Nick, Junichi, I'm stumped as you are on what a Kikui-to has to do with the junior high. My only wild guess would be that either the owner or head of the school had something to do with a specific Kikusui-to, or perhaps the new building of which completion was being celebrated was being dedicated to this certain sword or sword making.
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Why such a crude casting? Looks postwar to me. Then you have a nice crisp detailed Kikusui added? Seems hokey.Comment
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I agree Jareth ..there's either a large casting flaw or heavy rust damage on the left side.Originally posted by Jareth View PostComment
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Guys, this is not a real tsuba, but just a casted "tsuba-looking" give-away souvenir paper weight in commemoration for some building construction. Ain't anything more or anything less, and as hokey as they get. I'd say it's more than likely pre or mid war. I don't believe anybody was using any Kiku-sui marks during the '45 to '48 time frame ! Moreover, casting material was too precious to be using for some "hokey" souvenir during those tough post war days.Comment
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Ok so not "hokey" but was kikusui added post war? Or ? On third look tsuba looks like a very poor quality sand casting.Comment
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The kikusui probably would have been added "later" if it was a separate silver piece (I don't have this in hand yet), but only in the sense that it was another piece of this paper weight. The scene on the front of the tsuba is of kusunoki masahige telling his son 11 year old son to remain brave and never forget his loyalty to the emperor, regardless of the outcome of the battle which was about to come. It is a common and celebrated theme in japanese history, and I've seen similar, albiet much better rendered on real tsubas as well as other art works.
So the kikusui mon itself was absolutely part of the original design of the paper weight. Without it, you'd have a really big empty space on the corner, and it would look incomplete, and wouldn't have the important symbolism which the scene represents.
I agree this isn't some high quality cast paperweight...it reminds me of the imperial kiku paperweight I picked up at the yasukuni jinja three years ago. mass produced. If the "flaw" in the casting shows this paperweight was made many times, I'd sure love to pick up a second one!
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fyi: http://www.samurai-archives.com/masashige.html
The epilogue to the tragic story of Kusunoki Masashige comes in the form of that very same son he met with before he departed for his final battle-Masatsura. Twelve years after his father's death, Masatsura had an audience with the emperor of the Southern Court, Go-Murakami, who praised the Kusunoki's loyalty to his family. Soon afterwards, Masatsura was killed at the Battle of Shijo Nawate on 4 February 1348. A poem he etched on the door to the temple honoring Go-Daigo before he was killed survives to this day and reads, 'I could not return, I presume/So I will keep my name/Among those who are dead with bows.' (I've sen pictures of this gate)
After the Meji Restoration, when a new government was searching for a way to reconcile Japan's samurai past with her Imperial present, Kusunoki Masashige came to the fore. A samurai loyal to the emperor, even to his certain death, was a valuable symbol, and much exploited during the era of Japanese Imperialism. This ended up with ugly connotations, with young men hurling themselves futilely into American ships in World War II by aircraft or fast boat, inspired by the exploits of Masashige.
Pre-war propaganda aside, Kusunoki Masashige stands as a soldier of the first order, brave and unselfish, with honorable intentions and a steadfast determination. His defense of Chihaya stands as a masterpiece of Japanese defense work that was rarely repeated in the centuries to come.Comment
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Couldn't resist a good mystery, so I decided to put the nagging question to rest. The area where the school still stands today used to be Kusunoki's turf.
So the school adopted their local hero as their idol. Now only the pedestal remains in front of the school gate, but earlier they had Kusunoki's statue standing on top of it (taken down after the war). The overt reference to Kusunoki ceased, but the school badge features to this day the Kikusui in the design and the alumni organisation's news letter is also called "Kikusui-Go".Comment
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Wow, that's great info! I'm really impressed, and deperately want to know how you're able to come up with this info!!
.....but really, I want to know
I'm not quite sure, but does this answer the "kikusui-to" kanji on the paperweight? I thought that kikusuito was a more direct reference to the minatogawa jinja made WWII sword blades (stated on one of the japanese websites). I understand the school wanting to be associated with Masashige, so does the Minatogawa "kikusui-to" kanji mean that they asked the minatogawa jinja (maybe the temple versus the forge) to help make these commemorative paper weight tsubas? (I'm thinking about the imperial chrysanthemem paperweight I picked up at yasukuni)
I guess I'm wondering what the SOURIN KIKUSUI TOU phrase means, although thanks to Nick, I understand perfectly why the school had something like this made!!!Comment
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FYI, I was able to post up my saburo sakai tribute collection here:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=287992
hope you enjoy it as much as I do...Comment
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