Set of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal Festivals

Set of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal Festivals

Gotō Kenjō

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

45.24.16 features a design of a young man playing hagoita (racket and shuttlecock) on the New Year's Festival (Jinjitsu, January 7). 45.24.17 features a design of dolls, symbolic of the Girls' Festival (Jōmi, March 3). 45.24.18 features a design of miniature armor and a sword for the Boys' Festival (Tango, May 5). 45.24.19 features a design of a curtain screen, a writing brush, an ink stone, a water container, and a harp for the Star Festival (Tanabata, July 7). 45.24.20 features a design of flowers for the Chrysanthemum Festival (Chouyou, September 9).

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Set of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal FestivalsSet of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal FestivalsSet of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal FestivalsSet of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal FestivalsSet of Knife Handles (Kozuka) with Emblems of the Five Seasonal Festivals

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.