Keywords: Tamagawa Masaharu - Tsuba with a Temple Guardian Statue - Walters 51222 - Mark A.jpg The fierce figure on the right of this tsuba is one of the paired guardians ni-ô who guard the main south gate at Buddhist temples in Japan The fierce figures protect temples from evil spirits The dove on the left side of the composition is a symbol of the Shinto deity Hachiman the deified form of the Emperor Ôjin died 310 The gate guardian shown here may be from the Tsurugaoka Hachiman shrine and temple complex in Kamakura Both guardians were transferred to another site in the late 19th century when Buddhist objects were removed from Shinto shrines On the reverse of the tsuba is a crescent moon 1st half Other date century 18 Edo iron sentoku gold silver copper cm 8 9 8 08 0 49 accession number 51 222 27079 Henry Walters Baltimore date and mode of acquisition unknown Walters Art Museum Henry Walters Acquired by Henry Walters Signature Genshosai/Masaharu place of origin Edo present-day Tokyo Japan Walters Art Museum license Tsuba in the Walters Art Museum Media contributed by the Walters Art Museum needs category review Tamagawa Masaharu |