Yasuchika Tsuchiya

Japanese: 土屋安親 - つちや・やすちか

Year of death: September 27, 1st year of Enkyo (November 1, 1744)
Year of birth: 1670
A mid-Edo period sword fittings metalworker. Son of Tsuchiya Chuzaemon, a samurai of the Shonai domain. Born in Tsuruoka, Dewa Province (Yamagata Prefecture). Commonly known as Yagohachi. He first became a student of his fellow townsman, Shoami (Sato) Chikyu, and later married his daughter. In 1703 (Genroku 16) at the age of 34, he moved to Edo and settled in Kanda Shinkawayacho, where he studied under Chikyu's teacher, Nara Tatsumasa (the same school as Nara school's Toshihisa). Around 1707 (Hoei 4), he stayed in Suwa, Shinano Province (Nagano Prefecture), and during the Shotoku era (1711-16), he served Matsudaira Daigaku-no-kami Yorisada, the lord of the Oshu Moriyama domain (Fukushima Prefecture), and for a time lived in the domain's residence in Edo Otsuka, where he produced sword fittings known as Daigaku-gata, which were to Yorisada's taste. He is one of the highly valued Nara Three Masterpieces, along with Nara Toshihisa and Sugiura Noriyoshi, and of these, he is the one who left the most works. His works include a wide range of items such as tsuba, fuchi-gashira, menuki and kozuka, and the carefully selected materials are in harmony with the ingenious forms and the rich variety of designs. In addition to pictorial and design motifs, some designs are based on historical events, and these are expressed using the fullest range of techniques such as inlay, color painting, sukidashi carving, nikuai carving, takabori, kebori and katakiri carving. His representative works include the Important Cultural Property "Hamamatsu Plover Tsuba" (private collection), the Important Fine Art Property "Dragon Tsuba" (private collection), and the Important Cultural Property "Hokan Zenshi Tsuba" (Kurokawa Institute of Ancient Culture Collection). In 1730 (Kyoho 15) at the age of 61, he shaved his head and took the name Tou. He was buried at Hayashi Soin in Asakusa Seiganji Temple (now relocated to Nerima Ward).

(Kashima Masaru)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：延享1.9.27(1744.11.1)
生年：寛文10(1670)
江戸中期の装剣金工家。庄内藩士土屋忠左衛門の子。出羽国鶴岡(山形県)生まれ。通称は弥五八。はじめ同郷の正阿弥(佐藤)珍久の門下となり,のちにその娘を妻に迎えた。元禄16(1703)年34歳のときに江戸に出て神田新革屋町に居を構え,珍久の師奈良辰政(奈良派の利寿と同門)に師事した。宝永4(1707)年ごろ信濃国(長野県)諏訪に滞在し,また正徳年間(1711～16)には奥州守山藩(福島県)藩主松平大学頭頼貞に仕え,一時江戸大塚の藩邸に住し,頼貞好みの大学形と呼ばれる刀装具を制作した。奈良利寿,杉浦乗意と共に奈良三作として珍重されたひとりで,そのなかでは最も多く作品を残している。制作は鐔,縁頭,目貫,小柄など多岐にわたり,吟味された素材が工夫された形態と豊富な図柄によく調和している。図柄には絵画的なものと図案的なもののほかに故事を題材としたものもあり,これを象嵌,色絵,鋤出彫り,肉合彫り,高彫り,毛彫り,片切彫りなど技法の限りをつくして表している。代表作に重要文化財「浜松千鳥図鐔」(個人蔵),重要美術品「竜図鐔」(個人蔵),重要文化財「豊干禅師図鐔」(黒川古文化研究所蔵)などがある。享保15(1730)年61歳のときに剃髪し,以後東雨と号した。浅草誓願寺内の林宗院(現在は練馬区に移転)に葬られた。

(加島勝)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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