Do Menuki, Fuchi-Kashira and Tsuba have to fit together?

[Drago]

Hi,

 

I didn't find any info on this, so I'm asking you: Do Tsuba, Fuchi-Kashira and Menuki have to fit together? For example, does everything have to be peach-blossom themed? Also, what about the material, e.g. Shakudo Fuchi-Kashira vs. Iron Tsuba?

 

I think it is only natural that Fuchi and Kashira have to fit, otherwise that would look odd, but what about the rest?

 

I'm asking because I'll probably assemble my own sword fittings, Edo period or older. I found this beautiful orchid themed Fuchi-Kashira set and also some Shogi piece style menuki (quite rare, or so I have read). So that is the first question, if those fit together or not...

 

Then I went looking for a shogi or orchid themes tsuba (no luck on the first one, the latter all were too expensive or I didn't like them. Then I thought I'd get a Tsuba depicting a Torii (Japanese Shrine gate), there are a few of those, but would that theme fit? And most are made from iron, so would that fit Shakudo Kuchi-Kashira?

 

I don't want to create some sort of Frankenstein Koshirae, so I thought I'd ask before buying anything.

 

I hope you understand my questions, and honestly, my confusion.

 

Thanks.

[Pete Klein]

http://www.una.edu/faculty/takeuchi/DrT ... hon_to.htm

 

If you go to the koshirae section of Dr. T's site you will find several excellent articles to help you.

[shingen]

Hello Tobias,

 

I have a similar project running. For my Katana Koshirae I am currently looking for Menuki, Fuchi / Kashira and perhaps a Tsuba, I have one but am not sure if I will use it yet or just display it. I think it comes down to personal taste in the end. I would like to have my Koshirae with one theme if possible but sometimes it is either not possible or very expensive. Does of course not always have to be the case. I would like to think that everything I buy is as it used to be hundreds of years ago, but even tough I am new I have already learned that keeping Koshirae together isn't everybody's highest priority. Some sellers/dealers will take Koshirae apart if they get more money for the separate parts, even if it has been together for hundreds of years. It is a debate in itself.

 

I like my Koshirae to be in one theme as I would like my Koshirae to look like they belong together, a en-suite set. This also goes for material the parts are made from eg. shakudo. But this is just my personal opinion and taste.

 

To get the Koshirae in one theme it may take quite a bit of time, but then again we should not be in a hurry to piece something together that will be displayed and enjoyed for a long time hopefully.

 

So I would say take your time and piece a nice Koshirae set together, either with the same theme or matching parts in color and so on.

 

Just my 2 cents :D

[sanjuro]

As important as the theme is, it is also important what the subjects of each piece have in relation to one another within Japanese folklore myth and within Japanese cultural relevance. For instance, a dragon and shishi dogs are often found together. Not necessarily on the same piece but scattered among the individual items of a koshirae. What relationship to each other do the dragon and shishi dogs have? Why is that relationship relevant and in what context is it relevant?

You have a little study to do....... What goes with peach blossom culturally? why and what other relationships are there, historically, culturally, religiously etc, that may be incorporated?

It is usually a failure to know these things and to assemble a relevant set of tosogu that makes it hard for a westerner. A peach blossom theme throughout would be too easy and not very Japanese. The variations are sometimes quite subtle and sometimes very overt but they must balance with Japanese culture, folklore, myth, or religious symbology as well as with Japanese aesthetics in order to look 'right'.

 

Good luck...... It took me about ten years to assemble a koshirae that looked truly Japanese and not contrived by an ignorant Geigin.... :D

[Drago]

Keith.

 

Thanks. I'll give it a try...

 

Could you, should it not pose a problem, upload a picture and just a few sentences of explanation? Just so I can get an idea of what I am getting myself into...

[shingen]

I to would like to have a look.

[doug e lewis]

very true, Rich.. especially in Sengoku era. Where is was only a big deal for the wealthy samurai, those who were buying all those wonderful Kamakura period tachi and tanto that were treasured and we see now at auctions and in musueum (and yours and DB's collections, of course.

 

later, in Edo times, everybody wanted a matching set.

 

me also.

 

doug