Bugyotsuji Posted June 18, 2017 Report Posted June 18, 2017 Today one of the local museums opened its doors to a special gathering of the regional NBTHK. It was not a public event. 50 members signed up for this a couple of months in advance, and it is being described as a one-off. Musical zabuton(s). We were divided into five groups of ten and given 30-minute time slots, with 90 seconds to hold each sword, and then a further round of another 90 seconds each for a second and final look. The 10 swords were chosen for their near ubu sugata, so we would have a chance to see how a Tachi might have looked and felt way back when. I had had a chance to study the museum catalog(ue) in advance, so to some extent I was prepared for what was to come. Afterwards I was careful to grab the curator and express how impressive the event was, and how it would be wonderful if we could do something similar again in the future, next year even. We were requested to remove jewellery and wear face masks. The temperature outside was 33 degrees and many of us were still sweating when we finally got our hands on those by now slippery nakago. I saw the staff going round after each group and wiping the nakago with tissues. Even having seen the photos of the blades and having read the descriptions, expecting there would be nothing left to discover, there was a huge surprise ahead. We talk about 'Japanese swords' but each one was so very different in weight, length, thickness, style, design and appearance. What the hell had I been expecting? By the second round the pressure was off and I felt I could just enjoy holding each blade. See next post for list of blades. Some of them have splendid koshirae, but those were not on display today. 6 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 18, 2017 Author Report Posted June 18, 2017 1. Tachi. Masatsune, Juyo Bunkazai. 74.2cm. 2. Tachi. Nobufusa, Juyo Bijutsuhin. 77.7cm. (Yakidashi at both ends?!) 3. Tachi. Yoshifusa, Kokuho. (Togo Heihachiro had a Yoshifusa!) 4. Tachi. Mumei, Ichimonji (Yoshifusa?) Juyo Bunkazai. (Beautiful hamon, what an eye-opener!) 5. Tachi. Mitsutada, Juyo Bunkazai. Father of... 6. Tachi. Nagamitsu, Kokuho. Mid Kamakura, 13th C. (Long and heavy) 78.8 cm. 7. Tachi. Rin(Tomo)mitsu, ex W Compton, ex Tosa Yama(no)uchi family. 1365. (Very light in hand with slim kasane.) 8. Tachi. Iesuke, Oei Bizen. ex Compton, ex Kaga Maeda family.1412. ('E.S.K.' Massive blade with wonderful hamon.) 76.8cm. 9. Katana. Katsumitsu. 1511. (Hamon right up to the shinogi throughout!) 10. Tachi. Tsunetsugu, Ko Aoe. Late Kamakura 1330. (Suguha) 73.2cm. 3 Quote
Brian Posted June 18, 2017 Report Posted June 18, 2017 Wow..wow...wow...Not often you get to hold and examine swords at that level. That is a treat indeed. Kokuho! 1 Quote
b.hennick Posted June 18, 2017 Report Posted June 18, 2017 Amazing! I wish that I was there too 1 Quote
mywei Posted June 19, 2017 Report Posted June 19, 2017 Damn...羨ましいなあ。。 Did you have a favourite amongst them? 1 Quote
Gakusee Posted June 19, 2017 Report Posted June 19, 2017 Enviable Bizen-to lineup. If only we could be there... Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 19, 2017 Author Report Posted June 19, 2017 Matt, the easy answer is no. ...But if you said I could take five of them home with me, then the Nobufusa, Yasufusa, Ichimonji, Mitsutada, Nagamitsu, Iesuke, Katsumitsu and a couple of others. Michael, some of these swords do get put out on display every so often at the Hayashibara Museum in Okayama. Quote
Gakusee Posted June 19, 2017 Report Posted June 19, 2017 Thanks, Piers. I always spend my business trips in Tokyo and wish I had a bit extra time to visit your locality (which is not that far). Difficult with work and strict compliance requirements but will try one day. For now - please enjoy vicariously for us and, if possible, please show us some pictures when you get a chance and is allowed. 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 19, 2017 Author Report Posted June 19, 2017 Michael, photos were not allowed, but I have the museum catalogue, so a blade shot or two taken from that might be possible. Which one would you be interested in? Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted June 20, 2017 Report Posted June 20, 2017 Thank you for the report Piers. What an amazing opportunity. 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 21, 2017 Author Report Posted June 21, 2017 Thank you for looking. I enjoyed writing it, though it is not easy to be neutral, dispassionate or objective. 1 Quote
lonely panet Posted June 21, 2017 Report Posted June 21, 2017 fantastic,but is 90 seconds per sword evan possible??? 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 21, 2017 Author Report Posted June 21, 2017 Hamfish, I believe 90 seconds is quite generous. At the NBTHK national meeting in the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo some years ago, we were given 60 seconds per blade, I seem to recall. With classical music playing in the background, we were transported to some finer plane where time melted away. In both cases though, the organizers generously offered a second round! Quote
lonely panet Posted June 22, 2017 Report Posted June 22, 2017 but one hole minute feels so short, when you think of all the goodies you could see Quote
Gakusee Posted June 22, 2017 Report Posted June 22, 2017 Piers, thanks for asking. Any or all of 1-6 in your post above would be great and much appreciated. Keep well and please keep us informed of all the great stuff you see there. Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted June 23, 2017 Report Posted June 23, 2017 Where's all the gendaito? What a crappy event In case the sarcasm isn't coming through, I'm very jealous. What an amazing opportunity! 1 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Haha, Joe! For Michael, starting with Masatsune Tachi, Late Heian, 12th C. Juyo Bunkazai (Hoping this works) Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Nobufusa Saku, Tachi Early Kamakura, 13th C. Juyo Bijutsuhin Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Yoshifusa Tachi Mid Kamakura 13th C. 国宝 Kokuho Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 無銘 Ichimonji (Yoshifusa?) mid Kamakura 13th C. Juyo Bunkazai Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Mitsutada Tachi, founder Osafune School, Mid Kamakura 13th C. Juyo Bunkazai Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Nagamitsu Tachi Mid-Kamakura 13 C. 国宝 備前国長船住左近将監長光造 Quote
Gakusee Posted June 23, 2017 Report Posted June 23, 2017 Amazing. Thanks, Piers. Positively envious of the access you have there. Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Just shot those directly from the museum booklet... ssshhhh... Quote
paulb Posted June 23, 2017 Report Posted June 23, 2017 even as a non-specific Bizen fan I am hugely envious of the opportunity you had. Are the images from a published catalogue? If so is it generally available. I kn ow its not the same but some really good images in a cataloguie offers some consolation to those on the wrong side of the world to enjopy these works in person! edit sorry your post got in ahead of mine is the booklet available? Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 Yes, Paul. I bought mine @ JPY 3,000 that same day. Are there any Token meetings in London in August or September that you might be attending? I could hand it to you then if you like. Not sure whether to start a new thread, but we have another one of these hands-on events coming up next month at the Prefectural Museum. Not nearly so lofty content, though. I'll post a list here of what they will roll out for us. Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted June 23, 2017 Author Report Posted June 23, 2017 1. 太刀Tachi. 正恒 Masatsune, 重要美術品 Juyo Bijutsuhin. 2. 刀 Katana. 無銘 (Nagamitsu) 3. Tachi. 国宗 Kunimune 4. Tachi. 雲次 Unji 5. Tachi. 備前国長船住近景 Chikakage 6. Tachi. 備前長船康光 Yasumitsu 7. Tachi. 備前長船経家 Tsuneie 8. 刀 Katana. 備前国住長船源兵衛尉祐定作 *Sukesada 9. Tachi. (古青江 Ko Aoe) 正恒 Masatsune 岡山県指定文化財 Okayama Prefecture designated Juyo Bunkazai 10. Tachi. (古青江) 助次 Suketsugu *This Genbyoei/Genbei no Jo Sukesada might be the son of Yosozaemon, or possibly the grandson (Nidai Genbei). Will ask. Quote
Gakusee Posted June 23, 2017 Report Posted June 23, 2017 Piers - we shall welcome you to the Sept meeting (end of) at the usual venue. If you could attend, I may ping you a PM about a copy of the booklet, if that will not inconvenience you too much. Thank you. 1 Quote
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