Language: Japanese

Description

Tachi-mokkō-gata (太刀木瓜形) literally means "Tachi cross shape". This style of tsuba was since ancient times mounted on tachi (太刀), large swords that were worn edge downwards, slung from a belt, mainly by cavalry. It is also known as aoi-gata (葵形) or "hollyhock shape".¹

Three tsuba in tachi-mokkō-gata.

A tachi sword. Metropolitan Museum, New York. Accession number 07.109.5.
Blade 13th century, by Naganori. Mountings 18th to early 19th century.
Gift of the family of Dr. Francis E. Doughty, 1907

Notes
1. Markus Sesko; Koshirae, Japanese Sword Mountings, Lulu, Inc. 2014. Page 78.