GENEOLOGY OF ECHIZEN KINAI TSUBAKO
by Shibui Swords
BASIS
This 'geneology' is based on interpretations from the following: "TSUBA,An Aesthetic Study" by Dr. Kazutaro Torigoye and Robert E. Haynes, "TSUBA GEIJUTSU-KO" by Dr. Kazutaro Torigoye, a Summary of Echizen Kinai Tsubaco by Malcolm and Sueko Cox (from "Echizen Kinai Tsuba" by Nobuo and Nobuhide Tsuruwaka), and "JAPANESE SWORD-MOUNTS in the Collection of the Field Museum" by H.E. Gunsaulus.
BIOGRAPHY
Shodai ISHIKAWA (later TAKAHASHI) Yoshitsugu Gonbei.
He started making tsuba in the late Muromachi (ca. 1560-1570) and was a student of Kyo-Shoami school in Kyoto. He therefore has a very strong Kyo-Shoami influence in his work. At the end of the Muromachi (ca.1573-4) due to wars, and a major earthquake the shodai moved to Fukui, Echizen. He was accompanied by Akao Jinzaemon Yoshitsugu (shodai Akao), and these families continued a close relationship for many generations. The year he died is Empo 9 (1681).
Nidai TAKAHASHI Ohashi Tajuro.
When Gonbei died, his oldest son had already died, and his son (Gonbei’s grandson), was too young to follow as the next generation. As a result Gonbei’s younger son took over the family responsibility, and also to train his nephew as well as his own son. His name was Ohashi TAJURO. There are “nidai” period tsuba signed “Echizen no Ju” “Kinai Saku” which are attributed to Tajuro. Tajuro produced many designs, including omodaka, carp, and dragons (with prominent horns) and the earliest Kinai dragons in ubuzukashi. It is not known whether Gonbei’s older son ever made tsuba. He died in Genroku 9 (1696).
Sandai TAKAHASHI
Tajuro’s nephew, and Gonbei’s grandson, continued as sandai. He seems to have been successful and produced tsuba that are mostly large, often with a wide circular rim, and strong clear designs. Common designs are kiku (chrysanthemum), take (bamboo), aoi, plum, dragon and cloud, an uncomplicated Phoenix bird, plus many others, mostly ji-sukashi. He signed omote and ura mei “Echizen no Ju” “ Kinai Saku”. He died in Horeki 10 (1760).
Yondai TAKAHASHI
He had a very long working life of over 50 years and produced many tsuba. Mostly the tsuba are large, and have strong designs, and there are many patterns, aoi, kiri, bird, horse, dragon, wave and bird, lobster, river and snow; his work shows a strong Kyo-Shoami and Kyo-Umetada influence. Some designs were a bit unusual for Kinai, such as prayer strips (tanabata), and bunbogu (stationary). The three aoi leaf design started with the Tokugawa era from 1600. He signed both omote and ura mei “Echizen no Ju” “Kinai Saku”. Earlier in his career his mei is of large squarish characters, strongly cut; in his later career the mei is narrower and more delicate, and the whole signature is longer. In particular the “echi” kanji changes. He died in Bunka 6 (1809).
Godai TAKAHASHI
Little is recorded for him, except he was established in Fukui. He did produce tsuba before becoming the sensei, and these cover many designs. He used a strong Shoami style and gold zogan, and made tsuba with variations of 1, 2 and 3 aoi leaves, a big mushroom, ginko nuts, oak leaves, pine and bamboo, rice stalks, clam (hamaguri), eggplant, dragon, wave and dragon, bird and Mt Fuji, monkey sukashi, abalone (seem common), noshi (envelope and ribbon). He made some square tsuba also (nagegaku gata). He signed omote and ura mei “Echizen no Ju” “Kinai Saku”, and used a distinctive “kinai” (called “Iri Kinai”). This tsubako had a short life, and died only 9 months after his father, the Yondai, in Bunsei 4 (1821).
Rokudai TAKAHASHI
This tsubaco made a strong impact, and had a long working life. He specialized in dragon designs, which made up most of his work. The rokudai was also a good business man and employed at least 6-7 deshi, who produced much routine work. As production was high, it is difficult to know who produced what, although quality is a guide. Some of this work was also produced to sell in Edo (Tokyo). The mass produced deshi work is quite variable but often technically inferior, and is called “decchi-Kinai”. These tsuba tend to be small with omote mei. In this dai it is hard to know the tsubako; there were several different mei styles, even on the same design. This was especially so with the aoi, a very common design because it was that of the Fukui Han mon. Many variations of the aoi design were made; in this dai even the poorer quality work is signed. It is of note that several designs used by the Kinai group were also used by Shoami tsubako. He died in the Meiji era.
Nanadai TAKAHASHI
He is referred to as “Meijin Kinai”, which is a very respectful term and means “exceptional person” due to his skilful work. He produced more smaller tsuba than larger. Often the colour of the metal is said to look newer and not have the dark patina. Two points of his mei can be recognised: “kinai” is iri kinai; “saku” is cut with top strokes looking like an umbrella (sloping down) as in 金 [here called “kasa saku”]. However, during this period there are some extremely well made, and elegant tsuba. Common in these designs are, flying cranes, noh mask sukashi, autumn flower and insect sukashi, cows with detail, plus shellfish, butterfly, lobster, rice stalks, locust, grass hopper, Phoenix bird, dragon and waves, cloud and dragon sukashi, marrow, gingko, kiku, bamboo bush, pine leaves, cherry blossom, eggplant, and others. The demand for tsuba production declined from the Bakumatsu to the Meiji. He is known to have left Echizen in Meiji 5 (1872) at 55 years of age, leaving his wife and son. There is no record of him after that or when or where he died.
COMMENTS
There is a strong influence in style from Kyo-Shoami tsuba, as well as from Umetada school and Akao school. In general the ji-sukashi tsuba have bold designs of objects arranged in a display or scene, such as animals, or flowers and trees, often with waves; many have a circular rim. There are the well known “dragon tsuba” of this group by the nidai-sandai, which are solid, quiet and in which the design forms the rim; later variations have a circular rim, and the dragon has a wild look. The dragons of the later Takahashi tend to have more prominent horns, and some of those of the shodai (Gonbei) and nidai (Tajuro) also had a divided horn.
There were quite a few major family groups producing tsuba in Echizen during the Edo period. The main families are Kinai, Akao, Myochin and Haruta. There was also marriage between the families. As many of the families initially came from Kyoto, and interacted, there were often similarities in their work, plus common designs, often with minor variations.
The Akao Ha was founded by Akao Jinzaemon Yoshitsugu. This is the shodai Akao 赤尾 who studied in Kyo-Shoami with shodai Ishikawa/Takahashi Kinai. He may also have studied for a time with Umetada Myoju. The Akao group later developed a good business in both Echizen and Edo, but work from Echizen is considered superior. There are 17 recorded tsubako signing with Echizen Akao up to the Meiji. There was a strong link with the Echizen Kinai tsubako, and also between Akao and Umetada.
ECHIZEN KINAI TSUBAKO SUMMARY
ISHIKAWA/TAKAHASHI Kinai Family
古 記内 石川
No. Kanji Dai Name CA Mei Died
1 初代 Shodai Goshu Kinai (1580) omote (ura) 1681
2 二代 Nidai Tojiro (1620) omote(ura) 1696
3 三代 Sandai (1710) omote(ura) 1760
4 四代 Yondai (1740) omote(ura) 1809
5 五代 Godai (1821) ura (omote) 1821
6 六代 Rokudai (1821) omote (ura) Meiji era
Decchi Kinai (1821) omote
7 七代 Nanadai Meijin Kinai ( 1870) ura unknown
(iri kinai) [“kasa saku”]
All Ishikawa/Takahashi Kinai family signed omote or ura mei: “Echizen no Ju” “Kinai Saku”