atm

It looks like it was dropped on the tip of the kissaki. My understanding is that if the metal is still there, a qualified togishi can move the metal back into place. One of mine had a similar issue—the tip of the kissaki was bent to one side—and Woody Hall straightened it. I think it is best to have a togishi look at it before it leaves Japan.

Thanks for posting these. I watched the first episode this evening. It is very well done. I am looking forward to watching the others.

I believe informational materials, including books, are exempt if properly categorized (HTS 9903.01.31). But I have heard of others having this same problem when Fedex is the carrier. If the package was properly categorized, I’d file a dispute with Fedex. The Supreme Court ruling was as to the IEEPA tariffs, not the tariffs under the US-Japan trade agreement (which probably would not have been in place without the illegal IEEPA tariffs).

I would not have a problem owning such a hypothetical sword. I already own swords that, based on their age, could have been used to kill but lack the hypothetical bodycount markings to document that history. I also own WWII German and Japanese firearms that were brought back by American GIs that were very likely used to kill Americans. I respect that this would really bother some people, and they would not want to own or even be around such items. I differentiate between the tool and the person using the tool, so I do not view these items as inherently bad or evil. And my interest in them is based on history, artistry, and technology instead of any macabre interest. That said, I would be less inclined to own a sword (or other weapon) that derives its primary value or interest from the macabre. For example, I would not want to own a test cut sword solely because it is a test cut sword. It would first have to be a sword I would appreciate if it did not have saidan mei. The saidan mei is still valuable to me--albeit secondary value--because it provides additional historical interest. The same goes for kirikomi or Hokke's hypothetical bodycount markings--they provide value to me that is secondary to the craftsmanship of the sword.

@Markus has a later version: Koshirae Taikan. I have the ebook version, and it is an extensive resource that I recommend as a complete koshirae novice.

@DocTheRoc @eternal_newbie Several of the mekugi ana on the Ayanokoji odachi seem to be paired based on their size and relative placement. As the nagasa is 100 cm and the blade weighs about 1750g, it was possibly mounted with two mekugi at a time.

545g is lightweight for it being nearly 75cm in length. I agree with others that it appears to be tired, and the weight suggests that it has lost a lot of material over the years. But zaimei and ubu would seem to be worth more than the auction’s low starting price. I’m guessing it will go for quite a bit more.

I find it interesting when Tanobe sensei deviates from his normal format. For example, his kao is normally at the end of his commentary. In some cases, his commentary takes up the entire omote of the shirasaya and continues to ura, so his kao is on the ura. On this Yukimitsu sayagaki, it first appears that everything is on the omote since it includes his kao. But the bulk of the commentary is actually on the ura. I suspect he did it this way because the blade and the koshirae are together on the same NBTHK origami, so he used the omote to reference both and then he used the ura to describe the blade.

@Lewis B @Hokke I think you are both right. I once asked someone close to Tanobe sensei why we see different lengths of sayagaki and why he sometimes uses specific terms. The answer I got was to not read too much into it--it depends on many things, including how much time he has, how poetic he is feeling in the moment, and his feelings about the blade, among others. His earlier sayagaki are briefer and more structured in their content and in his calligraphy. His later sayagaki are often more fluid in calligraphy and can be quite lengthy, yet the description typically follows a pattern.

I agree with @Jussi Ekholm's recommendation for taking the Keikyu Line train from Haneda Airport. You can take it to Shinagawa (a major station), at which you can transfer to the JR Yamanote Line. The JR Yamanote Line is a big loop, so staying anywhere near that line is very convenient for traveling around Tokyo by train. Among others, Big Echo is a large karaoke chain with lots of private rooms to sing your lungs out. They have locations throughout the city, and they are used to tourists. You must order at least one drink as part of the room rental. You won't have any trouble finding great sushi. I've found that even "budget" sushi places in Japan are better than and half the price of most sushi in the U.S. Try to visit the Japanese Sword Museum, if you can. The current exhibition looks great.

I’ve been very impressed with how receptive and responsive @Hoshi has been with suggestions and criticisms. This is clearly an important project to him, and we all benefit from his labor. Great work!

For reference, the Jūyō setsumei for this sword describes the kissaki as midare-komi, hakikake, kaen on the omote, and round turnback on the ura.

I believe the next shinsa scheduled in the U.S. is San Francisco in 2027.

I recommend contacting Robert Hughes. He lives in Kamakura and he’s @Keichodo.

That's how I understand it @Scogg.