Bugyotsuji

Jean, did you ever get a reading for that Mei? Recently I came across a Kankyuto, bashin/umabari, and realized that it’s been some time since I saw any. There must be a few out there, but… are they just not appearing in the marketplace ?

And they’ve just received a donation from abroad! So they’re now looking into the possibility of facilitating such international donations from now on, although that was not part of the original plan.

Sorry to hear that he has passed away. I have his signed book on pole weapons. Is his wife still going strong?

Meiji 2, father, 1st gen. Sukekane, on the cusp before the son took over the name. All very close, but Alex clinches it!

Wow, that's close! Very close.

Here’s another quiz question. Two sides and two different reflective backgrounds. What does this blade appear to be? Tanto, NBTHK Hozon. A B

On Saturday Mr Koike told me they have already seen over 1.5 million JPY in donations towards the project. (One person alone apparently gave ¥1,000,000.)

https://www.town.okuizumo.shimane.jp/kosodate-kyoiku/kyoiku/bunkazai/1001000000611.html See No.62 圓正堂　圓正寺 At the end of the inscription we can see the word: 木刀 bokutō (not chatō)

Those are both sweet, John! (Was the little kozuka still inside the first copper example?)

Check out 武蔵太郎安国 Musashi Taro Yasukuni (Mito) who also signed 左正安国

I’ve been wondering about crickets, but it could simply be tinnitus.

Strangely the most useful tool in my workshop is possibly a toothpick, the very same one that I have already used for tweaking so many little jobs! Two Sundays ago one of our matchlock troop showed me some photos of a zunari kabuto that he is restoring. He has rubbed it all down to a base in preparation for a lacquer coating. One of the wakidaté side tsunomoto was missing so he has created a new one for it, and that too will be covered in lacquer. I expressed amazement at his courage and ability in attempting such a challenging job! Thinking about that later, and conscious of this thread, I then decided to take a box of restored powder flasks to our latest meet on Sunday April the 12th. They all crowded round as I set them the challenge of finding which parts were original and which bits were restorations. In the beginning no one found anything, and even real old parts were questioned, but gradually as they got their eyes in (with a little help from me!) they started spotting things. Some cheeky questions bubbled up like “If we get the right answer, can we keep them?”

On another level, but in the Meiji period there was a man called Yasunosuke from the Kyoto Ryubundo foundry of Tetsubin iron kettles who specialized in bronze articulated insects. Quite heavy in the hand. These will not break the bank but if anyone ever finds one, go for it! They are collectors’ pieces nowadays. 安の介

Certainly the lower hole has removed the right foot of 門

What he said above. I’ve had some really fine work done with laser welding.

A dragon is a snake with an über fancy head, legs and tail!

The monetary value? In the US? Are you wanting to guess what was paid for it at 'an antique shop' in Japan? I am guessing somewhere around $50 +/-. The real value surely lies in the symbolic gift, a link between you and your teacher, of an object that was made at a historical point in time as part of the long historical culture of Nihonto.

James, is it squarish, a perfect square, rectangular or what?

Rather than kantei papers, the pamphlet is simply an export permit for your Tadashige from the Japanese Bureau of Cultural affairs, dated Heisei 18, certifying that it will break no cultural artifact laws by its export.

John, thanks for the heads-up. I remember Daruma from when we lived in Kansai, an erudite magazine which aims high. Sadly no, I do not have that issue, but it does look interesting! I have just one single book on andon/shokudai, in Japanese with 100 b/w photographs, my old fall-back. It's amazing the variety of lighting equipment you can come across from way back when.

Finding myself agreeing with much of what has been written above.

Needed a vertical pin. Notice the ‘Western’ style key in the above padlock. The one below had just the right vertical pin length.

Not sure about the China angle John, but I think most of the old locks with a sprung prong key that we find were common throughout Asia. As to my made-up word ‘drum’, perhaps ‘cylindrical’ padlock might have been a better expression.(?) Such external locks and keys are of course another collecting field about which I know close to nothing. The funa-dansu safe was missing all four of the keys including the internal ones so I was happy when a locksmith agreed to make me a set. You have done a really neat job on your suzuribako, John, something to be proud of.

Bruno, the one on the right is upside down. Looks like a (haiku?) poem on the left.

Does the blade attract a magnet?