| Senbiki-zaru (A Thousand Monkeys) is a traditional design depicting numerous monkeys gathered together. In Japanese, saru (monkey) is associated with the expressions wazawai ga saru (misfortune goes away) and nan ga saru (troubles disappear). Groups of monkeys, including parents and offspring, also evoke family bonds and the prosperity of future generations, making this a popular auspicious design. The Senbiki-zaru openwork tsuba produced by the Yagami school of Nagasaki are particularly renowned for their skillful carving of monkeys in a variety of lively poses. This tsuba is reminiscent of the Senbiki-zaru designs of the Yagami school. Numerous monkeys of different sizes are intricately carved in openwork on an iron ground, huddling together and extending their limbs as they intertwine in a lively and complex composition. Each monkey has its own distinctive expression and posture, with even the fine details of its fur carefully carved. Above the seppa-dai is a gold-colored decorative motif resembling a character in seal script, while below it is an exotic openwork design composed of flowing curved lines. On either side of the seppa-dai are gold-colored, jewel-shaped ornaments resembling sacred wish-fulfilling jewels (hoju). By skillfully incorporating auspicious motifs resembling stylized characters and sacred jewels into the traditional Senbiki-zaru design, this tsuba presents an original and imaginative composition, making it a distinctive example of the Thousand Monkeys theme. |
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