Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges) - Higo Iron Tsuba

[Vermithrax16]

Usually I am not all that moved by old iron or open iron works. I respect them and can appreciate their beauty, but it's not my thing. Usually.

 

But I do like stories and legends, that's always true. 

 

A member here on NMB (and a good friend) knowing this showed me this tsuba, and I was pretty taken it by it. 

 

Irises at Yatsuhashi is a theme that is well represented in iron tsuba, but I had never heard the story. Quick link here:

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/53.7.1-2/

 

On top of that, in hand the patina, quality of work, and condition were all amazing to me. We were able to work something out and now I am the new caretaker for this piece. Maybe I can come around to old iron works? Maybe.

 

NBTHK Hozon to Higo, I am surprised a more detailed attribution was not made. In my study of this motif and style, it seems a more specific school could have been called? 

 

In any case, the patina and detail work in hand are tremendous, and I am excited about the new addition. And what a great story as well.

 

Measurements:

W: 7.6cm L: 7.8cm Thick: 0.3cm

 

Artwork of the theme:

 

Tsuba:

[dominnimod]

Higo Hayashi?

[Surfson]

Nice Jeremiah!  Somewhere i have a Kamakura bori tsuba that has irises by a river.  Monet had it right!  

[Brian]

Can easily see why you like it so much. I think this is one that Curran and Pete would like.

[dominnimod]

I saw this one with the same motif, i can't remember at all where i saw it, but at least i can show a drawing i made of it

[Vermithrax16]

Wow Jose! Great art work!

[dominnimod]

Wow Jose! Great art work!

Thanks Jereremi!

I quite enjoy to capture some pieces in drawing format,

it's nice because while you do it you can discover small details you might have not noticed before

[TETSUGENDO]

Jeremiah I can see why you were drawn in, it's a classic design much favored by Ogata Korin,  here is another of his works using the same motif, it is a designated "National Treasure".

 

-S-

[Ed]

Gorgeous Tsuba.

 

This is a popular motif and seen in many variations. The iris depicted is the rabbit eared iris or kakitsubata. There is a famous Noh play surrounding this.

 

Noh Kakitsubata 杜若 (“The Iris”) An episode in the Tales of Ise (Ise Monogatari) tells of the famed Heian poet, Ariwara no Narihira, and his stopping at Yatsuhashi where he was struck with the beauty of its blooming irises. There he composed a poem using in order the five syllables of kakitsubata (iris) as the beginning of each of the five lines of the poem. In this poem, he recalled his ill-fated love with the Empress Takako. In the play, a priest visits Yatsuhashi and sees the beautifully blooming irises. There, a young woman appears to him and invites him to stay at her cottage. She then appears in a magnificent robe and reveals that she is the spirit of the irises immortalized in Narihira’s poem. She tells the Narihira’s story and dances in his memory. . ..

 

 

[Vermithrax16]

EXCELLENT post Ed, great addtition to tale. I thank you.

[Mantis dude]

Not sure if this applies but I was given a book on Japanese garden design from a distant cousin who when alive was a major collector of bonsai trees. She had interesting stories like when she was flying back from Japan with a 200 year old bonsai on her lap- obviously this was back in the 1960 or 70's. The purpose of the zig zag bridge is to slow you down, make you take your time, pause and enjoy the scene or this case enjoy the irises.

[Ed]

I was told in the past that according Japanese folklore the zigzag pattern was a way to escape Oni. The Oni could only run in a straight line and once you made the turn, you were safe.

 

Though, I can find no reference of this in Joly's or online, so can not verify it as fact.

[Vermithrax16]

Love the tale Ed, I am prepared to accept it as fact 

[Brian Ayres]

From Wikipedia—-

 

The objective in employing such a bridge, constructed according to Zen philosophy and teachings, is to focus the walker's attention to the mindfulness of the current place and time moment - "being here, now". As it often has no railings, it is quite possible for an inattentive walker to simply fall off an end into the water.

 

The zig-zag of paths and bridges also follows a principle of Chinese Feng Shui.

[kyushukairu]

I recently acquired a kyo-sukashi tsuba with the same theme and was intending to do a write up on it, but it seems Jeremiah and Ed already have that covered!

[Stephen]

and one on the bay with less bridges

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tosa-Myochin-or-Akasaka-Tsuba-with-Yatsuhashi-design/223511947431?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D60583d6f8c2f43ef93bcddb42f024996%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D223511942600%26itm%3D223511947431&_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042

[Brian]

and one on the bay with less bridges

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tosa-Myochin-or-Akasaka-Tsuba-with-Yatsuhashi-design/223511947431?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D60583d6f8c2f43ef93bcddb42f024996%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D223511942600%26itm%3D223511947431&_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042

That one is also for sale here by the member. But i would be interested in knowing what restoration was done, and why some of the surface was removed?

[TETSUGENDO]

Another variation.

-S-

[Japan2112]

I really like Jose's drawings. You don't often see that, and the idea of sketching our tsuba is exactly what Brian points out as the meaning of the yatsuhashi construction. I am going to give that a try tonight,

 

The Yatsuhashi theme in just 3 or 4 planks is often an Akasaka interpretation,