Heianjo Nagayoshi Tsuba

In my view, an artwork—and thus also a tsuba—does not need to be highly expensive to carry deep meaning, long history, and a wealth of things to explore. This is particularly true within the world of tosōgu, where significance can be found across many different segments. Most tsuba will naturally not stand out as exceptional; if they did, none of them would be special by definition. These works can still be appreciated for what they are. Yet it is often the truly special pieces that invite deeper interest—objects that may not command extraordinary prices, but that remain somewhat inaccessible to those at the beginning of collecting, as they require knowledge, context, and cultivated perception to be fully understood.

Such understanding develops through literature, sustained study, and—perhaps most importantly—through seeing and learning from many pieces over the years. This process sharpens one’s ability to recognize what is special, and to properly identify, value, and appreciate it. In doing so, it also deepens the bond with the objects one owns or encounters. One example of such a work—rich in meaning and worthy of exploration without “costing the world”—is discussed below. A Tsuba bei Heianjo Nagayoshi.

I hope you enjoy it, and I welcome further discussion or alternative interpretations.

General observations

The tsuba measures approximately 6.9 × 6.5 cm and is crafted in a Go-ishigata form. It is forged from iron and embellished with restrained brass and copper inlay, used to articulate both figures and setting. The guard is fitted with a single hitsu-ana. A faint imprint of the seppa is visible, indicating that the tsuba was mounted at least once. Given the nature of the iron reshaping, this mounting likely occurred close to the time of manufacture, and thus within Momoyama times. The work is signed Yamashiro ju ; Nagayoshi Saku (山城住;長吉作). The signature is deeply and confidently chiseled with a triangular tagane.

The present tsuba belongs to the formative phase of artistic self-awareness in Japanese sword fittings. It is a signed Heianjō work by Yamashiro Nagayoshi, dating to the transition from the late Muromachi into the early Momoyama period. As such, it stands among the earliest tsuba to bear an artist’s signature at all, remarkably including a statement of location, despite being more than 450 years old. Nagayoshi worked in the same historical moment as Nobuie, and together they represent a decisive shift toward individual authorship in tosōgu, at a time when the social standing and recognition of tsuba makers began to rise.

The chronological placement of Nagayoshi’s work remains debated. While his oeuvre is generally assigned to the Momoyama period, some works are also dated to the latest Muromachi period. Two generations of Nagayoshi are sometimes proposed, yet these would span no more than roughly forty years, making precise differentiation difficult. From both technical and iconographic perspectives, this tsuba fits most convincingly within the early Momoyama period: the iron plate is well forged and balanced, the composition assured, and the figural treatment remarkably refined for such an early stage in the development of signed tsuba.

What makes this piece particularly compelling is its iconography. Nagayoshi is best known for Akikusa themes—flowers, grasses, and seasonal plant motifs—making the depiction of monkeys an unusual and deliberate departure. In Japanese visual culture, monkeys are commonly used as imitators of human behavior: Capable of convincing mimicry, yet lacking true understanding.

This ambiguity renders them ideal vehicles for gentle satire. Their presence here, engaged in refined cultural practices, suggests that the scene is not merely decorative but conceptually charged.

Motif, Satire and Cultural Critique

The central motif shows monkeys arranging flowers on a display stand. Ikebana, rooted in Heian-period court culture, was never intended as simple ornament. Alongside the tea ceremony and incense appreciation, it was meant to cultivate inner discipline, sensitivity to nature, and moral refinement. Seen in this light, the monkeys’ activity becomes pointed. They perform the physical act of flower arrangement, yet—by their very nature—cannot grasp its deeper meaning. The scene implies that refinement cannot be attained through outward performance alone; without inner understanding, elegance collapses into imitation.

This interpretation is reinforced by the monkeys’ exaggerated gestures. They admire the flowers in their hands with dramatic, almost theatrical postures, “overdoing” appreciation to the point of affectation. What should be quiet contemplation becomes role-play. Refinement is reduced to display, a performance of culture rather than its internalization.

The satire extends further when considered alongside related works, such as those illustrated in Tsuba Shokan, where monkeys are shown playing Go. Go is a deeply strategic game, historically associated with military thinking and political acumen. By assigning this activity to monkeys, the critique moves beyond cultural refinement into the realm of power. Not only the polite arts, but also the strategic and political self-image of the male elite is gently mocked as performance without substance. This perspective is also cleverly implemented into the present Tsuba by its „Go-ishigata“ shape. Hereby, the conceptual link to Go and strategic display is included, allowing motif, material, and outline to converge into a unified visual argument.

Material culture sharpens this reading. The ceramic vase depicted in the scene is a celadon vessel, most likely imported from Korea. Such objects were extremely precious in the Momoyama period and accessible only to the highest social circles. Its inclusion signals elite privilege and exclusivity. By placing this symbol of status into the hands of monkeys, the work parodies a Momoyama “monkey-elite,” whose cultural identity is constructed through rare objects and codified practices, yet whose engagement may remain superficial.

Even The signed mei Yamashiro ju Nagayoshi saku adds a final reflexive layer. At the very moment when the artist asserts his identity and place, he presents a work that critiques the hollow performance of elite identity. Nagayoshi demonstrates that he, who individually signed on this work, understands the symbols of refinement and power intimately, and at the same time sees through them.

Interpretation and appreciation

In sum, this tsuba is far more than just an early signed example of Heianjō workmanship. It is a sophisticated visual commentary on Momoyama culture, using monkeys as agents of satire to question refinement without understanding.

Through its unusual motif, its use of elite material symbolism, and its Go-stone form, the work articulates a critique that is subtle, layered, and incisive. In iron, Nagayoshi captures a moment when elite culture was both highly codified and increasingly performative—and reminds the viewer that without inner substance, even the most elegant gestures may be no more than a monkey’s imitation.