k morita Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Hi, Today's(9/7) Mainichi newspaper in Japan reported having discovered Meibutsu swrod Shimazu Masamune for the first time in 150 years. I'm guessing, it will become a national treasure near future. Quote
Kronos Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Excellent news. I guess there's still hope of uncovering treasures Quote
Darcy Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Very cool! Maybe we can hope it will be on display somewhere soon... Is it possible to translate the details from the article, or provide a summary on how it was found? Quote
Stephen Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Looking forward to the details on how it was found as well, maybe some photos when published, Hai Domo!! Quote
k morita Posted September 7, 2014 Author Report Posted September 7, 2014 Darcy said: Is it possible to translate the details from the article, or provide a summary on how it was found? The News paper says: When Princess Kazunomiya will be married to 14th General Tokugawa Iemochi in 1862 (late Edo perood). The Tokugawa shogun family presented 1000-Ryo(gold coin) and this Shimazu Masamune sword to the Emperor as gratitude which the Emperor permitted the marriage. After that,the sword seems that this sword was passed to the Konoe family from the Emperor. In 1969,It seems that this sword was sold to a certain person who lives in Osaka from the Konoe family in secrecy. In 2013,This sword was presented to The Kyoto National Museum from the certain person lived in Osaka. In 2014, Today,Mainichi newspaper reported this fact. This sword will be exhibited in The Kyoto National Museum, from October 15, to 2014 November 16, 2014. Sorry poor my English. Quote
John A Stuart Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Interesting, not really missing, but, kept hidden. How many more Meibutsuto or even treasures have private owners unwilling as of yet to share? John Quote
k morita Posted September 7, 2014 Author Report Posted September 7, 2014 Yes,the Shimazu Masamune kept hidden over a span of 150 years. In 1719,when Meibutsu-cho was written by Honami famly, this sword was possessed by Maeda family in Kaga. After that this sword was present to Tokugawa family from Maeda family in Edo period. Quote
Stephen Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 ruff estimated value of this treasure? need to know how may rusty tsuba I need to sell... Quote
Jean Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Quite a few Stephen, quite a few You should ask Clint Eastwood (Million $ Baby) :D Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Here is some more info from another site : http://www.tameshigiri.ca/2014/09/07/ja ... une-sword/ KM Quote
Gasam Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Hi all, So this is literally a sword mentioned in the Meibutsuchõ that has surfaced? How insanely great isn't that? I am actually opening a bottle of Barolo as I write this just for the coolness of it all! Quote
Tcat Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 WOW. This is amazing! Wonder how many of these will reappear in my lifetime...definitely a call for some sort of celebration Am I the only one wondering who is this mystery man from Osaka? Good of him to see it go to a national museum. One would hope that this is one they will take good care of. Quote
Wah Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Morita san, Thank you for the information concerning the Shimazu Masamune. Stephen T. Quote
cabowen Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 This must have been big news in Japan as my wife, who checks the Japanese Google news every morning, told me about it.... :lol: Quote
Robert Mormile Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Larger Photo: http://mainichi.jp/graph/2014/09/06/201 ... c/001.html Mainichi Online: http://mainichi.jp/feature/news/2014090 ... 0000c.html Quote
tony edmunds Posted September 7, 2014 Report Posted September 7, 2014 Dear Morita San Thank you for the information. If I'm lucky I will get to to see my third Masamune (assuming the one in the V&A is genuine) when I visit Kyoto in November Regards Tony Quote
k morita Posted September 8, 2014 Author Report Posted September 8, 2014 Thank you for all response. DTI(Dai Token Ichi) will be scheduled to hold from November 1 to November 3, this year in Tokyo. On that occasion,please visit also to the National Museums in Kyoto. :D http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/theme/floo ... 41015.html Quote
Adrian S Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 Is it just me or does anyone else think it is strange that a Meibutsu sword is sold in secret or lost in 1969?? Are we to think that the Konoe family had no Torokusho in 1969 for an important sword in their possession formally owned by the Emperor? Assuming it didn't have one, then it transfers ownership without a Torokusho or the correct paperwork to transfer the Torokusho, is not reported or registered, then becomes "lost" to be "found" 45 years later which is 150 years after it went underground so to speak. In fact the whole story of it being acquired from the Konoe family has no evidence at all it seems. Isn't this all highly illegal? This is a definite WTF to me?? Would really really love to see photos (not likely) drawings, oshigata or any records available for this sword from before it was "lost" in 1860 or is just the 1860 description all we have to compare the "found" sword to. There is some huge and disturbing holes in this provenance. Masamune it may be, all respect to Watanabe sensei who made the call, but to assign it will need more research I'm afraid. Just to ease my unsettled mind... :? cheers, Quote
Adrian S Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 more info here. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_new ... 1409120001 and here http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2014 ... 150-years/ cheers, Quote
cabowen Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 It may not have been registered after the war and that may have been the reason it went lost. Or, it may have been registered, but no one realized what it was- the registration document only contains the physical description. One is suppose to contact the government and provide updated info when a sword changes hands but not everyone does and there aren't apparently any serious efforts made to track and/or punish those that fail to do this... Quote
Surfson Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 Morita San, thank you for posting this exciting news. Is this a sword made by Goro Nyudo Masamune that was at one time owned by the Shimazu family? What is the source of the Shimazu name in reference to this sword? I know that I risk being razzed by other NMB members for this dumb question, but I have no shame. Cheers, Bob Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 I praise the person who donated the sword, as in the museum it can be enjoyed by many. According to Yamanaka the origin of Shimazu name for the sword is not known. Also look at the bottom part of Yamanaka notes. As the Newsletters were published between 1968-1972 so during that time someone was selling A Shimazu Masamune, of course as there are no pictures it's impossible to say if it was the real sword that was for sale. And you can read Yamanakas opinion about the sword he saw. Quote
Adrian S Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Great information. My first impression of the sugata and what I can see of the blade I though O Shizu too. It was just an impression, but I'm no expert. So far it has no official designation I would guess from what the articles say. Well I'm looking forward to studying it very much, it has been a long time since I have seen a new Masamune, I can add another one to my list. cheers, Quote
k morita Posted September 13, 2014 Author Report Posted September 13, 2014 Shimazu Masamune Oshigata already appears on [Zusetsu token Meibutsu-cho](author: Tsujimoto Tadao) as a reference Oshigata in 1970. Quote
Adrian S Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Ah now it gets more clear! Lost for 150 years is just a media beat up. It was seen and recorded in 1969-70. Yamanaka mentions it was for sale for big money. Sword must have had a Torokusho to be published and available for sale on the open market. I can now sleep soundly knowing that the sword in question is indeed the same sword known in 1969 as the Shimazu Masamune. Of note is the ichimai boshi and the hamon how it thins noticeably after the monouchi, not Masamune characteristics in my book. I'm going to love seeing this blade, the oshigata hints at powerful inazuma! Back to sleep and lurking for me. cheers, Quote
k morita Posted September 13, 2014 Author Report Posted September 13, 2014 Probably, only a small number of persons concerned knew existence of this sword in '60. Quote
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