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Source Description
This tsuba may depict part of the story of Shûtendôji, who was a monstrous ogre killed by Minamoto no Yorimitsu in 947. Shûtendôji was born human, but his constant drinking and bad temper turned him into an ogre. He and his followers devastated the area around their home and took maidens as prisoners. The Emperor Murakami sent Yorimitsu (also known as Raigô) and four of his retainers to kill Shûtendôji. They were helped in this task by the spirit of Sumiyoshi, who appeared to them in the form of an old man. The old man gave Yorimitsu a golden cap to wear for protection and a magical rope to bind the ogre. This tsuba shows Yorimitsu and his men dressed as traveling priests while they look for Shûtendôji. The tsuba is a pair with 51.399.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
29573
label
Tsuba with the Story of Shûtendôji
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
4
Source metadata
id
29573
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Tsuba with the Story of Shûtendôji
description
This tsuba may depict part of the story of Shûtendôji, who was a monstrous ogre killed by Minamoto no Yorimitsu in 947. Shûtendôji was born human, but his constant drinking and bad temper turned him into an ogre. He and his followers devastated the area around their home and took maidens as prisoners. The Emperor Murakami sent Yorimitsu (also known as Raigô) and four of his retainers to kill Shûtendôji. They were helped in this task by the spirit of Sumiyoshi, who appeared to them in the form of an old man. The old man gave Yorimitsu a golden cap to wear for protection and a magical rope to bind the ogre. This tsuba shows Yorimitsu and his men dressed as traveling priests while they look for Shûtendôji. The tsuba is a pair with 51.399.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquistion unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
18th century (Edo period)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Arms & Armor
tsubas
sword components
imageCount
4
pageCount
4
source
import
dimensionsRaw
H: 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm)
Source extras
cul
Japanese
inscriptions
[Signature] Forged: 藻柄子 入道宗典製; [Transliteration] Sôheishi/Nyûdô Sôten sei; [Translation] Made by Sôheishi Nyûdô Sôten; [Inscription] 江州 彦根住; [Transliteration] Gôshû/Hikone ju; [Translation] Residing in Hikone
Gôshû province
dynasty
Edo period
med
silver-copper alloy, gold
creator_ids
6565
collection_ids
JMA
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
c294e8476cb3833e
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
4f879cd3e2adf338
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
ff62180a0ef7b4f8
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
c5ae1cce32f51fc3
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no