Heianjo Yoshiro Katabami Mon Tsuba

[Gerald]

Heianjo Yoshiro open work katabami mon ( Sakai clan ) katana sized tsuba

Oxalis called « kagami-gusa » in Japan or " miror plant " because it was used to polish bronze miror . And also to make a medicinal unguent . Often used on palaquin ornamentation during heian period .
Katabami is became a famous kamon of the bushi class .

Sam

[johnnyi]

Interesting. We used to call this sour grass back on the farm in Pennsylvania. If you chewed the stems it tasted like lemons. Nice on a hot day. Thanks for posting this

 

 

 

 

johni

[Ken-Hawaii]

Nice tsuba, Sam. I've been looking to add one like that to my Heianjo collection, so if you decide to sell it, please PM me.

[Ford Hallam]

These are called 'suuring' in Afrikaans. As kids when in the veld we used to pick them to eat the stems, for moisture when it was really hot. 

[ROKUJURO]

The special sour taste comes from oxalic acid - not recommended, if you love your little kidneys!