The Nobuo Fujita Samurai sword and the NTHK 2010 S.F. Shinsa

[Icepic]

Hello Folks, I drove to the San Francisco sword show from the Seattle area with the express purpose of viewing the Nobuo Fujita samurai sword on display at the Chetco community library in Brookings Oregon. I am glad I made the stop.

 

For those not familiar with this sword please allow me to explain: On sept. 9 and again on sept. 29, 1942 a Japanese pilot

(Nobuo Fujita) dropped a total of four incendiary bombs in the Siskiyou National Forest just 16 miles east of The town of Brookings, Oregon. The purpose of the bombing was to start a massive forest fire in retaliation for the Jimmy Doolittle raid on Tokyo. The Japanese bombing by Nobuo Fujita was the only bombing of mainland America by enemy aircraft during wwII.

The bombing was not a sucess becouse the forest was to wet, but Officer Fujita was treated as a hero back in Japan.

 

How fast forward twenty years. In 1962 Mr. Fujita presented to the town of Brookings his family's 400 year old Samurai sword. The same one that he carried with him on those bombing raids. I always imagined the sword to be a wakizashi, but no- it was a large katana. Very impressive, there for all to view.

 

In 1997 Mr Fujita was proclaimed a honorary citizen of the city of Brookings. Later that same year Mr. Fujita passed away at the age of 86. In 1998 some of mr. Fujita's ashes was placed at the bomb site. Sorry, out of room, rest of story latter.

[outlier48]

All - More info can be found at: http://www.kilroywashere.org/006-Pages/ ... regon.html

 

Mark - Did you happen to take any photos you can share with the rest of us?

 

Charlie Brashear

[Icepic]

Thanks Mr Brashear for that link, That is a good summary of what happened.

After viewing the Fujita sword I went down to the sword show and I submitted a mid-edo koshirae as a suite and it recieved 72 points. That made me happy. I can hardly wait untill I recieve the origami, It will make a nice addition to my collection.

The sword show was great.; It was my first show so I stayed all three days. This one guy had about three really nice long Tachi. Those Samurai must have been real strong to swing a blade that long from horse-back and slice thru people like they were butter. I think that the sword prices there were very reasonable. For the tune of five to eight thousand USD I guy could be the proud owner of a very nice blade.

 

I will try to attach a picture of the Fujita sword and the Koshirae I submitted.

[Kurogasa55]

Very interesting.