The theme of this Tsuba is Reminiscent of Ono no Tofu. There is a story of the man called Ono no Tofu. He was troubled by his lack of calligraphy and considered giving it up. One day he watched a frog trying to jump onto a willow branch. The frog continued to attempt to jump on the branch but kept failing. He considered impossible. However, a strong wind blew across the area and the frog successfully jumped on the branch. The man changed his way of thinking, of keep trying and not giving up. By this he could realize his goal of becoming master of calligraphy. This design does not have the man but by "Rusumoyo" the combination of the frog, the willow branches, and the umbrella you can see the scene play out. The craftsman, Masaharu, does not have much information. However, the Mei is very unique in its characteristic. Considering the craftsmanship, this craftsman was highly skilled during the Late Edo Period. It has passed the Hozon Tosogu Shinsa. |