Meibutsu-cho (The most famous swords list)

[k morita]

Hi,

 

Have you ever seen Meibutsu-cho?

 

Photo is one page of The Meibutu-cho that i owning.

This Meibutsu-cho was transcribed in the middle of Edo era (Anei period).

[Brian]

Morita san,

So your copy is from the late 1700's?

Has this ever been reprinted in modern times, and is it a comprehensive listing of what was then regarded as the most important swords?

 

Brian

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Thanks for sharing Morita-San.

[Guido]

Has this ever been reprinted in modern times, and is it a comprehensive listing of what was then regarded as the most important swords?

To my knowledge there's no reprint per se, but Tsujimoto Tadao 辻本直男 published the Tōken Meibutsuchō 刀剣名物帳 in 1970; this book contains all swords listed in the Kyōhō Meibutsuchō (and a few more) with descriptions in modern Japanese and Oshigata of (almost) all the swords. Long out of print and hard to get, but contains a wealth of information.

 

The Kyōhō Meibutsuchō 享保名物帳 ("genealogy of famous things of the Kyōhō era") was compiled by Honami Mitsutada 本阿弥光忠 in 1719 at the behest of Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshimune 徳川吉宗. It was the first time that other items than tea utensils, lacquer work, paintings and ceramics were listed as Meibutsu; the swords recognized as such are described in three volumes and an appendix:

 

1. (上) 68 swords by the Sansaku 三作 (“three [greatest] makers”) Yoshimitsu 吉光 (Tōshirō 藤四郎), Masamune 正宗 and Yoshihiro義弘 (Gō 郷),

2. (中) 100 swords by other smiths

3. (下) 80 Yakemi 焼身 (blades that lost their Hamon due to being exposed to fire), and

4. (追記) 25 additional blades.

 

All swords in the Meibutsuchō are made not later than the Nambokuchō period, and only about one hundred of them are still in existence today.

 

Of the 168 Meibutsu in volumes I and II, 6 were made in the Heian period 平安時代 (all Tachi), 99 in the Kamakura period 鎌倉時代 (36 blades are over 2 Shaku 尺, 63 under 2 Shaku in length), and 63 in the Nambokuchō period 南北朝時代 (35 over 2 Shaku, 28 under 2 Shaku).

[Guido]

Have you ever seen Meibutsu-cho?

 

Photo is one page of The Meibutu-cho that i owning.

I've seen a few pages, and have copies of some others in books, but your's is of special interest to me since I wrote an article about the Honjô Masamune (see articles forum). I would like to add a scan of that page to the article (with full credit of course) if you'd send me a high resolution scan. I'll PM you my e-maill address if you don't mind.

[k morita]

Thank you for all replies.

 

First of all,Meibutsucho has two kinds.

 

One is:The each description of swords is written shortly and concisely.---- Type A

Description start from short sword/yoroidohshi "Atushi-Toshiro"厚藤四郎(Yoshimitsu).

This type Meibutsucho is all one Vol.., swords are 236 sword( 158 + swords of lost by fire 78 =236 swords ).

 

Another type Meibutsucho that guido-san explained are all 4 volumes type.---- Type B

Description start from short sword "Hirano Toshiro"平野藤四郎(Yoshimitsu).

swords are 248 swords (168 sword + swords of lost by fire 80 = 248), and 25 additional blades.

This type-B Meibutsucho was a book retouched in the end of Edo era by Honami.

 

The Meibutsucho that Honami had submitted to Tokugawa shogunate( in 1719,Tokugawa Yoshimune) was type-A .

 

Published Mebutsucho is only Type-B until today ([Zusetsu Token Meibutsucho] by Mr.Tsujimoto Tadao 1970,

[shochu Token Meibutsucho] by Uko Inji 1919, [Token Meibutsucho] by Chuo token-kai 中央刀剣会 ,1926and1932).

 

Mine is a Type-A Meibutsucho that transcribed in 1774 (安永Anei 3rd year).Description start from short sword/yoroi-dohshi "Atushi-Toshiro"(Yoshimitsu).

 

Thanks

[k morita]

I've seen a few pages, and have copies of some others in books, but your's is of special interest to me since I wrote an article about the Honjô Masamune (see articles forum). I would like to add a scan of that page to the article (with full credit of course) if you'd send me a high resolution scan. I'll PM you my e-maill address if you don't mind.

 

Hi,

I saw your PM. :D

I'll send you scan of Honjo-Masamune pages by e-mail.

 

K Morita

[Guido]

I'll send you scan of Honjo-Masamune pages by e-mail.

Thanks a lot! :D

I wasn't aware that there are two versions - I always only saw the second one, like in the attached scan.