The figure at the bottom of the kozuka is a temple guardian ("ni-ô"). These two fierce deities guard the main south gate at Buddhist temples. The one depicted here appears to the visitors left as they enter. On the reverse are the artist's signature and a seal.
<bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q37449244" class="extiw" title="d:Q37449244"><span title="Japanese swordsmith (1771-1852)">Hamano Noriyuki II</span></a>
</bdi>
1819 (late Edo)
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