Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a square-shaped sword guard, or tsuba, made of dark metal. The tsuba has rounded corners and a design cut out of it. The cut-out design depicts a stylized boat or ship with a triangular hull and what appears to be a single mast. The top of the design features five short lines protruding upwards from the top of the mast. The background of the image is light gray. The tsuba appears to have some rust or discoloration on its surface. The image presents a straightforward view of the tsuba by the artist.