| This tsuba depicts a dragon emerging from the water and ascending through the clouds. The entire iron ground is executed in bold sukidashi takabori, while the dragon's eyes are accentuated with gold dot zōgan, enhancing its fierce expression. Little is known about the metalworker who signed "Goto Kin[tō]," a resident of Nihonmatsu. The character tō (隝) is a variant form of shima (島), and he may have served as an official metalworker for the Nihonmatsu Domain. As a rare surviving work associated with Nihonmatsu, this tsuba is of considerable historical interest. It passed the NBTHK Hozon Tōsōgu shinsa in February 2026. |
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