Bugyotsuji

Agreed, and the material looks traditionally Chinese.

I have one tsuba that came wrapped in twine, using the nakago ana and ryo hitsu ana; it did seem as if it had once been used as a netsuke. In a general lot at an antiques fair it looked a mess, but when I cut away the string it turned back into a nice tsuba. I think it is quite possible that spare tsuba were carried, and even put to use as netsuke. In that sense, they would not really need a loop or jump ring attachment, but it's hard to think of what else yours could have been used for.

Yes, and from the flying carp streamers and 'shobu' flowers on the reverse, probably also to commemorate his first Boy's Day. (To be handed out over two days, later in the month of May?)

It’s the latter, not for Togo Heihachiro, an interesting medallion!

What a wonderful coincidence Tom! I will pass your information along, if I may?

And the long 〆or メ at the top may be to mark where the lid closes tightest.

Hard to tell, but the colour alone might suggest a young peach rather than a persimmon…(?)

Yes, there is a series of reasons (security, preservation etc.) why the curators limit it to short displays during special exhibitions, etc. AI just gave me a whole ream of them! *Someone mentioned to me six weeks a year, but I am not sure if that includes the periods when it is out on loan.

With the falling population, and villages and shrines suffering, many formerly dedicated swords are rusting away for lack of attention. So far the local chapter has negotiated with many shrine authorities and been able to restore nine swords to their former glory, most of them now housed in Okayama Prefectural Museum. Some of these have even achieved official cultural designations. Each time though,we have had to come up with novel ways to fund these restorations, and it is not a cheap venture. Two swords were housed in the Imamura Hachiman Gu, but the previous priests were unwilling to get involved in any project. The new priest however has been more cooperative, and in our third grand project, two swords are now set for polishing, preservation and display. Osafune Sword Museum has agreed to house them and care for them. There will be an official opening ceremony for the project at the shrine on the 4th of April, 2026. The swords will be funded by various means, lectures, etc., and the target is JPY 3 million. The first is a long Odachi by a relatively unknown smith named Inoue Kyubei Masatoshi, dated 1665. 2 m 63 cm overall, the blade length is 1 m 77.3 cm, and it weighs 4.5 kg. The Inoue Kyubei line of smiths lived under the walls of Okayama Castle, Masashige, Masatoshi, Masakiyo, but very few of their works survive, making this a rare artefact. The total estimate for restoration, including a magnolia wood box for example, is 2.5 million. The second is a 1574 katana by Genbei no Jo Sukesada, with a blade length of 68.2 cm, dedicated by a retainer of the Ikeda Daimyo family to the shrine in 1738. This will add a further 500,000 to the bill making a total of 3 million yen. With this latest project they are not planning to ask for donations from overseas. Both blades will be on and off display over the coming year, and from the April 2027 shrine presentation ceremony onwards, they will be housed at Osafune Sword Museum.

安田全宏　やすだまさひろ　(京焼) - 陶印ずかん Yasuda Masahiro, Kyo-yaki (Kyoto ceramics)?

Notice the Touken Ranbu figure has a horizontal 'one' on his lapel badge and belt buckle.

Ah, thanks for this, Brett. I missed this, your original post. Was there at Osafune Sword Museum yesterday but busy with other things so did not go inside to see the Sanchomo this time around. Maybe later this week.

Our local NBTHK meeting was held in the meeting hall there yesterday. I arrived to find the newly-expanded parking lots overflowing, and snaking lines of expectant visitors at the entrance. I think Touken Ranbu will do a second exhibition from 4/25 to May 6. Avoiding the crowds I headed to our meeting half an hour early intending to help with the set-up, but imagine my surprise to see that our lot had decided to do instead a related morning event with a quickly-assembled show of koshirae from Mr Koike and Mr Katayama's personal collections, so visitors got to see these too as they wandered around the sword museum's facilities. I was thinking of starting another thread on that and related events, but here I am hijacking your thread, Brett.

That certainly looks tempting, Brett! Thanks for the heads-up. (The Sanchomo/Yamatorige has been on display at the Osafune Sword Museum since last Friday, March 20th, and is drawing unusually large crowds.)