general_piffle

Arrived to this thread too late. My bank balance can breathe a sigh of relief.

Thanks guys, my main concern was that it 'might' be something to worry about and maybe send the sword for a polish to rectify but am happy to hear it's quite common, especially in swords with masame hada. I've learnt a bit more and my Yasukuni katana is all good. That's a double result.

Cool. Thanks Ken. In this case perhaps I can consider it 'character' or the embodiment of wabi-sabi (侘寂)

Thanks guys, and this is nothing to be concerned about in terms of the sword's integrity?

My incorrect guess was Hojoji. But I enjoyed the process. So please feel free to post more fun threads like this. We all learn in different ways. A shoe can be used to push home a nail just as well as a hammer.

Learned friends, I was cleaning a katana today and noticed this slight mark. It's really very superficial but I wondered what it is and if it has a name? The sword is papered and approved by the NBTHK so I have no worries as to its quality. I'm simply curious and wish to learn as much as I can. Thank you.

John, the only reference I have is once when cleaning/oiling my koto katana in old polish I was horrified to discover three black spots had appeared on the edge of the boshi. Not rust but if left I think it would surely have turned to rust. I spent about two hours gently polishing with uchiko, choji, and nuguigami. Eventually the spots were completely removed and the place where I'd been cleaning didn't look 'odd' or unnatural in comparison to the rest of sword. Hope this helps!

I understand you saying Mike is 'over qualified' because his work is excellent. However his fees are really very reasonable. If you're investing in a sword to get a sayashi or koshirae made why not invest in the best? It will last longer, be of better quality, and hold its value. Another vote for Mike Hickman Smith here and a picture of the koshirae he created for me. He's a gent and super reliable.

Beautiful piece Ray! If I was in the market I'd be very tempted.

Totally agree. The Ichimonji is a great katana.

Barry, do you have any pictures of the sword? Would love to see it if so. Thanks.

Thank you gentlemen. Very kind of you indeed!

Thank you Ruben. It would be great to see some pictures of your tsuba by Masayuki if you have any? Are you saying the last picture I posted of the larger katana tsuba is signed/made by Masayuki? Thanks.

Thank you MauroP! That's very helpful to see such similar examples.

This is 'daisho to me' so the various fittings, tsuba, etc. were not originally created as pairs. However, in terms of theme, style, look and feel the fittings are certainly matched. The katana is currently in Japan undergoing a polish then shinsa with Mr Kenji Mishina. It's said to be koto (likely bizen) both by Mr Mishina and others. The wakizashi is NBTHK papered and a Musashi Taro Yasukuni blade from 1716. The fittings and theme are 'speed of flight', 'light of life', and 'darkness of night'. This from the menuki, fuchi kashira and tsubas. Speed of flight - through the various birds on display including a crow sitting on an adze, a night jar at dusk on the wing, an owl watching on, crows feasting on persimmon fruit, finches whirling around plum trees. Light of life in the flowers and fruit, the flowers more so on the tsubas but also a little on the fuchi kashira. And darkness of night shown by the inky black prevalence of crows, the dusk feasting night jar, the watchful owl, the sliver of moon. I hope you enjoy the back story, it's been about 5 years in the making with great thanks to local (and not so local) craftsmen such as Mike Hickman-Smith, Balbir Jhheent, Kenji Mishina and Ford Hallam. Indeed a great adventure and discovery of learning.

Thanks for your replies Greg and Florian. Ford also mentioned the Edo period and Ito School. I've Googled 'ito school tsuba' and similar search terms but not been able to find a great deal. If anything styles and subjects of what I have found in my searches are vastly different to the pair I have, which are quite distinct in their similar design. Imagine how pleased I was to find the smaller tsuba after years of looking! And yes they're definitely not daisho as in made together but they serve perfectly as part of a daisho for me (have attached a few pictures). Florian, I prefer to believe your story of the poor samurai! Far more interesting than simple embellishment.

I hasten to add 'daisho to me' they were not originally made together or by the same craftsman but to my untrained eye appear to be of the same style or from the same school. But which I do not know. I spent several years looking for the smaller wakizashi tsuba having already secured the katana tsuba. But I found it eventually and they seem to make a healthy pair for my daisho. Ford Hallam has recently restored the patina on them, which was looking very patchy so they're both now in much better shape. They're also both signed as you might be able to tell if you zoom into the pictures. I'd just love to discover more about them if any of our resident experts have any insights? Thanks in advance.

I most certainly will! Thank you.

Three years ago I purchased my first ever nihonto. A katana from Ian Chapman. A slender mumei koto blade in shirasaya with lots of utsuri, as Ian told me. Well, curiosity got the better of me. I thought to myself, not once but many times, what more could I discover if I sent this sword for shinsa? So, it has now made its way back to Japan. Probably for the first time in a very long time. To be polished and sent for shinsa by Kenji Mishina. After just over a month in Japanese customs the sword is now in Mr Mishina's hands. He also said koto and in his view from the Bizen province. I feel there is a lot more to find out. I'll be fascinated to hear what the shinsa panel has to say.

Hi Joe, many thanks! I'm fascinated by the work and recorded personality of Omura Kaboku, also of his key students/apprentices of which Musashi Taro Yasukuni was arguably one of, if not, his finest. The following is taken from the nihonto.ca site to give you some more insights: Musashi Taro Yasukuni was born in 1650 in Hachioji. His initial smith name was Yamamoto Tota Hiroshige, nidai from his father, Kinzaemon Hiroshige. He later changed his name to Musashi Taro Yasukuni. At the age of 35, he began study of forging under Omura Kaboku, who was a notably unique and according to anecdotes, very eccentric character. Omura Kaboku was highly educated, a scholar, and a surgeon by trade who allegedly learned western medical techniques and took up forging in order to augment a supply of better cutting instruments than he could not otherwise procure. Kaboku served Matsudaira Mitsunaga, Lord of Echigo as his surgeon, and made swords while in the Matsudaira domain of Echigo. His inscriptions often include “I SAKU” ( 慰作) or, “made as a diversion” essentially meaning sword forging was a hobby for him and not a professional position. Kaboku also inscribed his works with “Shin Ju Go Mai Kobuse Saku” (made with true 15 plate construction) on his works displaying a pride of craftsmanship. Yasukuni clearly received an education in this techinique and continued the practice, as many of his works, such as this one, also carry this uramei inscription. Yasukuni is a well regarded smith and left a fair number of works. He is rated as Josaku by Fujishiro in the Shinto Hen which is the highest rating among his peers and higher than even that of the founder. He is also rated at 3.5 million yen in the Toko Jiten. Shitahara works have generally been weighted to utilitarian works by many reference sources over the years, however the school has garnered more attention and appreciation in recent years. Yasukuni works logically have higher artistic qualities overall to merit a rating of Josaku in the eyes of Fujishiro as this is a respectable rating among Shinto works overall. I suppose my fascination with the Shitahara school and characters such as Kaboku and Yasukuni grew the more I found out about them. It was like discovering parts of their stories and from there getting an insight into the kind of people they could have been over 300 years ago. Japanese history around this time from late 1600s to mid 1700s is fascinating, so much change, uncertainty and opportunity. Some more info about Yasukuni: In 1719 (the fourth year of Kyohou), YASUKUNI climbed up to an honorable position to be invited by Shogun Tokugawa YOSHIMUNE to have a look at making a sword at Mihama Goten palace. In his later years, he named Yamamoto Bokuyu. Passed away 1730 (the fifteenth day, the eighth month, the fifteenth year of Kyouou), lived out his allotted span, was 81 years old. The hero Tsukue Ryunosuke of movie/novel [The Sword of Doom], owned a sword of YASUKUNI. I hope this goes someway towards answering your question. Thank you for asking.

Once again, thanks to a lead from Matt a stocky, healthy, papered Yasukuni katana in koshirae (dark fittings, could almost be The Sword of Doom itself!) has been secured: http://www.e-sword.jp/katana/1710-1120.htm

Thanks very much both.

Good evening, as stated I know from papers that this is a Yasukuni katana. However, as I also know he signed in different ways at different times what does this mei actually say? Any insights gratefully received. Many thanks. Joel

Certainly Geraint. Here is a link to the sword/koshirae in question: http://www.e-sword.jp/katana/1710-1120.htm

Thank you Stephen (also Rich, and Chris), most helpful!