the pre-
This tsuba, made from shakudd, is with New Year's. Flanking the tang hole is fectures of Yamagata and Akita.) He stud-
decorated with a depiction of Futami- the inscription, Goiô hokkyo Ichijd [kao\. ied with Sato Chinkyu (fl. late seventeenth
gaura, a meisho (famous scenic spot) in HY century) and then moved to Edo, where
Mie Prefecture where the so-called hus- he apprenticed with Nara Tokimasa (active
band and wife rocks stand in the ocean late seventeenth century). Yasuchika used
close to the shore, linked with ropes; on a great variety of metals in his work, in-
top of the larger rock is a torn. Here the cluding brass, shakudd, and copper for
large pair of rocks is situated at the lower backgrounds, though here iron is em-
right, surrounded by lapping waves; in the ployed. A figure stands in a mountainous
upper part are several sailboats and distant

274