- Tsuba – Ko-Shoami Iron Sukashi Tsuba – “Two Snow-Wheel” (Nirinsya) NBTHK Hozon

This refined Ko-Shoami sukashi tsuba is built around a clear, emblematic geometry: a circular plate divided by four radiating spokes into balanced fields, each filled with a tightly ordered lattice that evokes two snow-wheels (nirinsya / “snow-wheel” rosettes) or stylized floral rounds. The effect is strongly graphic and heraldic, characteristic of early Shoami taste, where visual authority is achieved through symmetry, repetition, and disciplined negative space rather than pictorial narration.

The iron plate is comparatively thin at the seppa-dai yet framed by a slightly thicker, smoothly rounded maru-mimi, giving the guard a secure structural “ring” and a clean silhouette. The openwork is finely controlled: slender webs remain stable, the internal edges are crisp, and the spacing is consistent, all of which suggests confident workmanship. A calm, dark patina softens the overall impression and highlights the sculptural depth of the sukashi.

Dimension

80,4 mm x 81,9 mm x 4,8 mm (Seppa) - 5,0 mm (Mimi), 83,8 g