Tameshi-mei!

[Viper6924]

After I´ve finished Mr Seskos latest book about tameshigiri my interest for this intriguing yet terrifying practise was woken. A friend has a sword with a tameshi-mei thats recently been up for discussion at another fantastic forum

So far we have gotten a date: 26:th of July 1655.

Would love to get some more of this translation sorted, just for the satisfaction of knowing whats behind the kanjis. There are some amazing "translators" here, so any further help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Jan

[Gabriel L]

Thanks for posting this interesting mei, Jan. I am a little busy this weekend so I will not attempt this particular challenge, but I just wanted to point out that you should be careful when translating dates as they should not be read so literally. The date does say the twenty-sixth day* of the seventh month of the first year of Meireki (1655)… however, that is in the historical Japanese calendar, and so is not July 26 as you know it. In fact, it actually corresponds to August 27th (which was a Friday) in the Gregorian calendar. I used NengoCalc to do the lookup.

 

It doesn't make any serious difference, it's just a small pet peeve of mine when historical Japanese dates are translated as if they were modern Gregorian dates. Carry on!

 

---

 

*assuming that is an archaic character for 20, which I don't doubt it is… I just don't recognize it offhand.

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

According to Piers; "The style of writing for Naga 長 is written in the same way within Masanaga + Kao near the seppa, and also on the other side for the cutter Nagatsugu 長次...

so in my mind, added to the fairly clear rendering of Tsugu 次, this makes the cutter Nagatsugu."

 

So, this would be Ôkawa Hachiemon Nagatsugu (大河八右衛門長次 (元和Genna~寛Kanei). I saw in some reference that he worked a couple of years past 1655 so i could be possible.

Ogawa Hachiro´emon Shigeharu (小川八郎右衛門重治(寛永 Kanei~寛文Kambun) has also been suggested earlier.

 

Anyone that can translate what kind of cutting test was actually performed?

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Gabriel, thanks for the clarification redarding the date, great info.

 

Anthony

[IanB]

Anthony, Under the seppa it says 'two bodies' - futatsu do.

Ian bottomley

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Thanks Ian!

Under the futatsu do, there is the mei of the cutter.

That leaves the first row with 2 sets of kanji and the third row of kanjis, the mystery unveils..thanx guys.

 

Anthony

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Anyone having any ideas regarding the meaning of the kanjis in row 1 and 3?

Any suggestions would be most welcome and appriciated.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Considering the lack of response this seems to be a tricky one.

I wonder if it is the writing style or the actual kanjis that create the difficulties...

 

I have a go...

 

大=Great or senior

か

り

が

ね

両=both shoulders

度=Three times

弐=two

ツ=futatso (counter for the hito-futa-mi counting system)

胴=body

 

Could it be that the sword cut through 2 bodies at the shoulders and it was performed 3 times?

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

[Markus]

The part on the right reads: o-kesa ryodo (大袈裟両度, "cut two times at o-kesa")

The part in the middle reads: futatsu-do (貮ッ胴, "cut through two bodies")

And the part on the left reads: ryosando dotan-barai (両三度土壇拂, "[cut] two or three times into the ground [i.e. entirely through the target]").

 

To the left of the cutting tester's name we read: kore o tamesu (是様, "tested by").

The tester, Okawa Nagatsugu, had already been identified. But I don't know who Masanaga was

whose name is found with kao on the ura side.

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Thank you Markus!!

I'm very gratful for your help, super.

 

I also want to thank you for your last book on the subject of test cutting, the most comprehensive I have seen.

Great reading, systematic in the progress of which it delivers huge amounts of information.

 

I can recommend it to anyone not having bought it already.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

[Jean]

Anthony,

 

I am going to be very clear/blunt. No one should be allowed to be a member if he has not bought before all Markus' books. Ok, Ok, I am a bit partial :D

 

 

Edit to add: they should be reimbursed by Social Health Service

[Anthony de Vos]

Hi!

 

Regarding Masanaga, on the Usagiya home page by the Kashima sisters, one can read;

"The inscription says, it was tested again and again by two people, Urano Masanaga and Tomita Yaichizaemon Shigetsuna.

They cut three piled bodies, two piled bodies, and one body using one hand only. They performed cutting test on various parts of the bodies. They cut a total of 25 bodies."

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/sharpness.html

Maybe this is our guy? Markus you mention him on page 175 and 176. Could this be the second extant tameshi mei including Masanaga, implying two test cutters was at work at the same time on this sword? And now we also see Masanagas kao for the first time?

 

Regarding this particular cut, It must be an o-kesa on two bodies lying down, tied together, in order to be able to also cut in the ground. See Marcus book page 137 or 139.

 

I agree Jean, my next will be the sword smith bible, by Markus.

 

Anthony

[Brian]

I am going to be very clear/blunt. No one should be allowed to be a member if he has not bought before all Markus' books..

Jean,

In that case, I would have to resign.

I have a few, and there are 8 more I really want, but don't have money for any of them. Reality vs ideal world are sometimes very different.

There are a few that everyone should strive to get though.

This is a lovely tameshi mei, showing some of the traits you look for in a genuine one such as the yasurimei over the mei etc.

 

Brian

[Jean]

Ok Brian. In fact, I would also have to resign.

[Alex A]

Does anyone know if Lulu does one of those Christmas discounts every year?. A third off when you spend a certain amount. Thats the time to buy.

[Brian]

Well, the current promo is 25% and that is a steal. Now is the time to buy for those that can

 

Brian