Kozuka by Goto Joshin

with appraisal by Goto Enjo
and Meiji Origami by scholar and author Kuwahara Yōjirō

Among the many schools of fittings makers throughout Japanese history, the Goto school masters are dominant in their longevity and success, and eminent for their craftsmanship. Sixteen generations of mainline masters descended from the first generation, Goto Yujo, who worked for Ashikaga Yoshimasa more than one hundred fifty years before the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Successive generations of Goto makers sustained and improved the quality and workmanship, and later were influential in the birth of other great artists such as Ishiguro, Tomei, Iwamoto, and others. Goto fittings became standard sword attire while engaged in formal official duties with the Shogun building uniformity among the various Daimyo’s accoutrement while providing identity without garish appearance. The depth of knowledge regarding various metals, their purity, and alloying technology in conjunction with their power and social standing of gained the Goto mainline masters with the responsibility for gold reserves and coinage in the treasury. Goto works drew the attention of the noble and merchant class alike. Fittings made by Goto masters were especially precious and sets such as Mitokoromono (kogai, kozuka, and menuki, en suite) were used as precious exchanges of gifts to and between Daimyo and those of lofty social classes.

Of the seventeen generations of mainline Goto masters from 1440 to 1879, the first three generations are sometimes referred to as the “kami sandai” or “legendary three generations” of the Goto. There is also the term “Ko-Goto” or “Old Goto”, that is seen which gathers the first five generations of Yujo, Sojo, Joshin, Kojo, and Tokujo into a group. Joshin was born in 1512, and like his father, Sojo, and grandfather, Yujo, he created his masterful works during the fury of the “age of battles” when the provinces of Japan were at continuous war. Although he excelled in the iconic designs that all Goto traditionally made such as Dragons and Shishi, he favored powerful symbolic subjects such as Tigers as well. He was a man of tandem occupations and responsibilities that surely divided his time from being completely committed to making fittings, while the majority concern was as a member of Samurai class with military responsibilities to attend. Henri Joly wrote of him “well known as a doughty soldier”. Naturally as can be imagined from his turbulent surroundings, many of the works he created reflect his military influences with renderings of canteens or equestrian tack such as bits and bridles, stirrups, and the like.

By comparison to the average lifespan of the various Goto masters, Joshin died in 1562, somewhat young at the age of about 51 years old. Additionally, when considering that this would have provided him with only about 20-30 years of individual works as a part time maker with a larger outside occupation, his yield would be fewer in number when held to other longer lived masters of 50 to 60 years. For this reason, in addition to his skill and bold interpretations of subjects, his works are enthusiastically sought.

This kozuka is accompanied not only by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate, but also an origami authored by Kuwahara Yōjirō (aka: “Sō’a”1868-1955) attesting to the authenticity of this kozuka as the work of Goto Joshin.
Kuwahara Yōjirō had quite a diverse interest in Japanese traditionals arts and authored a number of books on various subjects such as lacquer works, ukiyoe, engraving, and of course, sword fittings. He wrote the accompanying origami in 1904 as the examiner on behalf of the main branch of the Japanese Sword Club.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate

Origami by Kuwahara Yōjirō in 1904

Kuwahara would have been about 36 years of age in that year. I can not remember having seen an origami by him such as this in the past. It looks, and is composed very similarly to the origami one can see from the Goto and Hon’ami family of appraisers, and shows that regardless of the huge efforts Japan was embarking upon to modernize and westernize, the traditions of the Japanese sword and other traditional arts, there remained a large contingent of aficionados, enthusiasts, and scholars dedicated to preserving the old crafts and the spirit of their creators. It should also be noted that he described his interpretation of the theme of this kozuka as a “water canteen”, which is understandable due to the unusual nature of the theme and the resemblance it holds with a bamboo water container.

This kozuka resides in a lovely large custom made box with the Kuwahara origami stored under the otoshi (cushioned resting plate). It is accompanied by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Kanteisho that certify its authenticity of both Joshin and Enjo. It is also published in the book, “A History of Japanese Metalwork”.

Price: $6500.00