Eversince the Netsuke Handbook by Reikichi Ueda was published in 1943，the artist's name in
kanji豊客（Figure1）has been translated in Roman letters as Toyoyasu. Being a bible to netsuke
collectors and a precious guidebook, The Netsuke Handbook has influenced all netsuke
collectors and scholars to follow this reading. However, the kanji in the book is a mistake.
Some records and the actual signatures on the netsuke have justified the real kanji to be
豊容, and in recent years this modified version has often been used. Although the matter of
which is the appropriate kanji has been solved, there still is a problem about its reading.
　

 How do we read the kanji 豊容?
We find the artists name in kanji ;豊容 translated as Toyoyasu in every netsuke book, and I
hate to admit that even I myself had never questioned the validity of the reading Toyoyasu.
It was the members of the Naito family, the direct descendants of the two artists, Toyomasa
and Toyoyasu, who gladly put an end to my misunderstanding.


 Uncle Toyoyo
In March 1998, I visited the Naito family in Sasayama (Hyogo prefecture) for the first time.
They run a shop there selling Buddhist altar and Buddhist-related objects. My main purpose
in visiting the family was to ask about Hidari Toyomasa the Second, as well as Toyomasa
the First. During the course of the conversation with the current head of the family, Eizo, I
recited the name Toyoyasu several times. Then Eizo asked me, "Um? Who's that?" To this
unexpected response, I was genuinely surprised. "Well," I murmured, "about the Second!"
He answered, "Oh, about Hidari Toyomasa! Well, all of us call him Toyoyo."
Members of the Naito family were accustomed to calling Toyomasa the Second by the
name Toyoyo. Since I took it for granted that Toyoyasu was the artists name-and, I assume,
so had all the other netsuke enthusiasts-this new unknown name was out of the blue.
There are probably many Japanese ways (kun-yomi) of pronouncing the kanji 容, but to read
it as Toyoyo in on-yomi is not prominent in Japanese reading. In fact, Toyoyo sounds rather
humorous. It almost sounds like a nickname, something that has been especially devised by
the family to make it easier and more affectionate to talk about their ancestor.

1. The Netsuke Handbook of 　2.Toyoyo. Monkey and snake　　　3．toyoyo．Mushroom
Reikichi Ueda,p.226 (1934).

　
　"Is he called Toyoyasu out there?" Eizo asked. "Yes, he is called that all around the world,
" I replied quite determinedly. "Who started calling him that?" Eizo asked, as though calling
somebody's name in a completely different way without any sort of permission.　 I learned
about the netsuke artist Toyoyasu from Raymond Bushel’s books, but even his original
source of reference is ReikichiUedas The Netsuke Handbook. Prior to the publication of this
book, any records on netsuke artists are fragmentary, and Toyoyasu or even Toyomasa is
not within their scope of research. It has to be Reikichi Ueda who first mentioned the name
Toyoyasu. But he is not the only person to be blamed. I believe we are all responsible for
merely swallowing what has been mentioned in the book without testing it. However, the
question remains whether Naito Toyoyasu was called Naito Toyoyo even when he was alive.


 Mr. Arashi’s note
It was part of a note that became a promising reference to me about this question. I was
given the note the second time I visited the Naito family. Eizo presented the paper to me
while I was looking at some documents written by Toyomasa (Figure 4). According to Eizo,
the note was written about 20 to 30 years ago by Arashi Zuicho, a history researcher of
the region, in order to make Toyomasas beautifully produced handwriting more legible.
　In the corner of Mr. Arashi's note (Figure 5), I found the character 容, which was double
circled. Juxtaposed to it was a line of characters reading Osa, Kata, Hiro, Masa, Yasu, and
Yoshi. There was a circle marked around the character Masa. It seems that Mr. Arashi was
trying to figure out the most appropriate way of reading the kanji & in kun-yomi for a persons
name, and he decided that Masa was the most suitable one. Unfortunately, there is no
explanation why Mr. Arashi concluded -& is Masa, but if we follow Mr. Arashis supposition, the
kanji of the artists name 豊容 will be read as Toyomasa in one go.
　Mr. Arashi thought the artists name was Toyomasa, but the Naito family had been calling
him Toyoyo all the way, and in the world he is known as Toyoyasu. Although this is only an
assumption, I feel that (1) the name Toyoyasu is too contemporary and secularized;
　　　　　　　　

(2) Mr.Arasi's Toyomasa theory is rather paradoxical, but hits the point;and (3) I feel the name
Toyoyo is the wisdom of the people who lived with or close to the artist.　
 If the second theory 豊容(Toyomasa) has any validity, it means 豊容 is pronounced in the
same way as his father,Toyomasa the First 豊昌． The scholars of netsuke study have probably
avoided calling the son and his father with the same name to avoid confusion, but Mr. Arashi
consciously chose the same name. Is it because 容can be read as Masa? But this cannot be
the only reason for adopting the character Masa.
　Did Mr. Arashi then refer to any records that indicated the kanji–容 is read as Masa? If so,
why would he have written down so many letters in his note? He must have contemplated
all sorts of possibilities because he did not have any written evidence for the real way of
reading 豊容. It seems that it did not occur to Mr. Arashi that 豊容 could be also read as
Toyoyo. (But it seemed there was a reason to the family in calling the artist in that way.)
He must have thought it was necessary to distinguish one another, since the father and the
sons name are read in the same way.
　If the matter concerned is only about the writing, there is no problem, because 豊昌and 豊
容 are two different kanji. But, in life names are orally pronounced. If both of the artists are
called Toyomasa, it is not very convenient. That is why 豊容 was called Toyoyo when his
relatives talked about him.


 The name Toyoyasu is uncivil
Since Ueda Reikichis The Netsuke Handbook, 豊容 has been called Toyoyasu because "-yasu"
is the most common way of reading the character in contemporaryJapan. However, I think
there is one major reason why the kanji 豊容 could not be read as　Toyoyasu at the time.
Toyomasa worked for Lord AoyomaTadayasu of Sasayama clan, the man who had taken
Toyomasa under his arms when Toyomasa, originally a farmer breed, was a downtown print
shop master without any sort of title. Toyomasa was able to become a hired sculptor, thanks
to this benevolent lord. It would be uncivil to name his son with parts of his patron's name
"-yasu." I think this could be a major reason for the anti-Toyoyasu theory.
　The above theory cannot be the exact reasoning for 豊容=Toyomasa, because (1) the
name Toyoyasu is discourteous to Lord Tadayasu of the Sasayama clan, (2) the name
Toyomasa is confusing with the artists father, and (3) there is the definite fact that the
artist's family and descendants were calling him Toyoyo. On the other hand, there is no
evidence that 豊容 was called Toyoyasu.

 How the kanji 豊容 should be read from now on
If the artists name is written down in kanji as 豊容, there are no particular obstacles.
However, when this name is written in English, the translation Toyoyasu seems
inappropriate. If the reading Toyomasa will be proved as the correct one in the future, we
should begin to use this name. Until then, I think it is polite to use the name Toyoyo since
his family and descendants have called him in that way for more than a century.


 Profile of Toyoyo (Hidari Toyomasa)
First, please look at the chart at the end of this article, which compares the life events
for Toyomasa and Toyoyo. Toyomasa the First had only one child, and that was Toyoyo.　
Toyoyo's given name was Eizo. In Toyomasa’s memorandum of 1849, Toyomasa left the
writing "my son Eizo." (By the way, the fifth in line of the family is also called Eizo, whom I
will refer
to later again.) Later in his years, Toyoyo was given the art name 豊容, but by whom
or when is not determined. Toyoyo has another name, which is Hidari Toyomasa. The name
must mean something like Toyomasa the left-handed, but to be exact this is not his real
name. His fathers name, Toyomasa, became secularized or became something like a brand,
and the
　

 6. Horse. Inscribed "1841 Toyomasa 69 years
 old, Hidari-Toyomasa 31 years old." Sotheby's,
 1978 June 28, Lot 84. 6a.Inscription

word Hidari must have been added, to distinguish between the father and the sons name.
The first precious evidence to this theory is the horse netsuke (Figure 6) inscribed "1841,
Toyomasa 69 years old, Hidari-Toyomasa 31 years old." Incidentally, there is another
netsuke, a monkey and tiger from the Baur Collection, which is signed "1841, Toyomasa 69
years old, Hidari-Toyoyo 31 years old." To use two different signatures (Hidari Toyomasa
and Hidari Toyoyo) in the same year is something to be noted. There is quite a number of
netsuke bearing the signature of either Toyoyo or Hidari Toyomasa (more found of Hidari
Toyomasa). The approximate period in which these two different signatures were used and
in what criteria is a matter to be researched. However, the Hidari Toyoyo signature can be
found only in the father and son collaborate work in the Baur Collection mentioned in the
previous paragraph. The name Hidari Toyomasa was gradually established, as can be seen in
the netsuke kurinaka no saru(monkey in chestnut), which carries the signature″ Age 54,
1864, Hidari Toyomasa" (Figure 7). Even on his tombstone Toyoyo ordered the humble
inscription "Naito Hidari-Toyomasa and his wife" (Figure 8). He died in 1883. He requested
neither his given name, carvers

name, nor posthumous Buddhist name, but only Hidari Toyomasa. There must have been a
special consideration to do this. On the other hand, his father, Toyomasa had on his
tombstone his posthumous Buddhist name and his wife's solemnly inscribed next to one
another (Figure 9). Anyway, it seems that the signature Toyoyo 豊容 gradually disappeared
from Toyoyo's repertory.
　

  8. Toyoyo's tombstone, inscribed 9. Toyomasa's tombstone, inscribed
  "Naito Hidari-Toyomasa and his with his and his wife's posthumous

  wife." Buddhist names.
                      　

 The man with three art names
As has been mentioned, Toyoyo used three different artist's names throughout his life:
Toyoyo, Hidari Toyomasa, and the brand name Toyomasa. He was able to use the name
Toyomasa when his father died in 1856.
　The signature that becomes significant now is the Toyomasa signature that is "curved" in
its shape. There are several of these left and the details about them are unknown. Who was
the maker of this signature? Was it Toyomasa the First, or Toyoyo? Why was this signature
used? When was it used? At the moment, the weight of conjecture favors Toyoyo to be its
maker, but why and when need to be tested as well. Furthermore, if the artist had used
many types of signatures in the same period of time, the reason for each of the signatures'
use must be investigated.
　The main purpose of this essay is not only to compare netsuke and verify signatures. I will
also, from a bibliographical point of view, make a generous supposition about how Toyoyo
used those three names throughout his lifetime.


 Toyoyoslife is set as a drama
We do not know if Toyoyo used any signatures when he was still in training prior to
becoming a professional netsuke artist, but it is definite that he immediately began using the
signature Toyoyo when he was given it. Netsuke that are signed Toyoyo have many aspects
that need improvement, including the signatures, which are coarse and boldly carved. The
immaturity of the carving on these netsuke is enough evidence to say that netsuke bearing
the Toyoyo signature were produced when he was still relatively young.
　There are two precious netsuke left to us that were made in 1841, the collaboration work
of Toyomasa and Toyoyo. These works were aimed to congratulate Toyoyo's new step in
life, since the year before the works were produced he had begun his career as one of the
Sasayama clans hired carvers. Toyomasas intention of collaboration must have been to
promote his son. From this time onward, it seems that Toyoyo s signature gradually shifted

from Toyoyo to Hidari Toyomasa. The fact that there is another father and son
collaboration work produced in the same year, but on one of them the signature Hidari
Toyoyo and not Hidari Toyomasa, suggests that Toyoyo had not yet decided which
signature to use. In real life though, it seems that Toyoyo was called Toyoyo, as can be seen
in a record of 1845 where it says "left craftsmanship Toyoyo."
　As Toyoyo went along using the Hidari Toyomasa signature, I think he became Hidari
Toyomasa deep within his own mind and also in the eyes of the people surrounding him. I will
call these phenomena the establishment of the name Hidari Toyomasa. To have the
inscription Naito Hidari-Toyomasa engraved on his tombstone is, I think, its ultimate
expression. When Toyomasa died, Toyoyo succeeded his father s art name Toyomasa. But it
seems that he wanted to make a slight distinction between his works and his fathers. Maybe
it was a courtesy towards his father, or from his own confidence as a skilled carver, that
Toyoyo devised the curved signature. Toyoyo used this signature for 27 years. This
chronological shift in signature use is summarized in the chart illustrated at the end of this
article.


 Drama is not the reality
There are supportive evidences as well as opposing testimonies to the foregoing
assumptions. I think that the variety of signatures on extant Toyoyo netsuke have the
disposition to approve my theory, but more details are, of course, entrusted to future
research.
　Before ending this essay, I shall refer to one example of opposing evidence. That is the
signature on kurinaka no saru netsuke, which says "Tan-in, 54 years old, made by
Hidari Toyomasa." The year 1864 is 8 years after Toyoyo succeeded his fathers name. This
lag time seems rather long, but kurinaka no saru is the only netsuke that carries Hidari
Toyomasa's signature and his age defined, so this is the only one we can examine.
　Toyoyo may have sometimes used the "curved Toyomasa" signature and sometimes the
Hidari Toyomasa signature around the same period, but then we must find out the
motivation behind the distinction. For example, for official orders he may have used the "
curved Toyomasa" signature, and on private or closed works the Hidari Toyomasa signature.
He may have changed his signatures according to the netsukes motif, or he may have used
the "curved Toyomasa" signature on works he thought were well made, and on mediocre
ones Hidari Toyomasa. There are all sorts of possibilities, but at the moment there is no
definite proof to any of these hypotheses. A diligent process is necessary to compare the
characteristic of each netsuke and to make an overall assessment, and a discovery of a
new decisive reference is awaited.


 Finding out more about netsuke by Toyomasa the First
If the numbers of works seem too many for an artist to produce during his lifetime, one way
of finding out the artists real work is to remove the ones that are not made by him. It
seems more productive than solely examining about the artist. In Toyomasas case, the first
artist to oust from the Toyomasa netsuke lineup is Toyoyo.
　

　On account of studying about Toyoyo, the netsuke bearing the "curved Toyomasa"
signature are the ones that need to be particularly focused upon. Whether these were made
by Toyomasa or byToyoyo is going to be the key element to the research on Toyomasa.
The next problem is to determine who the maker of the extremely edged signature is. (It is
likely Toyoyos signature when he was young, but it is not known for sure.)
　From Toyomasa the First and the Second, to Toyomasa the Third, our research should
extend to all pupils of Toyomasa. Toyokazu will be first in line, and the last in the lineup will
be Toyomasa s grandson, Sakujiro (Figure 11). The other netsuke are no longer counted as
Toyomasas netsuke, because they are not made by the Tanba school. However, there is a
high possibility that even these non-Tanba works are included in the list. We have to
distinguish these and remove them one by one. In doing so, the most significant discussion is
by whom was the ivory Toyomasa made? It is easy to say a group of Toyomasa netsuke,
but where do we draw the line?
　The title of the next essay is "The End of theTanbaSchool." I would like to discuss the
works made by Toyomasa's pupils and what happened to them afterwards. I will also discuss
imitations made by non-Tanba school artists, and about the life of Toyomasa's grandson,
Sakujiro.


 Toyomasaand Toyoyo Comparison of Events

	Toyomasa			Toyoyo
	1773	Anei02	Naito Toyomasa is born
	1804	Bunka 01	32years old. He runs his own shop (printing shop?) withthe name Fujiya Sensuke.
	1809	Bunka 06	37 years old. Begin using art name " Toyomasa" Originally called Naito Sensuke (Naito family record)
				1811	Bunka 08		Toyoyois born
	1822	Bunsei05	Death of his eldest daughter(her post humous Buddhist name, Hozan- myokyo-sinnyo)
	1835	Tenpo06	63 years old. He became clan's hired caver.(no existing references)				25 years old.
	1839	Tenpo10	He is given Nanko's painting. 67 years old.(Naito family record)				29 years old.
				1840	Tenpo11		30 years old. He becomes the clan'shired caver(no existing references)
	1841	tenpo12	・produces Horse netuke(1978 Sotheby's)signed“Toyomasa69 years old andHidari-Toyomasa 31 years old” ・produces Monkey and Tiger netuke(BaurCollection)signed“Toyomasa69years old and Hidari"Toyomasa 31 years old, collaboration work”
	1842	Tenpo13	69 years old. He meets with artist, Gantai, inKyoto.
	1845	Koka02	・produces ornament“Snake and balls”signed“Koka2 January, Sasayama clanhired caver, Toyomasa 73 years old, and son left craftmanship, Toyoyo 35years old.”collaboration work(object not identified)
				1847	Koka04		37 years old. He built a branch shrineof theAwasimashrineinWakayamaprefecture
	1849	Kaei02	77 years old. He writes the memorandum (underwriting and submits it to the clan)
				1855	Ansei02		45 years old. Birth of his eldest sun,Ryomin
	1856	Ansei03	Toyomasadies at the age of 84
				?	?		? years old. Birth of his second son,Sakujiro
				1864	Bunkyu04 Genji01		Produces“Kurinakano saru”netuke(Berens1600)signed“Tarin, 54 yearsold,”Hidari-Toyomasa
				1868	Keio 04		58 years old. Death of his eldest son(14 years old)
				1883	Meiji 16		Toyoyodies at the age of 73
				1895	Meiji 28		death of his second son, Sakujiro(under 39 years old)