Early Sword Reference

[Ray Singer]

Credit to Wataru Hara for sharing this. One of the earliest extant references.

 

"A news report on discovery of newly recognised sword document from the Ryuzoji clan document circa 1351."

 

https://r.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO25053840V21C17A2ACYZ00

[Ray Singer]

http://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/kiji00359345/index.html

[Brian]

Read that, but was waiting for the translation. Maybe one of our members can beat FB

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Wataru Hara is a very serious scholar and a friend with deep knowledge about early swords. I have a big debt toward him cause he made my essay translated and published by Chubachi Museum. 

[nagamaki - Franco]

 

 

Of north and south morning sword Manifesting foundSaga's library collection, the oldest

 

December 26, 2017 0:00

 

 

 

   

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The Saga Prefectural Library announced on the 25th that the sword book "Ryuzoji Honnoshi-zukushi", which is presumed to be of the North and the North Dynasties, was found from the collection of old documents. Associate professor Hiromichi Yoshihara (Japanese medieval history) of Kyushu Sangyo University examined the name of about 280 people, centering on swordwork in the Kamakura period, and said, "It is considered to be the oldest among the existing in Japan, valuable historical materials That's it.

Sword document "Ryusoji Honnary" (provided by the library) = found jointly by the Saga Prefectural Library

According to Mr. Yoshihara, the sword book is a specialized book that describes the name of a sword, a representative work, a genealogy and the like. It was recorded in ink on the back of two old documents written in 1351 (each about 33 centimeters in length and 48-49 centimeters in width). It is estimated that the Hizen clan who copied the secret book of sword borrowed by Mr. Ryuzoji from Mr. Ashikaga.

Until now, the important cultural property of the country that was copied in 1423, "Kanichiin Konnichi Tsukushi" (the National Diet Library) was regarded as the oldest sword book.

The prefectural library will display the original document of the sword book found this time from the 26th to the February 4th next year at the prefectural museum.

 

 

[Ray Singer]

https://markussesko.com/2017/12/26/the-new-oldest-extant-sword-document/

[Peter Bleed]

Thank you Ray and All. This is very interesting. Wow!

Peter

[Surfson]

Very interesting indeed!  I saw Chris Bowen's post of it today too.  Hopefully we can get the list of 280 smiths famous in 1351 from Markus soon!  Just a wild guess, but I suspect no shinto smiths will be there..... Cheers, Bob

[vajo]

Maybe my unknown Hidehiro is listet 

[Keiji]

Thanks Ray!

 

 

I saw about Masamune was student of Kunimitsu.. and (Awataguchi) Yoshimitsu of Norikuni, it's very interesting!

[Ray Singer]

As others are, I am interested to see what insights this gives on the early Soshu smiths. The theory that Masamune was a fabricated smith (the Imamura Choga argument) is still being debated online.