RATOYO

Excellent work — the eagle’s sharp, piercing gaze is truly striking.

It's a very clever design. It must look fantastic when mounted on a sword!

Hi, Viktor, I see your point, and I understand the importance of technical precision. I think we may simply be looking at these pieces from different perspectives. For me, beyond technique, I tend to focus more on expression and the overall presence of the figures. This is also why, in painting and sculpture, human figures are often considered more challenging than animals or landscapes — fine details alone are not enough. In any case, I appreciate the discussion.

You are absolutely right, and that is exactly why I find this field so fascinating. The more you look, the more subtle details in the craftsmanship reveal themselves. I also hope we will see more great publications in the future… and maybe one day they will include some of our own little treasures as well.

Thank you, Colin. I also enjoy looking through auction catalogues and past lots, and I spend quite a bit of time studying both Japanese and English books on tosogu. The more references and comparisons one can see, the better. That said, I still find some aspects confusing at times. My feeling is that Japanese tosogu craftsmanship, especially the metalwork on sword fittings, may still not be fully appreciated or understood on a broader international level.

As someone fairly new to studying tosogu, I sometimes find it a bit hard to understand why certain pieces in museum collections or catalogues are considered masterpieces. At first glance they don’t always look more elaborate or technically refined than other examples. I guess with more study and comparison the reasons become clearer, but for beginners like me it can still be a little confusing. So discussions like this are actually very helpful.

Thank you for sharing the article — the tsuba and the interpretations are very interesting. On a fuchi-kashira the scene is extremely small, and without strong magnification it is almost impossible to see so many details. I was quite surprised by the momentary expressions of both the eagle and the monkey, and by the sense of tension the artist managed to create in such a tiny space. Liang

固山宗俊

Hello, everyone, I would like to share one more fuchi-kashira depicting an eagle capturing a monkey, attributed to Risshū. I find the composition quite dynamic, especially the interaction between the eagle and the struggling monkey. One small detail that caught my attention is the treatment of the monkey’s head, where the hair seems to be rendered with irregular strokes, giving it a rather wild and lively appearance. I have also read that this motif has sometimes been interpreted as symbolizing authority or dominance, perhaps reflecting ideals associated with the warrior class, though I would be very interested to hear other views on the meaning of the scene. Any thoughts on the workmanship or comparable examples would be greatly appreciated. Liang

While looking through another reference, I came across a kozuka with a very similar Kanzan and Jittoku composition in a Russian publication on Japanese sword fittings. The treatment there appears somewhat simpler, but the overall arrangement of the figures is quite close. I thought it might be interesting to share it here for comparison.

Regarding the comments about the inlay appearing rough and the ornament not being perfectly symmetrical, I wonder if this might relate to the carving approach used in some works attributed to Sugiura Jōi (Ichisandō Jōi). In the nikuaibori manner the figure is first established through carving and the inlay applied afterwards, so the edges of the inlay do not always completely disappear into the ground. As for the robe ornament, although the scrolling pattern is not strictly symmetrical, I noticed a very similar treatment in published examples of Jōi’s work. I am attaching a reference image from Fukushi Shigeo’s Machibori Meihin Shūsei (町彫名品聚成), where the illustrated piece is considered a representative work by Jōi and is designated an Important Art Object. Just to clarify, I’m not trying to defend my own piece — I’m mainly interested in discussing the technique itself. Liang

Dear Viktor, Thank you for pointing that out — it actually added something new to my understanding. Looking more closely, I can indeed see how the pattern may have been built up through many tiny push cuts, almost like a sequence of very small strokes. The decorative pattern on the robe seems even finer than the lines I usually see in signatures on many tsuba, which is what caught my attention. And thank you as well for the note about the deer hide — that was something I had not considered before, but it makes a lot of sense when compared with the paintings. Liang

Hello, Jake, If I may, let me add a little background. Jiang Ziya (also known as Jiang Taigong) is a famous figure in ancient Chinese history and mythology. He served as the chief strategist to the early Zhou rulers and helped King Wen and King Wu establish the Zhou dynasty. There is a well-known story about him fishing. When Jiang Ziya went fishing, he used a straight hook and did not put any bait on it. People who saw him thought he was crazy, because of course no fish would bite. But Jiang Ziya replied that he was not trying to force any fish to bite. If a fish truly wished to take the hook, it would come by itself. The saying that comes from this story is: “Jiang Taigong fishes — those who are willing will take the hook.” In Chinese culture the story is actually symbolic. It means waiting patiently for the right person or opportunity, rather than forcing things to happen. Liang

Dear Jake, This old man should be Taigong Jiang(姜太公). Jiang Ziya is a figure from Chinese mythology. There is a well-known saying about him: “Jiang Taigong fishes — those who are willing will take the bait.”

A small addition: just after posting my previous reply, I noticed another detail on the robe. Along each main chisel cut forming the texture, there appears to be a row of extremely fine secondary lines, almost like tiny eyelash-like strokes. These details are very difficult to see with the naked eye, and even with a 30× magnifying glass they are barely visible. It may perhaps be an attempt to imitate the texture of embroidery. Liang