Bugyotsuji

Golden Week includes Children's Day on the 5th of May (formerly called Boys' Day). This year our matchlock troop were asked to perform during the morning at the Kibitsu Hiko Jinja, head shrine for the Ikeda family of Bizen (Okayama) which is close by the dividing line between Bizen and *Bitchu provinces. The blessings ceremony was fairly elaborate. The Shojitsu Kenrikata IchiRyu Katchu Battojutsu sword group also performed, and we all provided entertainment for families and their children throughout the day. During the afternoon, still in armour, we sat for photographs with families, and displayed some of our swords and guns and accessories for the public to see and learn about. The day was special for me too with visiting family and friends. *(Kibitsu Jinja next door is the head shrine for Bitchu and the Abe family of Fukuyama, now Hiroshima.)

Oh, but that was my first opinion, and you asked for a second opinion, no? Hmmm...

梵鐘・仏像・銅像・寺院仏具の　老子製作所 | 梵鐘(釣鐘)・寺院仏具・仏像・銅像の老子製作所は、伝統工芸高岡銅器と共に 鐘の専門メーカーとして、寺院仏具金物や洋鐘、カリヨン、モニュメント等の鋳物製品を製造しています Although Lao Tsu or Laozu is spelt like this, the Buddhist manufacturer of bronze bells is called "Oigo" (Old Child) 老子 with these characters, so presumably that is how they would like it to be read. Their blurb says that they made/make objects in the spirit of Laotsu. 老子青銅作品 - 検索

Nick, notice your original thread was still alive with more information.

Today I had a chance to see it again, luckily at a time when there were fewer visitors, so I tried some different shots. A B

I have a kozuka signed Sukekane on the blade. One of our NBTHK members questioned it with the sensei, who took one glance and said 'genuine'. Another kozuka has a rubbish-looking wildly inscribed (Kunisada?) Mei on it, but after polishing the hada and hamon on the other side are totally beautiful. I still have no idea who chiseled the Mei or why. So, as expressed above, the exceptions do sometimes seem to prove the rule!

Quick follow-up. Further requests from overseas have nudged them into finally expanding their web page to include bank details in order to accommodate donations from abroad. Quote: (On second thoughts anyone interested please find the details from the QR code in post#2 above.)

Agreed! It’s a wonderful old house. Looking out across the fields of young barley towards Osafuné and the hills beyond. Saw this from the car window as I was about to drive home!

And D E F

Some general shots of the place. A B C

It’s upside down, but that’s the easy part. Are we seeing Masa(?)hide(?) Saku(?)…正秀作? (Something)hide Saku? Or is that 守？ *just to get the ball rolling. But usually these are names of smiths who the makers aspire to.

As part of the Golden Week display of Sanchōmō they were running a shuttle bus today to the old Nakazaki-Tei in Fukuoka Village next to Osafuné. Spread over three rooms were a display of Koshiraé (no blades), a display of Tsuba, a case full of Tōsōgu, and a display of Bizen guns and accessories, etc. The latter was my allotted corner. Not expecting anyone to visit our humble exhibition, I was surprised to see more than *a hundred people come through during the day, from all over Japan. *Later confirmed as a daily record for that residence, at 110 guests. What pleased me particularly (apart from the obvious interest shown by the visitors) was that I was asked to provide some Koshiraé, and everything that I had brought with me got added to the display. Seven Koshiraé! This is the very first time that my pieces have been considered worthy of their displays. No negative comments, all silently accepted. Made me all warm and fuzzy inside, it did.

Nick H?

It could be 18th c but as you say more likely 19th, although there are couple of indications of age. Is that old-looking pan cover/lid original, for example? Hizen no Kami is decorative and probably added later, post Edo. In the blue box the remains of the nationwide Jinshin registration of 1872. A Mei under the barrel would tell us more.

The Koshiraé is Inaba Koshiraé typical of Tottori on the Japan Sea, black lacquer with silver chrysanthemum fittings. I bought it because it straddles the two Ikeda Daimyo strongholds of Okayama and Tottori, the wife being from Tottori. I thought one of the offspring might want it but thankfully 😅 not, (“I don’t like black”) so I get to keep it.

Looks as if it's been in a fire, and the barrel is missing. That one takes the cake! I wonder where the Kanji characters are located. (Some Korean snapping matchlocks looked very similar and were based on Tanegashima, btw.)

Interesting observations, Alex. Thanks. My sword sensei here says my blade is by the father right at the end of his career, an example just before his son took over, although most people are generally not aware there were two generations of Sukekane.

Hi, yes, took screen shots, cropped them, turned them upright and saved them. The first is a Settsu (Osaka) gun made by a smith (name obliterated) working for the House of Enamiya. 摂州住榎並屋ｘｘｘ衛作 The second has stuff I need to double-check on. The date at top is fuzzy but looks like 萬延 Man-en Gannen (1860). The Mei 鈴木鉄造　典直　作之 Suzuki Tetsuzo (?) Norinao Saku Kore, = made by Suzuki Tetsuzo Norichika/Norinao (not sure about how he wanted those characters read!) but no place of manufacture is indicated. NB I did find a record of another gun made by this second smith above Nick, dated Bunkyu Gannen (1861), which does put yours inside the ballpark.

Hmmm… at that angle and focus it is difficult to say much. The 備 of 備州 looks somehow wrong in that shot.

Ask them to make a copy for you, before it is deregistered.

All lovely examples of Kinkō workmanship.

Jean, down below left, where it says Wei H. Glad you are reaching out to various Togishi, Wei. Actually, even in Japan there are few who will touch Yari. There is one guy here called Fukutake San who says he enjoys polishing them but maybe he has special stones.(?)

Umabari/Bashin/Kankyūtō. Sadly in poor condition, but it does have some redeeming features. Fairly slim, the kasane at the Nakago ranges from 22mm~25mm. Overall length 22.1 cm, or nearly 8 3/4”. The cross-cuts on the tang may have been to enhance thumb grip. The characters for ‘protection against lightning’ (Kaminari yoké) 雷除 can still be seen faintly among the blade scratches. This was a general invocation against natural calamities like fire, flood and earthquakes, and the centers for such prayers were Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto, Kaminari Jinja, etc. Although used as fleams for horses’ ankles, there is a theory that they were pushed into the temples of trophy heads after battle for Kubi jikken before your leader. And 雷除

Just had lunch in Fukuoka at the udon place called Bizen Fukuoka Ichimonji, and was explaining to one of the offspring that this name means more than just a random udon shop by the river.