Namban Tsuba


The tsuba, or sword hand guard, is a metal disk that protects the warrior’s hands against the enemy’s sword. The earliest known examples date from the 6th century, becoming in the early Edo Period (1600-1868) an integral part of the elaborate artistic traditions associated to the warrior class weaponry and armour. Usually made in iron, such as the examples here described, they are often encrusted in precious materials (F1109 and F1110) and decorated with historic and symbolic motives.
Early examples, tear shaped and of merely practical defensive use, were characterized by a single central opening, maintained in their evolution into a simple circle. From the 17th century onwards, with the development of wrought ironwork, other shapes appear that favour a decorative potential for elaborate aesthetics, appealing to warriors and samurai and turning these objects into power symbols and indicators of the social status of their owner.
In the making of these tsuba it was necessary to define a solid central area (the seppa-dai) surrounding the wedge shaped opening that fits the sword handle (nakago). In more elaborate pieces there are also one (F1110 e F1111) or two (F1109) additional orifices that fit respectively a knife (Kogatana), a type of small katana for practical use, and a kogai, a spike that could be used as a weapon, a tool or a hair pin.
Armour and weaponry makers were highly considered in Japan and the craftsmen responsible for the various components of an armour suit – up to twenty including swords, body protectors and helmets – ensured that they left some of their personality in the pieces they produced.
The most famous production of Japanese swords was that of the Gotō School, founded by Gotō Yūjō (1440–1512) and sponsored by the daimyo unifier of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) and their successors. It remained active for the length of this shogunate and in the same family for approximately 400 years.
At the end of the 16th century (1588), Hideyoshi decided to disarm the whole of the population with the exception of the samurai warriors, experts in handling these objects (Kenjutsu).
The tsuba, similarly to other samurai armour elements, allied the purely utilitarian role to an aesthetic quest, creating a homogenous work of art that defined the social standing of its owner, as well as his ideals and convictions. Until 1613, when Tokugawa Ieyasu forbids Catholicism, tsuba often depicted Christian symbols or European figures, this latter imagery forbidden in 1639 by the promulgation of the sakoku, the edits that isolated Japan from the World.
The three tsuba described here are characteristic of Namban Art, a style relating to the Namban-jin or “Southern Barbarians”, the definition assigned to the Portuguese on their arrival in Japan, and have survived in excellent condition due to the uniform brown patina applied to the iron surface, contrary to other, namely Chinese examples. Their shape (gata) is normally rounded (maru-gata) and slightly elongated (naga maru-gata), with a protruding edge (mimi); the frame (seppa-dai) that surrounds the central, wedge shaped orifice adopts a decorative language of European and Japanese motifs.
In addition to the namban-jin figurative decoration, the master crafter also included Japanese symbolic details and European and Chinese inspired floral elements, such as karakusa scrolls (F1109). This well-known pattern of spiraled vines and other natural, stylized and abstract, forms is a paradigm of the Namban Art developed by Japanese craftsmen.
These rare tsuba, masterly adding quality, beauty and symbolic meaning to their practical function, have certainly served important daimyo and samurai, becoming relevant examples of fusion between Portuguese and Japanese cultures.


17th century wrought iron (tetsu) Namban tsuba, with remnants of the original gold alloy coating. Decorated on both faces in pierced, cut and engraved low-relief motifs that fill the elongated disk (naga maru-gata) surface, it portrays a magnificent ship, the “Black Ship” (kurofune) of the Portuguese Indian Trade, in this instance represented with clear oriental features on the stern canopy.
Cutting through the centre of the ship, the raised edge (seppa-dai) central orifice (nakago hitsu), designed to fit the blade handle, features to its right an additional oval recess for the spike (kogai), topped by three parallel daggers. To the left, on the ship´s upper deck, three figures in European costume and wide brimmed hats.

The sea waves and the oblique positioned oars suggest motion. Clearly evidenced on the prow, a Japanese dragon (ryu) figurehead, mythical figure that rules the seas, protects the ship. The Japanese were able to borrow from China the custom of merging the dragon (ryu tatsu) with the Imperial institution and the Buddhism.
Teresa Peralta