Bugyotsuji

Just a teaser… 47 Ronin swords.

OK, Lewis said to forget the 47 Ronin swords. So could I have the ¥500 entrance fee back, and the cost of today’s gasoline, say ¥2,000 please! BTW I need to eat some humble crow pie. The sword displays were far from perfect, but better than before. I spent an hour or so photographing them, and chopping out as many of the reflections as possible. But back to Musashi. There is a village not far from here where he was allegedly born, with a dedicated museum. I’ll need the travel costs and entrance fee in advance this time, though!

Oh yes, I forgot to mention. The one I saw there did not look like a masterpiece to my eyes. This was another disincentive.

No. Several times I have thought to try but their positioning is really unhelpful. Behind glass, they are placed in the dark entranceway, reflecting the outside light through the wide open doors. The light contrast is strong, with shadows thrown by your own body. If you want to see one lonely wakizashi(?) blade in a glass case, I will try again on Wednesday, …if I remember. Meantime the photos above I chose because I thought they would be more interesting. ??)

Maple leaves as in Stephen’s photo above suggest the fall (autumn) season. They are often used in different settings and combinations. These can bear a strong resemblance to 麻 asa, (hemp) but there was never any strong message associated with hemp other than as a minor decorative motif.

栄水画 Eisui ga(?) … Ichirakutei Eisui perhaps

The Mei is casually rendered on the registration certificate, but it looks like Yoshimitsu 吉光, with the other form of Yoshi, i.e 𠮷. (Unfortunately I cannot see the Mei itself on the nakago clearly.)

Agreed. As I suggested earlier above, a Shikami. *Be careful not to say 'Shigami' or 'Shishikami/Shishigami', despite how the kanji look; they have totally different meanings. Don't ask, I've been there... (But it does have elements of shishi too.)

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2126614537572848&id=100054495068210&locale=ja_JP&http_ref=eyJ0cyI6MTc1OTkyODczMDAwMCwiciI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbVwvIn0%3D Morimoto Naoyuki is the potter’s name. (I don’t do f/b though…)

By the way, I have a Netsuke also reminiscent…

Hokke, I will ask them, for more detail on this story. Interestingly a young and enterprising Bizen-Yaki potter near here has made a series of sword tōsōgu in fired clay, including a full-size reproduction Sanchōmō with patterns representing hamon! He told me that it took countless experiments to create one without any cracks developing during the process. (Not as expensive as using Tamahagane though!)

Seven-year jump, but agreed!

One of the local Osafuné smiths was asked to replicate the Sanchōmō a few years back. It was when Setouchi City were purchasing it for the Osafuné Sword Museum. A little birdie told me he had to create several blades at great personal expense and time, discarding all of them, before finding a possible candidate to work with. (Not strictly on topic, but somehow related)

Menuki pairs did not need to be exactly the same and many had deliberately differences. A foo dog is a Chinese-English expression, but these do seem to be a kind of Shishi-Shikami cross. (Some similarities with this tsuba?)

If it’s a special order sword for one’s overlord, the smith will strive for perfection. If it’s almost perfect but not acceptable for some reason, maybe he might have considered dedicating it to a shrine.

mmm... nice! Bamen Tsunemasa + Kao

Bradley. Sweet little object with a rather comical facial expression. I suspect it is not so old, a work of ‘mingei’民芸 or even something later. From those two shots alone the stain generally hides the nature of the material. It could be rather crudely carved ivory, but I can’t be sure.

A very modern interpretation, I suspect.

Not sure where this comes from Jean, but it says 残雪酷似 'looks very much like lingering, (unmelted, accumulated, remaining) snow'.

No sheep in Japan traditionally; mutton was eaten by the Mongols etc., but uncastrated it was considered too pungent for Japanese tastes. Raxa was an expensive imported woollen felt cloth but open to attack by insects and the elements. Most people would not have known what a sheep was, let alone a ram.

Hold on a mo. Most people know but they probably haven’t yet seen this thread. I’ll have to go and look it up. It’s me old memory failing me. Don’t have things at the fingertips any more. (Some time later) Got it! Les Stewart.

No secret, Jean, but I do not have his full contact details in Scotland.

"Of Kunishige it is deduced that there were more than one artist..." it says in Uwe's appraisal above.

Yes, but they may be busy.

Nice Satsuma style tsuba