Yomigaetta Akabane-To 甦った赤羽刀 In Osafune

[Bugyotsuji]

From 18 Feb to 22 April at the Sword Museum in Osafune, Bizen. (Now part of Setouchi City.)

 

41 blades from the Akabane group, rescued from the allied confiscations and subsequent destruction, focussing mainly on Bizen, but with other special or interesting assorted blades also on display, over two floors.

List of works here: http://www.city.setouchi.lg.jp/token/tenji/index.html

 

Today I had some time off from another errand to pop in and have a quick look at the exhibition. Beautifully displayed as usual with particular care taken over the lighting.

 

The display cards have been translated into both English and French by a good lady named Sophie who lives in Setouchi, I am given to understand.

 

Yes, I did take some photos,    so maybe two or three will start to appear here from my スマホ sumaho. (Short for 'sumaa-to ho-hn')

[Bugyotsuji]

Introduction

[Bugyotsuji]

More information

[Geraint]

Thank you for posting these Piers, if you have any more then please keep them coming.

 

All the best.

[Jean]

Thanks Pierce, splendid

[Bugyotsuji]

OK, no problem, I'll add some more as the muses take me!

 

Armour-piercing Pierre

[Bugyotsuji]

At random ok? This Sukekane Bakumatsu Hoko was quite striking for me. I actually took a video clip of it.

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Here was a Mino Den from the 16th C, such a bright sword.

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Mid-Kamakura, 13th C Yoshifusa. I think the last sentence means that it was probably altered to be mounted for use of a general?

[Bugyotsuji]

Some explanations were not translated. This one about the occupying force’s attitude to artefacts in religious places was interesting and if there is interest I will translate it in a minute, unless someone else wants to have a go.

[Bugyotsuji]

Translation of post #10 above.

 

Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples were not Exempt

 

Hono swords were also included (in the roundup). In the second half of 'History of the Okayama Police' it says: "In order to erase all color of Militarism and Nationalism, all the various dedicated blades etc., war booty, ... (shortened) ... were disposed of and no trace remained."

 

Thus it was that in order to avoid the searches, Hono blades were buried in the ground, but when they were dug up after the roundups/collections had finished, they were so rusted that many Nihonto were beyond repair.

[Bugyotsuji]

There is one more of these untranslated placards but by posting it here I am just giving myself extra grief!

[Curran]

Piers,

 

Thank you for sharing these.

Otherwise many of us caged abroad wouldn't know about it.

It is nice e-travel to see your pictures.

[Bugyotsuji]

Curran, it is good exercise for the old brain!

Here is the other snippet from the Police History in Okayama.

( I am catching a cold and hitting the sack early so if anyone wants to play with some or any of the translation, take it away!!! Up early to go and witness an O-Naginata being taken from the Henmyoin for Togi and rescue in the latest local NBTHK crowd-funding project.)

 

*How the authorities collected people’s swords around the country and how they were disposed of.

[BIG]

Piers, thank's for that ...and please more info on the funding project..

 

Best

[Bugyotsuji]

Translation of post #14 above.

 

What subsequently happened to confiscated sword in Okayama Prefecture.

 

Recorded in the Okayama Prefecture Police History.

"Most households had one or two Nihonto or Tanto and some people truly felt strong affection and attachment to them, but the reality was that we had lost the war and there was a prevailing attitude that failure to produce them would mean arrest by the occupying forces, so in fear and trembling people offered them up. Local police would take both masterpiece and blunt blade alike, bundle them up with string, put them on their bike rack and cycle off to police HQ. There were rusty blades from farming households, and famous blades from large old residences, ...(omitted)... most of them were tossed in to the furnace at the police station or chopped up and passed on to scrap merchants. ...(omitted)... many were handed to accompanying US servicemen from the military government and for whatever reason carried back to the US. It is said that unfortunately there were many examples of famous swords going missing in the process. (From Second half of Okayama Prefecture Police History)

 

A resident in the north of Okayama Prefecture used to say that they personally knew of someone with a large collection of Nakago from confiscated swords from that time. From this it can be seen that the tales of swords being chopped up were probably true.

[Bugyotsuji]

Peter, under pressure from the wife I have cancelled today's expedition.

 

There is though a rolling project going on in this area with continuing donations coming in, and swords/blades from various shrines and temples getting sent off for polishing and long-term care. The media has become interested in this and recently it is often reported on TV. Somewhere on the NMB I have described and illustrated parts of this process.

 

The religious sanctuary maintains ownership of the polished blade. After polishing paid for by donations, it is handed to one of the sword museums for care and occasional display, but the shrine (who are free of any maintenance obligations), can call for it back at any time for a matsuri or similar occasion. They are also handed an oshigata of the blade, and a book listing the names of the individual beneficiaries and the amounts they paid towards restoration.

 

Great ceremony surrounds the movements of the blade each time. When the Togi is finished, the blade is conveyed back to the shrine for further blessings before finally being passed to the museum.

[Bugyotsuji]

A couple more striking blades and let’s call it 24 hours.

 

A Yokoyama Kozuke Daijo Fujiwara Sukesada from mid Edo.

[Bugyotsuji]

And I was reminded once more of the vivid colour-contrast in the hamon and jihada on late Edo Takahira blades.

[Yoshimichi]

Dear Piers:

 

Thanks for posting this information. Very interesting information about the surrendered swords. Do most prefectures have Police History journals or information from during the occupation that might discuss the local occupation activities? I have a "tanker/pilot" wakizashi surrendered and picked up by a G.I. in a village in the current location of Sakurai City during the war. A person from an interpreters group or club was able to confirm that the person who surrendered the sword during the war did live at the address listed on the surrender tag, and he found a phone number for that person on the internet. The person who surrendered the sword is/was named Soichiro Tanizoe. The interpreter individual called the telephone number listed on the internet for this person, but the phone is apparently no longer in service. He said he knows some people at the Sakurai City Hall, and he will see if anyone there might know of Soichiro Tanizoe. It looks like he has struck out on getting any additional information for now.

 

Do local City Halls have information on current or former residents, or do you have any suggestions on which public organizations or entities might be good possible source for locating information or vital statistics on persons previously living in Nara, Sakurai City, like Mr. Soichiro Tanizoe or any surviving family members? Any recommendations is appreciated.I am trying to trace and construct the history of this surrendered sword. I have a WWII photo of the G.I. who brought is back, and his history and information. I would love to obtain similar information on or about Sichiro Tanizoe, the person who surrendered the sword in Japan. Thanks, Piers.

 

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

[Bugyotsuji]

Hi Bill, did you not have a thread running on this story here? It would be great if you can complete the circle somehow with this Wakizashi!

[Bugyotsuji]

Just off to go and see this exhibition once more with a friend.