"ho-No-To Kenma Project"

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks, I'll read up.

[Guido]

For starters:

 

「細太刀」の名は武用の太刀に比べて細身であり、また飾太刀に比べ飾金具が小さいために細く見えることから名付けられたもので、飾太刀との外見上の差異は、足金物の山形が小さいこと(後には櫓金(やぐら-かね)と呼ばれる、通常の太刀金具と同一のものとなる)、飾り金具に宝玉を飾らないことで、鍔を含めた飾金具が小さく、飾彫りが簡素になっていることである。

 

IOW, the hoso(i) in hosodachi doesn’t mean it’s the more slender one if you put two similar tachi next to each other.

 

Only someone from a Samurai family would insist on having a real blade to go inside their Hosodachi koshirae.

 

Where that idea comes from is beyond me – the most expensive part was the koshirae, not the blade. Markus Sesko writes in his “Koshirae Taikan”:

 

The hosodachi, lit. “narrow/slender tachi,” was, if you like, the “stripped down version” of a kazari-tachi. Depending on its interpretation, it had more or less sophisticated fittings and was worn by lower ranking aristocrats or by those persons at court which were not allowed to wear a kazari-tachi. In accordance with this it was also called “kazari-tachi substitute” (kazari-tachi no dai, 飾太刀ノ代). The dress code regulated that hosodachi had to be equipped with silver instead of gold fittings from the fourth court-rank and below. From historical documents we learn that the kazari-tachi substitute was still too expensive for some persons who had to attend at certain occasions at court. So they changed the lacquer on the scabbard of their war swords, the normal tsuba with a kara-tsuba, and the hilt-wrapping was removed. Such swords were called “substitute of the substitute,” kazari-tachi no dai no dai (飾太刀ノ代ノ代).

 

There was no choice of wearing a blade inside the koshirae or not, only proper protocol. Besides, the vast majority of hosodachi-koshirae extant do still have a blade.

 

And along the same line, as to commoners wearing hosodachi:

Hosodachi were only worn by those who held a court rank, being it kuge or high ranking buke, and it was worn together with formal sokutai court attire - and no commoner was ever granted even the lowest court rank. There are also extensive records of at what part of Edo castle what rank of guest was received – commoners weren’t even allowed to enter through the ōtemon, let alone having an audience that required formal attire.

 

And on an entirely different note - I understand that the term Takemitsu was born in the part of the country you now live in, but using an Edo period derogatory term for tsunagi in an otherwise academic discussion is IMO not advisable.

[Bugyotsuji]

Thank you Guido.

[Bugyotsuji]

奉納刀　研磨プロジェクト Honoto Kenma Project update.

 

Nine blades have been restored to their former glory so far. This is a very slowly-rolling project, and seems to be the only one of its kind nationwide.

 

This Saturday the latest two will be carried back to their shrine, an almost unreadable and unpronounceable　

日咩坂鐘乳穴神社　

'Himesaka-kanachiana' deserted Jinja north of here.

https://www.okayama-jinjacho.or.jp/search/18930/

 

 

Early Edo blades, one is an O-Dachi and the other a naginata, both signed 山城大掾源国重 Yamashiro Daijo Minamoto Kunishige. Although they are only a year apart, the writing is very different, indicating different smiths, apparently.

 

These two refurbishments took almost a year to complete, including finishing the habaki, shirasaya and oshigata.

 

A call went out for people to attend their return at the autumn festival ceremonies there, as the newly-polished blades with new shirasaya will be displayed and rededicated. I am hoping to hitch a lift there and maybe get some free food.

[Bugyotsuji]

The day went well. Ate too much. Took 60 photos.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Interesting that the o-dachi is displayed as katana, rather than tachi. Reason?

[Bugyotsuji]

I didn't ask, but the only stands they took with them (under the cloths) were made of cardboard. For balance reasons?

[Bugyotsuji]

And the exposition

[BIG]

Piers, please share more pics..

 

Best

[Bugyotsuji]

Of...?

And where to start?!

 

Colourful, then!

[Bugyotsuji]

Normally deserted, this Jinja was decorated for the day.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Looks like everyone was having fun.

[Bugyotsuji]

Oh, and have you ever seen two-tone grapes? They were particularly good, and tasted of apples!!! 

 

All of these grapes are grown in the Niimi area and shipped out nationwide. One farmer proudly stated that his (their?) turnover this year was 6 Oku JPY.