Iron tsuba decorated with shishimai dance under New Year pine tree. There is actually a lot to learn about Schools and types of lion dancing. For the purpose of this tsuba it is important to now that It can be danced during new year celebration and this is what is depicted here. There is also another type of this dance, Kagura or Dai-Kagura that is danced in Shinto shrines during rituals.
If you are interested in the subject you can visit those two pages with details about each type:
https://www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/culture/Shishimai%20(Japanese%20Lion%20Dance).html
https://www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/culture/Kagura.html
Tsuba made of iron with copper and silver inlay. There is also gold and silver iroe.
Made in late edo period.
Size: 76 mm x 73 mm x 3 mm