A Komai gilt and silver-inlaid iron 'warrior' vase, signed Kyoto Ju Komai sei (made by Komai, a resident of Kyoto), Japan, Meiji period, late 19th century

This finely worked gilt and silver-inlaid iron Komai vase exemplifies the technical and narrative sophistication achieved by the Komai Kyoto workshop during the late Meiji period. The elongated ovoid body is adorned with two richly detailed panels depicting episodes from the final campaign of the loyalist samurai Kusunoki Masashige (1294-1336), one of the most revered figures in Japanese medieval history.

The vase bears extensive inscriptions, all of which recount key moments from the 1336 Battle of Minatogawa. They describe Masashige’s strategic counsel to Emperor Go-Daigo — a plan to withdraw to Mount Hiei that was ultimately rejected — and the subsequent positioning of the imperial troops along the riverbanks. The texts further narrate the Kusunoki clan’s solemn reaffirmation of loyalty, their doomed confrontation with the vastly superior Ashikaga forces, and Masashige’s death alongside his brother Masasue, an event that cemented his posthumous status as the embodiment of samurai virtue and self-sacrifice.

These narrative inscriptions, combined with Komai’s characteristic use of dense geometric grounds, nunome-zogan, transform the vessel into a commemorative object celebrating ideals of loyalty and martial honour that resonated deeply in the Meiji era. The present vase stands as a testament not only to the Komai workshop’s mastery of metal inlay but also to the Meiji period’s interest in heroic historical subjects and imperial loyalist themes.