Appeal For Help Funding Purchase Of Sanchomo

[Bugyotsuji]

The sale/purchase of Yamatorige/Sanchomo has been agreed between the present owner and Setouchi City. It was as you will know, kept in the Okayama Prefectural Museum for many years. The owner has tried on many occasions to offer it for sale, but she wants a certain sum in hand, (500 million JPY), to cover the sword itself and the various sales taxes and expenses involved. Osafune Sword Museum will need to spend another 100 million on strengthening their buildings against earthquakes as per government regulations regarding Kokuho swords.

 

The crowdfunding site wants 20% of the proceedings, and about 30% needs to be added on top in order to fund all the return gifts for individuals' donations.

 

The only thing left is to come up with the cash. There are various souvenir goodies offered to those who donate, (see video and explanation below) and if the total sum is not reached the donated money is said to be returnable.

 

I have been asked to post this link, but apart from my own desire to make a small donation, I have no other direct connection with what is going on, and although I have been assured that this is legit, and I have seen some of the posters and goods being produced, I would not want to be held to account personally if some poor member here lost their 3,000 yen! My sword teacher Mr Koike is on the committee (having been made an offer he could not refuse) with other illustrious locals dignitaries. Some committee members are enthusiastic about purchasing this sword, once owned by the mighty Uesugi Kenshin, but others are (shortsightedly in my opinion) more cynical and negative. Joetsu City in the area where Uesugi Kenshin lived, tried and failed to buy this sword. Since it was made here in Bizen, I can understand why they might want to keep it in Okayama, especially with the historical connection.

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/setouchi/reclaiming-the-soul-of-a-city-the-yamatorige-proje

 

*****Brian, if you think that this message is inappropriate here, I will move it or remove it ASAP. Before that, however, it might be worth having a quick look at how they have structured their crowdfunding pitch, purely as a case study! 

[Brian]

I have no problem at all with the appeal here. Had been wondering why Paul didn't place it here himself. Good that it is here.
I wish them luck.
As to my own thoughts on the lady wanting $5M for the sword...
What is the highest priced Japanese sword anyone can find right now, anywhere in the world? Just curious.

[Ray Singer]

My understanding is that swords have changed hands privately in Japan for more than Sanchomo is being sold for. The Kiyomaro which sold at auction is often cited as being the highest sale price, but that is only highest auction sale.

[Guest Rayhan]

Definately some swords going for higher prices we do not hear about.

[Ray Singer]

In terms of current or very recent public sales, the Juyo Bijitsuhin Akihiro wakizashi had a price tag of JPY33,000,000 at the DTI. I heard it sold a bit below that.

[Bugyotsuji]

I believe they already have somewhere around 40,000,000 JPY at present.

[Jean]

New article

 

http://Japan-forward.com/help-bring-home-the-sanchomo-a-national-treasure-sword-of-Japan/

[Bugyotsuji]

Thank you, Jean, merci.

[Luc T]

Not cheap, but a very interestin sword indeed! Good luck!

[Pete Klein]

So, in other words after all of the other costs the sword is going to actually cost around $8,000,000.00!

[Bugyotsuji]

Pete, I have heard various figures, and your maths would seem to be close, but after pushing for clear answers I am getting a figure slightly higher than that.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Having been to that excellent museum with Piers, I've backed the project. Thanks, Piers!

[Bugyotsuji]

Join the family, Ken!

 

PS Regarding Pete Klein's calculation above.

Just a note to remind everyone of the Japanese custom of giving something back, at weddings, funerals etc. If you give 30,000 JPY for a couple's wedding for example or to the widow of the deceased 'to help with funeral expenses', it is quite normal to receive something in exchange, possibly weeks or even months afterwards, to a percentage value of the gift given. Around 30% perhaps(?), I do not recall exactly. In this sense, the English word 'gift' may not be sufficient to describe the act of offering, which almost always places an obligation upon the other party. The return gift erases or eases the obligation. In this situation with the sword, the project is proceeding in Japan anyway under the Japanese way of doing things, so the added exense is considered 'common sense' by those who would do this properly.

[Pete Klein]

Nice custom, especially when it will be funded in full by the gift givers...

 

PS:  I have nothing against any of this.  If people wish to contribute, then good for them.  I just have an issue with the math in that if 'no one' wanted to purchase it at lower costs then why should 'everyone' have to pay more?  That's all.

[Peter Bleed]

This entire program strikes me as crazy. If "Japan" wants to preserve/celebrate/see this sword THEY certainly can afford to do so. I do not understand the need or basis  for this funding request.

Peter

[Guest Rayhan]

I am not sure, but i think spending millions of tax payer funds on this Nihonto would be frowned upon so best to get the financing from private enthusiasts and collectors?

[Bugyotsuji]

Hmmm... this Saturday will be the monthly meeting of the local NBTHK. I have a cunning plan.

[Bugyotsuji]

Plan postponed as the meeting in December has morphed into the Bonenkai next Saturday.

 

Yesterday I visited Osafune Sword Museum to see two famous swords that have been recreated, one of which is this new 'Sanchomo' look-alike. Unfortunately they are both in glass boxes in the entrance hall where the lighting is not terribly good. The display of Bizen swords from private collections on the first floor only runs until the 12th December. Upstairs is their Akabane-to exhibition.

[Bugyotsuji]

You can see how closely the smiths aimed to recreate the hamon.

[Bugyotsuji]

Ken, re the daily state of the fund, I have floated a washi boat down the stream. I expect a red-crowned crane will fly back with some information in due course.

[Bugyotsuji]

A letter was dropped on my front doorstep.

海外のクラウドファンディング

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/setouchi/reclaiming-the-soul-of-a-city-the-yamatorige-proje?ref=project_link

 

瀬戸内市のサイト

 

https://setouchi-cf.jp/?fbclid=IwAR0io8x7aBzea5vkyygo1isoGhsYUz1W8XsZX-Ol3i8g3XsjOGoE3gfxGV0

 

瀬戸内市のページで金額はわかりますが、英語では書いていません。

海外のページ下にあるツイッターかフェイスブックで新しい情報を発信しているようです。

[Bugyotsuji]

The Setouchi page is not in English, the bird squawks, but you can see the sum.

Below on the world website page there are updates on its twitter and FB links? (Not yet checked these out myself.)

[Jussi Ekholm]

Big thanks to Piers and Peter in two threads giving info about this project.

[Bugyotsuji]

See the large figures in the middle of the second (setouchi) link above.

 

As of 20 December 2018, JPY107,556,800 in donations so far, just short of US 1 million?

[Ken-Hawaii]

Mahalo, Piers. Do we know how much of those donations are from us gaijin?

[Bugyotsuji]

Not sure, Ken, but a quick glance at the Kickstarter page in English seems to show 640,000 JPY from 42 backers and a target of 10,000,000. Being updated or not? Presumably it is.

 

In the bottom line of each of the suggested 'pledge' box packages below that, is an indication such as '2人のバッカー' meaning '2 backers' so far.

[Bugyotsuji]

The Mayor of Setouchi City has been dressing up as Uesugi Kenshin and appearing at various shrine festivals, events, etc., appealing to the public for donations. He appeared at Kibitsu Hiko Jinja last week and they raised 300,000 yen that day. On Feb 3rd there will be a Mamé-maki bean-throwing event, so I might pop along. (To get pelted?)

 

They are up to 186,000,000 JPY but there is some kind of a deadline on 31 Jan for public donations. Some talk of an extension, perhaps? Corporate donations next month (February) apparently.

[Guest]

Ref #21

 

海外 の  クラウドファンディング

Kaigai No Kuraudofandingu 

(Overseas Crowd Funding)

 

https://www.kickstar...ef=project_link

 

瀬戸内 市  の  サイト   

Setouchi - Shi No Saito

(Setouchi City Site)

 

瀬戸内 市 の  ページ  で 金額 は わかりますが、英語で は 書いて いません。

Setouchi-shi no pēji de kingaku wa wakarimasuga, eigode wa kaite imasen.

(I am aware of the amount on the Setouchi City page, but I have not written it in English.)

 

海外のページ下にあるツイッターかフェイスブックで新しい情報を発信しているようです。 

Kaigai no pēji-ka ni aru tsuittā ka feisu bukku de atarashī jōhō o hasshin shite iru yōdesu.

(It would seem that you are sending out new information on both Twitter and Facebook, on the bottom of the overseas page.)

 

What adoes that mean?

 

Was the letter a circular or have you got an avid fan?

[Bugyotsuji]

Me? Where did you see this information, and whose comment in Japanese is that?

 

It (someone) says, "The amount is shown on the Setouchi page, but not written on the English page." (is this a complaint?)

 

Then is the following sentence an answer to the above?

 

"New information is being sent out via the FB and T feeds at the bottom of the overseas page, it seems."

[Guest]

The comments are in your post #21 Piers