KIKUCHI TSUNEMITSU

MEI: KIKUCHI TSUNEMITSU (KAO)

DATE: NONE c. 1771-1800

PAPERS: NBTHK TOKUBETSU KICHO NINTEISHO

This Kozuka is done on a shibuichi base with gold, silver, copper and shakudo embellishments. It depicts the story of Yorimasa, famous archer and poet who slew the Nuye. As the story goes in 1153 there was a strange animal seen on the roof of the palace. This animal was thought to have caused a grave illness in the emperor Konoye. The animal would hide during the day, but one-night Yorimasa watching silently in the garden heard the animal and shot it with his bow and arrow.  According to the legend it was the strangest beast ever described with the head of a monkey, claws of a tiger, back of a badger, and its tail was a snake with its mouth at the end. Yorimasa’s retainer Hayata Tadazumi finished dispatching the beast with his sword.

Obviously Tadazumi depicted on the front, wielding his sword while holding the head of the beast. Yorimasa’s arrow can be seen protruding from the side of the beast and the snake tail is shown above his shoulder. On the reverse in katakiri bori is another figure, obviously Yorimasa with his bow.  The detail is astonishing from the wild look in the man’s eyes to the face of the beast.

Courtesy of Seskos:

The founder of the Kikuchi school was Tsunekatsu, a student of Inagawa Naokatsu (稲川直克). He also received the character for “Katsu“ from the latter. He was born in the first year of Hōei (1704) and was called, Seijirō“ (清次郎).

Tsunemitsu – his first name was „Izaemon“ (伊左衛門) – was one of the most outstanding students of Tsunekatsu. This might be the reason why some counted him as his actual successor and 2nd gen. of the Kikuchi family. His strong points were excellently carved and elegant kebori. He used the gō „Seirandō“ (青藍堂) and it is said that in his early years he signed his name with the characters (常光). He had one son who followed him as 2nd gen. Izaemon Tsunemitsu.

Tsunemitsu’s works can be referenced in Kinko Meikan pg. 245, Seskos Meikan of Swordfittings pg. 575, and Haynes H10845.0

This Kozuka is accompanied by NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Ninteisho from the 1980 US Shinsa. These Tokubetsu Ninteisho papers were the highest paper awarded at that shinsa.

NFS