Choshu-Tsuba

[ Ears of Rice, Sukashi ]
Inhabitant of Hagi in Nagato Province
Sakunoshin Tomohisa (= Yamichi Tomohisa)
Latter part of the Edo period

During the Edo period, Choshu Domain (=Now Yamaguchi Prefecture) encouraged to produce tsuba and export them to other Han domains for the sake of securing financial resources.
As a result, Choshu produced many tsuba craftsmen and pieces of work.
People said "Aizu in the East, Choshu in the West".
The Ohuchi daimyo family who governed this area before the Mouri daimyo family, invited Ko-Shoami craftsmen (=Old Shoami craftsmen) from Kyoto and ordered them to produce the Shoami style sword guards.
Later, the governer of this area had changed from the Ohuchi to the Mouri.
Even though, the families of the Kawaji, Nakai and Okamoto which were descended from the Shoami school, were the mainstream of tsuba production in this area.
Later, the Okada family which belonged to the Umetada school came to Choshu Province.
And, after the middle part of the Edo period, most of the all schools in Choshu Province started interacting with craftsmen of the Ito school in Edo Metropolis.
Therefore, we can find a lot of Choshu-Tsuba which are influenced by the Ito style.
As stated above, Choshu-Tsuba cannot be categorically described in one phrase because there are not a few styles in this area.
Though, the families already mentioned (=Kawaji, Nakai, Okamoto), in addition, the Okada, Kaneko, Nakahara, Fujii, Inoue and Yamichi are relatively famous.

[ Kiku (chrysanth)]
No Inscription
The Nakai School of Choshu Province
Middle part of the Edo period

[ Kiku (chrysanth)]
"Inhabitant of Choshu Province, made by Kawaji"
The Kawaji School of Choshu Province
The Edo period