Edo period
Donated by Watanabe Riemon.
Variously known as a “utility knife” or “companion knife,” a kozuka is part of a sword mounting, typically kept in the scabbard of a katana. A matching hairdressing tool, a kōgai — literally, “sword-needle” —is often found alongside.
This kozuka depicts a charming seaside scene of a thatched house by a pine forest and two boats anchored near the beach.