Sword Guard (Tsuba)
Unknown Artist
15th century
Medium
Iron, gold, copper
Dimensions
Diam. 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 3 oz. (85 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Hachiro Yamagami, 1981
Accession Number
1981.361
Art Historical Context
This elegant sword guard, known as a *tsuba*, dates to Japan's Muromachi period (1336–1573), a time of civil strife and cultural refinement under the Ashikaga shogunate. As a key component of the katana's fittings, the tsuba served a practical purpose: protecting the wielder's hand from an opponent's blade while balancing the sword. Crafted in the 15th century, reflects the samurai class's blend of martial utility and aesthetic sensibility, where even weapons became vessels for artistry. Forged from iron and adorned with gold and copper—likely through sophisticated inlay techniques like *zōga...