Toryu2020

This story originally puiblished in the NCJSC News letter but... I had a signed and dated Shinshito that I used for Iai and Tameshigiri practice. I cut cardboard, mailing tubes, plastic coke bottles, tatami mat (not tatami-goza) whole mats!, swamp grass, pampas grass and all kinds and sizes of bamboo. The blade never cracked, chipped or bent but I sure put a lot of wear into the blade. Painted the saya with green auto paint, wore out two tsuka and two saya. Having learned the error of my ways, had the sword polished and put away somewhere safe where it will never face the danger of this kind of destruction again... -t @Ray be careful dude we have video evidence on you!

Jason - Lets look at your piece another way; I'll say it is authentic, I'll say it was an actual handmade Japanese sword that was damaged somehow and cut down to make this wakiwhozit in Meiji 2 nen. All good right? now what does that leave you? 1. The blade shape has been altered so drastically we cannot see what it once was, and it does not now exist within any identifiable category. Summation: the value is lost. 2. The hamon for all I can see is now lost, no amount of polishing will bring it back and re-temper would just alter the shape that much more. Summation: the value is lost. 3. The nakago is poorly formed and even more poorly treated. You would have to re-cut the yasuri and re-patinate the metal thus obscuring whatever information is there now so there is only one conclusion. Summation: the value is lost. 4. Curiosity gets you lots of "looks" at a sword show - Bemused, wincing, quizzical, and pitying. None of which pays for beer or gets your name in the newsletter. Summation: the value is lost. All of us have had to pay our dues, none perhaps so publicly as yourself, save yourself the pain brother! -t

Yury et al - I am thinking all acrylic fittings so you can see that beautiful sword inside! That however may be too avant garde. I am sure some will say stick with shirasaya because of the care which is needed when drawing and returning a polished sword. (swords in koshirae get drawn more)So purists might have a koshirae to display ALONG with the sword, but if it did not come with a koshirae they might see no need to create one. Now I am subject to both urges and if I had the time and money I might look for an early koshirae of the period to match my sword and (sacrilege) have it fit to my sword - this as has been pointed out will take considerable amount of time and even more amounts of money. If you absolutely must see it done in your lifetime go with John's suggestion; Find an example that you really and truly love and have a modern artist recreate it for you. In this way you get to have exactly what you wish for in a shorter period of time and you do the world a favour by helping to keep the arts alive. If you ask me, kawamaki tachi koshirae with all iron fittings like a Sengoku General might wear... -t

Scott et al- Coming back to this a little late, but wanted to highlight something Jacques pointed out earlier. The most important point I think, and that is the KUNI character is wrong for this artist. Peter may correct me but I am pretty sure this is true for all generations; the Kunikane smiths used; 國　and not this kuni: 国 The lack of a date and the uneven pitting on the nakago are also not good signs - a polish is an expensive proposition, then again a polisher friend once said "every sword, deserves a good polish..." -t

Clive - Not that I have the most extensive library but I went thru all my references and found no mention of a 9 dai Munetsugu except in the Hizen no Katana to Tsuba. I didn't find the picture you mention but on page 218 found the following; "The 8 dai went thru a period when he lamented the state of swordmaking after the Haito-rei, he became active in local politics working as a village council member, he died Meiji 43 3 gatsu 20 nichi" "...the 8 dai had 2 sons and daughters with his first wife, Hana. His eldest by this marriage Buichiro died young and the younger son had been adopted out to another family. So the family name and fortune went to Soichi (Munekazu), eldest son of his second wife, Yui. He had a career as a village council member. Soichi's son, Muneaki, in his turn inherited the name and fortune, he retired from a career as a "Flying squad" officer in the Prefectural Police" (by implication he was still living at the time of publication) There were no photos or oshigata and no mention of any work by these guys. I am curious to know what you eventually do learn about your blade and 9 dai Munetsugu if there was one. If you can let me know what page your photo is on I would also like to see what info that yields... -t

Nice look to it, loads easily but only has two swords... -t

Gunnar - If you want to post larger (quality) photos of the nakago I am sure others would like the chance to see or you could email them to me. The Shin-shinto Taikan is the one you want but it is a lot to spend for the one blade. If you are patient someone with a better scanner than mine is sure to post an oshigata or two for comparison, maybe even the pages from the Taikan... -t

Gunnar - I would first caution you not to touch the rust on the nakago. The color and quality of rust is very important in determining the age and authenticity of your signature. Second given the condition of the blade as seen in your photos I could hardly guess at a value ( I am hardly qualified in any case). The Meikan is a listing of sword-makers and it is periodically updated to include new information. My copy is a bit old so there may be Man-en dates in there now but if not you would be doing a service to the collecting world by sharing an oshigata with the publishers of the book for inclusion in a future edition. -t

Gunnar - I have to agree with Moriyama-san. No Tsunesato () listed in the Meikan. There is however a Tsuneshige () listed: Banshu Meiishi ju Minamoto Tsuneshige, given name Sasao Taichiro, dated works from Ansei 5. More information in the Kokon Kaji Hayamidashi, To-ken Soran and the Shin-shinto Taikan. The Mannen date may be new information that needs to be added to this record. Would love to see better pics of the nakago... -t

Elliott - Kajihara Sensei wrote and self-published the Zusetsu Nihonto Yogo Jiten - another indispensable book for your nihonto library. The Yogo Jiten is a visual glossary of the Japanese sword that covers swords and koshirae of all ages, as well as things like cleaning, conservation, origami, knot tying and more. Much of the English translation was done by Yumoto Sensei as they were, as you mentioned, friends. It is also my understanding that he was active in the Fukuoka area Kantei-kai though the name of his group escapes me at the moment. fwiw -t

It had to happen at some point, I certainly hope nobody is spending 1700 dollars on showato these days without seeing pictures of the nakago but I am sure I am too optimistic... -t

Jason - Sorry to say but the modelling is pretty poor, making it very hard to say just exactly what the artist is trying to show us here. If I had to say I would think what is in your bowl is a Tachibana flower and around it are other auspicious plants like Plum and Pine but it is very hard to say. Granted the bowl does look a bit like a rendai, a ceremonial incense burner... fwiw -t

Go for it Dude! -t

"There's an exhibition going on...they won't need to spend 4 hrs with you. I just think that 'half' an oshigata won't attract the average NihonTo enthusiast who tend to want the best for their blade. Complete, professional package for a small fee sounds better than a free, rough sketch." Anthony - If you are an honest individual people would leave their blades with you, this is afterall a gentlemens' hobby. You would need to establish yourself a bit; let people know you will be offering the service ahead of time, provide evidence you can safely handle any blade while working with it, show folks examples of your work and be seen at as many shows as possible. (This is what the handle wrappers do) It is a very small niche so I would not expect much in the way of financial success and it could be slow going at first but if your skills are there people will eventually seek you out and you might find folks sending you swords between shows. Any excuse to spend a weekend at a sword show is a good one in the end you'll know more swords and sword-people if not become a fabulously wealthy artist. Go for it... -t

Has to do with religion; Look up NAMU MYOHO RENGE KYO... -t

Eric - i believe your read is correct. A samurai on horseback, likely the battle of Uji-gawa from the Heike-monogatari. A famous scene where two samurai race across the river because the bridge has been dismantled. A shame you do not have the mate to this one menuki. -t

Remember boys, Japanese sword collectors deliberately use odd readings for kanji just so that their wives DON'T know what the hell they are talking about... -t

Eric et al - Hate to be-labour a point, but perhaps I wasn't very clear in my post. What you say is true about lengths and if we are only looking at the blade with no other evidence then I would likely call it a wakizashi myself. However, if this pairing is original to some date before 1868, then the dai is a katana. It wears the clothes of a katana. Hardly think that a "Chonin" marching about Edo with this pair on would get very far before being stopped. I doubt even more that the authorities would have measured his blade and said "very sorry sir, wakizashi that, carry on!" "just two wakizashi fellas pay im no mind!" I have tremendous respect for our sword clubs and museum catalogers but they are working in different times with different criteria. If the state of this pair convincingly shows that it was put together and worn in pre-restoration days by a member of the samurai class then I say that trumps any artificial designation based solely on length. If it was dressed as a katana, worn as a katana, then i'd lay odds that the samurai who wore it considered it a katana and not "my wakizashi in a daisho koshirae..." It is both at the same time and like so many things in this nihonto world I think we need to be flexible in our thinking when considering such things... -tom (Jo-sun sounds more natural to me) helm

Dr. Fukunaga Suiken is an expert in sword appraisal and author of many “major” works on Japanese swords, one being one of the most popular appraisal manuals in Japan. There is also his magnum opus the Nihonto Daihyakka Jiten a five volume encyclopedia of the Japanese sword. Fukunaga Sensei was very active in many of the sword groups including the NTHK under Yoshikawa Kentaro Sensei as well as the NBTHK, he is known for his scholarship and his past contributions to their publications and Shinsa. He issued his own appraisals for a time along with some written directly on the plain scabbard; sayagaki. He has in recent years re-joined the NTHK as an emeritus advisor. I might say it like this...

Black-Hat (if I may call you that) Though we cannot see the kojiri on the longer of the two swords it seems pretty obvious that this is the Dai for your Dai-sho and is a Katana, whatever the length. Some things to keep in mind; 1.most folks were not that tall and their hands were only so big. Thus shorter katana like yours are not so uncommon. 2.the koshirae often makes the sword; a mumei blade in original tachi mounts would be referred to as a tachi. a mumei blade say 26-28 inches and not of great age would be called a katana for lack of other evidence. A tanto could be put into wakizashi mounts then it would be a wakizashi until you were looking at the blade alone. You can see yari mounted as katana and other examples of things like this. Therefore you need to learn to recognize length and blade geometry as indicators of how it might have been used if there is only shirasaya. Length is not the only criteria though. 3.Dai-sho are more an Edo period thing. So while your blade may have been a katate-uchigatana when made the longer handle suggests two handed use as you point out. 4.Katate-uchigatana not only had the short nakago but also had shorter handles, any sword though can be used for a katate-uchi strike... Also I hope someone will tell the SFI folks that "Katte-uchi" sounds like mumbling and not a contraction of Katate - not a commonly used one anyway. -t PS it looks like your set is original and that sir is pretty rare, size not being everything

Served as a doctor in Burma, saw some of the worst of it... -t

Elliott - If you intend to use anything I wrote, I'd like a chance to sign off on it before you do. Fukunaga Sensei is someone I respect a great deal and I wouldn't want anything out on the interweb that wasn't just right. -t

Didn't seem to like Gendai-to much did he? Elliott et al - Fukunaga Sensei was very active in many of the pre-War, wartime and post-war sword groups. Including the NTHK under Yoshikawa sensei as well as the NBTHK. He was shinsa-in at both organizations. He travelled to the US in the 1970s, alone and with the NTHK, where he did do some sayagaki and I believe issued some papers of his own though not as part of any group. Among his works are; Biruma Jigoku-sen Mei-to to Busho Hizen no Katana to Tsuba Satsuma no Katana to Tsuba Koshitsu, Shogun-ke, Daimyo To-ke Mokuroku Nihonto Monogatari Nihonto Meiko-den Hyuga Toko-den Nihonto Omoshiro no Hanashi Nihonto Yomoyama Hanashi Nihonto Daihaykka Jiten Nihonto Kantei Hikke Nihonto no kantei to kenma Hyuga no Katana to Tsuba Kyoto no Token Showa To-ken meibutsu-cho Katana Kaji no Seikatsu Toko ishi no kenkyu Toko Iseki Meguri 330 sen Kubikiri Asaemon To-ken oshigata Uchida Sokuten Kashu Bukyo Igaku jiten Bukyo Igaku shosetsu Shinran Kyodan danatsushi Shinran no gense riekikan Shoken ji-inshi Ii no todoshi Hon'Ami ke no hitobito The above are given as his "major" works - many of these are indispensable to my library. Fukunaga Sensei has in recent years re-joined the NTHK as a kind of Emeritus advisor and given some talks for the membership though he does not regularly attend meetings. In case you can't tell he is my favourite author... -t

from Yokohama...

Elliott - I fondly remember going to the monthly meetings of the NBTHK Tokyo and seeing Takahashi-san there. Oddly enough he would be there later in the day at the regular meetings of the NTHK. Add to that he would some times show up at the NBTHK meetings in Kamakura where there was of course our own local Takahashi-san. None of which could be confused with my father-in-law, Mr Takahashi who was Yokohama anyways. Seriously, a very common name... -t