Bugyotsuji

Azalea and pheasants? The second one seems to read Quail in Chrysanthemums. Kiku Uzura Some kind of red-throated birds in Wisteria flowers.(?) Just off the top of my head in order to get the ball rolling!

Kmad, looks like one sticker over another…(?) Old Japanese price tag???

氏春　Ujiharu

Yes, probably this is the habaki on the Kanemitsu.

The remains of three price stickers I see! The dark dyed signature seal looks as if it was added later, following along some of the ivory cracks. For this reason my gut feeling is that any reading will not help us at all. Ready to be proved wrong of course! Good luck with your project. It’ll be interesting to see what others say.

Another signed Sadamune!!!???!!!

Only coz your bird’s feet reminded me of it, but here is a Kaga-zōgan kozuka with 5 egrets. Cousins? Congratulations on your tsuba!

D E F

Yesterday's meeting and update indicated that 78 people have contributed JPY2,430,000 so far, just shy of the 2.5 million yen they are initially aiming for by the end of this month. A plan for the polishing of the Odachi was also handed out, to take place over the first three cold months of 2027 when rust will not be too much a problem. I had a chance to see their Muromachi period blades display, including upstairs a 1499 Katsumitsu/Sadamitsu joint-work naginata that Jussi might recognize. Photos: A B C

That’s the stuff, yes. Functions like sandpaper. Also widely used for polishing lacquer. 砥草 Tokusa, often pronounced Togusa.

Hmmm… good spot. It could be used as part of the process for making a Tanegashima, granted, but it’s not strictly related to Tanegashima. Apologies. Hint, why is the Japanese name Tokusa?

Not quite in the slot just yet.

Apparently yes, it is a type of horsetail grass. (Had to check the English before I could answer that!)

No, not the answer to this quiz, (they’re light and hollow so would not be much use as whips) …but it is the answer to the next quiz I was lining up.

May have had this question before, but apart from their decorative appeal what were/are these plants used for? (The wife brought these home last night.) If you know, then let’s hear it! Cheating OK. Closer…