Bugyotsuji

Nice unusual tsuba.

Nice, but labour intensive! An awful lot of work to display one set, Mark, I agree. (I’ve just been making some ‘simple’ stands for maedate.) The acrylic one looks like a good first step, …

Although I have spent much more time in Western Japan where they still carry the bitter legacy of Sekigahara, recently I began to warm to the Tokugawa, particularly after watching NHK’s Taiga Drama, “Dō Suru, Ieyasu?” Somehow it feels strange to hear the line is ending. I had heard there was a very strong family support group or society in Mito. There must have been some strong impulse behind this. I have also heard of other clans’ residual members still in existence here and there, e.g. Date, Tanegashima, Hosokawa immediately spring to mind.

Many Japanese will choose to read some names ‘wrongly’ however, in order to immediately bring up a certain unusual character in another person’s mind. Thus, if you say ‘ Shige-‘ something, the other person may immediately ask ‘Which Shige-?’ You might answer ‘Shizuka no Shige’. To shorten the Q&A back and forth it often helps in conversation.

The reading Shigetomo is used by the 日本刀銘鑑; they do not offer 'Shizu' there for these Takada/Iga smiths.

Hi Colin, have you committed to buying this wakizashi, whether it is legit or gimei (falsified signature)?

Nope, can't be certain, but it's a good idea Colin! They are said to enjoy cucumbers, but what is he eating?

He was a genius. Many gimei around!

Sadly behind a paywall…

At the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park. 4/14-6/7 https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/kagamaedake2026/

Those barrels are both the same, originally matchlock but subsequently converted to percussion cap firing system. The flintlock is a Western-style pistol. Some of these were made in Japan though, of varying quality, and do occasionally crop up. Very much the exception.

Basara? Who are they? Unable to find any teppo, so cannot comment.

Good spot, Steve! 　And the Eto zodiac years match too. (The writing styles are very different though, even only one year apart.)

The kusazuri are detachable, which was an Edo period evolutionary feature.

文政元年、文正二年 Bunsei 1 and Bunshō 2, but the second date mistakenly(???) uses a different character…