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"Marijuana leaf motif tsuba"

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 8:05 am
by SsCoobyDoO
I am sure that hemp was well known in Japan – all those ships needed rigging after all – but do you think that the leaves depicted on this tsuba (see link) are really cannabis?



Image




BTW judging by the centering of the nakago-ana, the maker of the tsuba must have been a heavy user of the stuff... ;-)




P.S. note once again how, in typical Catawiki fashion, the material is proudly described as "Cast iron"

Re: "Marijuana leaf motif tsuba"

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 11:12 am
by hamemont
Most likely Japanese maple leaf

Re: "Marijuana leaf motif tsuba"

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2024 11:14 am
by Marigioshi
Yeah, I wouldn’t be too shocked if the artist was going for a cannabis look there—it’s got that vibe, especially with the off-center design. Hemp was big back then for ropes and all, but I’m guessing the artist wasn’t aiming for botanical accuracy, more like a fun nod to what they saw around them. And speaking of chill, I’ve been into delta 8 gummies lately for a similar relaxed vibe; they’re pretty mellow without the old-school twist.