Sanyo center feature

[Tink]

Anyone know what this center feature represents?

Was thinking Humpty Dumpty, but with the little samuri behind I am not so sure. Maybe a frog not an egg? 20190702_204511-1.jpg20190702_204431-1.jpg20190702_204836-1.jpg

[Spyder138]

Hmmm. The two "swastika" symbols represent Buddhist temples on Japanese maps. I think you have two frogs facing each other and they appear to be a single frog when the feature is closed, with the bottom part of the feature making it appear to be a single frog. Directly below the temple symbols may be a representation of Mt. Fuji or possibly the roads between two temples meeting in the middle. There is a folktale about two frogs meeting on the road between Osaka and Kyoto, but not sure what the snake or the samurai symbolize. Hopefully someone will know exactly what it is. Pretty cool feature. I have never seen that one before.

[Tink]

Thanks Spyder138, neat story. Got me searching more and maybe this is what it is?

Jiraiya. from wiki

In the legend, Jiraiya is a ninja who uses shapeshifting magic to morph into a gigantic toad. As the heir of the mighty Ogata clan in Kyūshū, Jiraiya fell in love with Tsunade (綱手), a beautiful young maiden who has mastered slug magic. His arch-enemy was his one-time follower Yashagorō (夜叉五郎), later known as Orochimaru (大蛇丸), a master of serpent magic (the kanji 大蛇 literally means "giant snake" or "serpent"). It was first recorded in 1806.

[machgo]

I want one...

[Tink]

Ready for the collection.20190719_211213-1.jpg

[MrGneiss]

Nice and shiny!!

[takethecastle57]