Tsuba motif

[vajo]

Any idea what does this motif shows?

TSUBA - For Sale or Trade - Nihonto Message Board (militaria.co.za)

 

 

 

 

[John A Stuart]

A Kasa, maybe Ajirogasa. John

[vajo]

Thanks John. My thought was it shows a rice farmer planting rice.

 

[John A Stuart]

It very well could be, highly stylised. I had thought the crossed lines and verticals as Hime. John

[Tanto54]

This could be a boshi (hat) and yui gesa that some warrior mountain monks'/ascetics wear around their necks (number 3 in the attached photo - different sects have different configurations and I've seen them with only two "pom poms").

 

 

[vajo]

Never notice that George, that sounds reasonable. Thanks a lot.

So it could be a Shugenja or Yamabushi?

[Tanto54]

Exactly - most depictions of Yamabushi just show the "pillbox" type boshi (hat) but some wear the kind of boshi on your tsuba over that pillbox hat.  See photo below - notice second Monk from the left is wearing a "pillbox" hat but also has your kind of hat in his hand (the "pillbox" hat alone doesn't provide much protection...)  Also, these Monks have 4 "pom poms" on the front and 2 "pom poms" on the back...)

 

P.S.  Just guessing here - not very sure....

 

[vajo]

I have Neil's tsuba now in hand and made this picture

 

 

It has a smooth and soft touch feeling.