Tsuba with One Hundred Monkeys

One hundred monkeys was a typical motif for Mitsuhiro and other members of his school. A multitude of monkeys are carved into the body of the tsuba. Their eyes are highlighted in gold. Hidden throughout the design are monkeys with special characteristics. In the upper portion are the three monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. At the lower right, two monkeys are neck-wrestling with a rope tied around their necks. In the upper left section, a monkey holds a giant peach. At the lower left, a monkey has a bag over its shoulder. In the upper right is a monkey carrying fan or a baton. This tsuba is similar to another in the Walters ...