Fans and butterflies

Here we see a beautiful example of an artfully crafted tsuba using various techniques. The drinking fountain and the rocky landscape are carved from the base plate, which itself is forged using the mokume technique. We see four fans as sukashi, two of which form the hitsu-ana. There are also some zogan inlays, such as the butterflies and bamboo shoots. Presumably, this motif suggests spring or the beginning of summer.

A good example of how beautiful and artfully crafted tsuba don’t have to break the bank.