| This kozuka is a masterwork by Miyata Nobukiyo, featuring a design of two crawling dragons. Miyata Nobukiyo was a distinguished student of Goto Mitsuaki (Hōjō Dōjin), the 16th head of the main Goto family. He was born in Kyoto in 1817. At the age of fifteen, he was adopted into the Miyata family, hereditary priests of Kamo Shrine. He studied under Goto Mitsuyasu at the age of sixteen, and three years later became a disciple of Goto Mitsuaki. At the age of twenty-five, he left his master's household and became independent in Nihonbashi, Edo. He later served the Nanbu Domain as an official artisan. He died in 1884 at the age of sixty-eight. The kozuka is crafted from deep black shakudō with an exceptionally fine nanako ground. Two crawling dragons are rendered in magnificent detail as applied solid gold motifs, while the reverse is finished with gilt. The refined workmanship and elegant Goto-style design make this an outstanding example of Nobukiyo's art. It has passed NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu shinsa in February 2026. |
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