T013 - Sharin Ni Kiku Sukashi 車輪に菊透

Tsuba Maru Gata (Round Shape) in the design of Sharin Ni Kiku Sukashi, Wheel with a Chrysanthemum by opening (車 輪 に 菊 透), right edge rounded Maru Mimi, with a Kozuka and Kogai Ana.

• Material: Iron, smoked black finish
• Dimensions: 79 mm x 79 mm x 5 mm
• Weight: 93 g

This Tsuba has for design a Wheel (車 輪 - Sharin) in which a Chrysanthemum is embedded, by openings in the tsuba.
The Wheel is often either the symbol of the family, the circle, or the Dharma Wheel. With its 6 sections, corresponding to the 6 worlds composing Karma:
the world of hell, the world of greedy spirits, the world of animals, the world of humans, the world of demigods and the world of gods.

Chrysanthemum (菊 - Kiku) is reserved for the imperial line when it is composed of 16 petals. This one has 20 petals.