Tsuba Maru Gata round shape. Japanese ginger design (Myoga 茗荷), rounded border Maru Mimi, in Sukashi (openings).

• Material: Iron, smoked black finish.
• Dimensions: 79 x 78 x 3 mm
• Weight: 100 g

This Tsuba represents two leaves of Japanese ginger (Myoga - 茗荷), this pattern is also called 'Irechigai Myoga' (入れ違い茗荷), meaning 'crossed Myoga'.
The Myoga flower is used as a garnish in preparations such as Miso soup, sunomono, and other small starters.
The pronunciation Myoga also has another meaning with different Kanji, 冥加, meaning 'Divine protection'. This motif has therefore become a lucky sign, which is often found in temples, shrines, and on Kamon, family crests.
Another link with the Buddhist warrior caste of the Ashikaga period, the link with the deity Matarajin (摩多羅神), because two attendants carried, for one bamboo and the other ginger. This deity representing an wrathful deity, symbol of 'god of obstacles' capable of repelling demons and diseases, is particularly prized by followers of the Tendai doctrine.
This style of Tsuba was often produced by the Heian Jo school (平安城) of the Yamashiro region (Kyoto), or the Shoami school (正阿弥).