HonJo Masamune translation

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Hi all.

My very poor NihonGo make me unable to say if the first two kanji hereunder read as Hon-Jo. Can anybody confirm/deny this ?

Eventual translation ?

Many thanks for the replies, if any.

 

 

[sencho]

Hi Carlo,

 

Yep.... first two are Hon Jo.

 

My personal translator (and she who must be obeyed!) is back from Japan!!

 

Cheers

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Hi Nigel. No info of the actual meaning ? it should be the name of this lost sword.

[Guido]

Carlo,

 

I hope you're not falling for the strange stories of S. He's trying for a couple of years now to make us believe that his Kaga Kiyomitsu Wakizashi is the Honjo Masamune.

 

Anyhow, this sword was originally owned by Honjo Echizen no Kami Shigenaga, and therefore is called "Honjo Masamune". Here's the description of this sword from the Meibutsucho:

 

御物 本庄(正宗)

 

磨上

長さ弐尺壱寸五分半

無代

 

上杉謙信老、景勝卿両代之内、侍大将に本庄越前守重長と言者有。其頃庄内之城主を大宝寺と云(う)、其家の侍頭を東善寺右馬之介と申。然るに越前庄内之城を責め落し安河原と言所に床机に腰懸(け)居たる所へ束善寺味方之体にて首を提(げ)、刀をかたげ来り近々と寄り重長が甲の鉢を割る。重長手負ながら東善寺を討留(め)、右之刀を取(る)。① 甲を割たる故欤こぼれ有。後秀次公金拾参枚に被召上、秀吉公へ上る。島津兵庫殿拝領、家康公へ上る。御分け物にて紀伊大納言殿へ被進、御隠居之刻 家綱公へ上る ②。

 

現所有者

戦後進駐軍に持去られ行方不明 重要文化財

当時所有者

将軍家

名称の由来

本庄越前守重長(繁長とも記す)の姓本庄からとる。

伝来

出羽庄内の領主大宝寺義輿は男子がなく、越後村上の本庄繁長(上杉家の侍大将)の次男千勝丸(義勝)を養子としたが、実子が誕生したので千勝丸を返そうとした。違約を怒った繁長は天正十九年義興と合戦し、破って千勝丸を庄内へ入城させた(姓氏家系大辞典)。この合戦の際、東善寺(または東禅寺とも記す)右馬介がこの太刀を所持しており、安河原に休息していた越前守繁長に切付けたのであるが逆に奪取られた。

 

その後

① 豊臣秀次が購入し、秀吉へ献上、島津兵庫頭義弘拝領、家康へ献上(本帳の説)。

② 繁長貧窮して売物に出す。これを家康が購入し、(形見分けに)紀伊頼宣に与える。彼は寛文七年五月二十二日致仕し、同年六月朔日に得物として虚堂の墨跡、朱衣肩衝と共に将軍家に献上。それ以来将軍の歴世遷移の時のしるしの宝器となる(東照宮実紀附録・厳有院実紀)。

△ 諸家名剣集(東京国立博物館蔵)の「本阿弥家私記」に本庄正宗は御当家随一の御重宝にして御尊敬厚き名刀なり。将軍宣一下之節者上段に飾り置せられ天下と倶に御譲り被為在宝刀也。又歳旦の御飾にも被為用之。

此正宗の宝刀においては御城にて御清場出来、四方に注連を張り本家三郎兵衛麻上下着用始終附添罷在、同名之者共同麻上下着用之御研御用相勤申候。

同家栄次郎物語候者右御太刀者神君様御帯し被為遊候儘にて有之候由、右御拵之儀者御柄ハ青茶之染韋ニて巻之、右御柄に御握り被遊候御手垢付有之、御鍔ハ黒塗、御三所物ハ後藤祐乗作桐金紋也。御鞘者常体之蠟色ニて殊外古く相成候。雖然御繕ひなど少も無之右御垢付之儘にて御大切に御納有之云々。

 

作柄

長さ六五・二センチ 反り一・七センチ

鎬造、庵棟。反りは浅い。身幅広く、重ねうすく、切先はのびる。鎬幅はせまく、鎬筋は高い。

地は小板目つまり、こまかに地沸え、チケイ入り飛焼交る。刃文は小沸深く大乱れに小乱れ交り、金筋かかり足入る。切先の刃は浅く乱れこんで返る。

彫物はない。茎は大磨上げ、尻は剣形。目釘孔は一個。

元に大きい刃こぼれ、その他にも刃こぼれと棟に切込みがある。

 

拵は桃山時代の打刀拵で、柄は黒塗鮫に藍革巻き、三双の桐の目貫と、鐔・縁には菊と桐、小柄と笄には桐の金色絵を施している。

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Carlo,

 

I hope you're not falling for the strange stories of S. He's trying for a couple of years now to make us believe that his Kaga Kiyomitsu Wakizashi is the Honjô Masamune.

 

Hi Guido. So many thanks for the info.

I've found this oshigata on an old link regarding important NihonTo lost

(stolen...) during the occupation and I was wondering about the meaning

of "Honjo".

 

I assume you refers to some sort of fraud I'm not aware of.

I took it from a link that I'm no more able to find, even if I've fully saved the info on my HD.

A google for "Honjo Masamune" gives today only wiki-like craps and

anime.. After your comment I woder if this Oshigata has some

meaning or not. The original article(named "Important missing NihonTo),

as I've saved it, shows many pictures of other blades still missing, as Juyo Bunkasai Wakizashi signed Soshu ju Akihiro and the The formerly missing Juyo Bunkasai tachi by Bizen Kanemitsu so i assume wasn't from a moron, even if I've not saved the original author's name (the moron is me here...)

 

.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

BTW... The only thing I've heard about Honjo is that it was offered to several dealers in Japan but always refused as it was a "stolen" object

and so the owner BURIED it and now lives happy somewhere.

 

Likely a mix of Stephen King and some Anime story made by a teenager...

[Guido]

Carlo,

 

the Oshigata is from the book "Token Meibutsucho" (I own a copy, that's also where I got the Japanese description from), and the info about lost and stolen swords from Albert Yamanaka's Newsletters. To my knowledge Jim Kurrash (sp?), who passed away a couple of years ago, had compiled the info in an article on his website (now defunct).

 

There are a couple of theories about what happened to this sword, but most likely it was destroyed by the occupation forces after the war, as were so many other swords.

[Brian]

Here is the info from Jim's site..taken from an archive search:

The most important of the missing Nihonto is with out a doubt the Honjo Masamune. This was the katana that represented the Shogunate during most of the Tokugawa Era. Think of that! The Tokugawa were able to have virtually any sword in Japan to pass between Shogun, when the power transferred. And they picked the Honjo Masamune.

The Honjo Masamune was also the sword that started me off on this project. In the mid 1980's Yumoto Sensei asked me and a group of collectors if we had heard of this sword. He further told us that it was reported to be in the Northern California area. I now have reason to believe that another sword believed to be in that area about that time, may have been mistaken for this Masamune. I have been told that one of the important collectors at that time (who is now dead), had a unusual Masamune. And one of the current sword experts of that area has some strange ideas as to what a Masamune is. This sword is the same length and general description, but the sori is different, as well as the basic hamon. And it is not a Masamune. Anyway it caused me to hunt down a great deal of information about these missing Nihonto.

This and 14 other nihonto were turned into the Mejiro Police station, in Tokyo, during December of 1945, by the owner Tokugawa Iemasa. Tokugawa Iemasa was a descendant of the Tokugawa Shogunate. January 18th. 1946 the Mejiro Police turned these swords over to Sergeant Coldy Bimore, of the U.S. 7th. Cavalry.

Bob Cole sent me a copy of the relevant pages from a early copy of the Kyoho Meibutsu Cho. This gave me information apparently not available to Albert Yamanaka, when he wrote his article. This katana is mu-mei and attributed to Masamune. The length of the missing katana is 2 shaku 1 sun 5 bu = 65.2 centimeters = 25 11/16th. inches. The sori is 5 sun 5 bu = 1.7 centimeters = 11/16th. inch. It is chu kissaki, with no horimono. This katana was made Kokuho on May 27th. 1939.

The Missing National Treasure katana - Honjo Masamune that I wrote about last month, has 1 mekugi ana, and a ken-gyo nakago jiri.

 

Regards,

Brian

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Carlo,

 

the Oshigata is from the book "Tôken Meibutsuchô" (I own a copy, that's also where I got the Japanese description from), and the info about lost and stolen swords from Albert Yamanaka's Newsletters. To my knowledge Jim Kurrash (sp?), who passed away a couple of years ago, had compiled the info in an article on his website (now defunct).

 

There are a couple of theories about what happened to this sword, but most likely it was destroyed by the occupation forces after the war, as were so many other swords.

 

Thanks Guido. Now I understand because the article is no more available

at my original link.

 

if you don't mind I prefer to live with the illusion the sword is still around.

Too much pain to think it has been melted with a million other crappy

ones...

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Here is the info from Jim's site..taken from an archive search:

The most important of the missing Nihontô is with out a doubt the Honjo Masamune. This was the katana that represented the Shogunate during most of the Tokugawa Era. Think of that! The Tokugawa were able to have virtually any sword in Japan to pass between Shogun, when the power transferred. And they picked the Honjo Masamune.

The Honjo Masamune was also the sword that started me off on this project. In the mid 1980’s Yumoto Sensei asked me and a group of collectors if we had heard of this sword. He further told us that it was reported to be in the Northern California area. I now have reason to believe that another sword believed to be in that area about that time, may have been mistaken for this Masamune. I have been told that one of the important collectors at that time (who is now dead), had a unusual Masamune. And one of the current ‘sword experts’ of that area has some strange ideas as to what a Masamune is. This sword is the same length and general description, but the sori is different, as well as the basic hamon. And it is not a Masamune. Anyway it caused me to hunt down a great deal of information about these missing Nihontô.

This and 14 other nihontô were turned into the Mejiro Police station, in Tokyo, during December of 1945, by the owner Tokugawa Iemasa. Tokugawa Iemasa was a descendant of the Tokugawa Shogunate. January 18th. 1946 the Mejiro Police turned these swords over to Sergeant Coldy Bimore, of the U.S. 7th. Cavalry.

Bob Cole sent me a copy of the relevant pages from a early copy of the Kyoho Meibutsu Cho. This gave me information apparently not available to Albert Yamanaka, when he wrote his article. This katana is mu-mei and attributed to Masamune. The length of the missing katana is 2 shaku 1 sun 5 bu = 65.2 centimeters = 25 11/16th. inches. The sori is 5 sun 5 bu = 1.7 centimeters = 11/16th. inch. It is chû kissaki, with no horimono. This katana was made Kokuhô on May 27th. 1939.

The Missing National Treasure katana - Honjô Masamune that I wrote about last month, has 1 mekugi ana, and a ken-gyô nakago jiri.

 

Regards,

Brian

 

Hi Brian. Thanks.

I'm happy to know the info are still around on several HD.

Too sad so much great sites vanish with the info in them.

 

What about a page reporting the titles of articles no more available on the net but stored on private HDs for sharing under request ?

 

Cheers.

[Brian]

Hi Carlo,

 

I think the problem is that many of the sites are still under copyright or have been taken down due to copyright violations. The best we can do is save them for ourselves and occasionally share some of the info that they contained. I know some of the members seem very good at saving pages that they use a lot, and Rich has been working on possibly hosting all of Jim's pages again once he has permission.

A very useful page is here : http://www.archive.org/index.php

It will pull up archived versions of pages that have long since disappeared. Well worth bookmarking...use the waybackmachine.

 

Brian

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Hi Carlo,

 

I think the problem is that many of the sites are still under copyright or have been taken down due to copyright violations. The best we can do is save them for ourselves and occasionally share some of the info that they contained. I know some of the members seem very good at saving pages that they use a lot, and Rich has been working on possibly hosting all of Jim's pages again once he has permission.

A very useful page is here : http://www.archive.org/index.php

It will pull up archived versions of pages that have long since disappeared. Well worth bookmarking...use the waybackmachine.

 

Brian

 

Understand and agreed. Thanks for the link. It's really a time-machine.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Carlo,

 

the Oshigata is from the book "Tôken Meibutsuchô" (I own a copy, that's also where I got the Japanese description from), and the info about lost and stolen swords from Albert Yamanaka's Newsletters. To my knowledge Jim Kurrash (sp?), who passed away a couple of years ago, had compiled the info in an article on his website (now defunct).

 

There are a couple of theories about what happened to this sword, but most likely it was destroyed by the occupation forces after the war, as were so many other swords.

 

Guido, following the original thread on Samurai archives forum

Steve stepped with the boots in the dish, and I realized who he was. When unveiled and challenged to discuss the matter here or on SFI, he got extremely rude claiming what you are saying about his sword. He still challenge you about real name of Masamune, blah blah blah, and

ask me to go to Japan to study Masamune's swords in order to have credibility to rebut his statements. I'm lost with him. I still remember posts he made almost hijacking a thread on SFI, but noone cared about them. What the heck is happening ? Where is this guy coming from ?

Why the heck he's not following my suggestion in putting here his claims ?

[Guido]

Steve / Stephen T. / or whatever his real name is has a serious problem - but we shouldn't make it *our* problem. It is impossible to reason with him, he makes totally outlandish claims, and challenges everyone who doubts his statements by asking to come up with proof to the contrary - and if they do he ignores it. And all this he mixes with some metaphysics and conspiracy theories.

 

Anyhow, I googled "samurai archives" and found the thread Carlo mentioned: http://forums.samurai-archives.com/viewtopic.php?t=553. Quite hilarious, although I'm kind of honored that he puts me in the same league as Bob Benson ...

 

In April of 2005, when I examined the Hosokawa Masamune at the NBTHK, I asked Mr. Tanobe if he had any information about the Honjô Masamune. He mentioned that he hears rumors about this sword once in a while, and had a few good chuckles. No one in Japan holds his breath expecting this sword to ever surface again.

 

Well, at least something good came out of all this: I finally planted my lazy self in front of the computer and wrote a short article about Masamune and the Honjô. So, Carlo, no need to pay for the translation of the Japanese text I posted, it's all in the article I'll post below, that and quite some more.

 

I also own a 1903 issue of "Tôken to Rekishi" (yup, the NTHK was already around back then, way before the NBTHK was established), that contains the 10 page article "The Appearance of the Honjô Masamune" (see pic below). I do o.k. reading all that stuff, but am by no means a professional translator. But I'll happily send it to any forumite who's willing to translate it. However, it's pretty lengthy and has no exciting new revelations.

[Guido]

The Sôshû 相州 (also called Sagami 相模) tradition was established by Shintôgo Kunimitsu 新藤五国光 in the late Kamakura period. His known swords with inscribed dates show that he was active at least between 1293 and 1334 AD. Kunimitsu’s Hamon are Suguha in Nie, his Jihada is rich in Jinie with swirling Itame forming Kinsuji. Among his pupils were two of the most famous names among Japanese sword smiths: Yukimitsu 行光 and Masamune 正宗.

 

Masamune had enormous influence on sword making throughout the country. His success was in part due to the fact that he carefully selected his iron, forging together different kinds of steels to give improved strength and hardness. He also successfully tempered blades at a higher temperature than anyone before him, resulting in brilliant Nie. The high temperature usually causes the blade to become extremely hard and brittle; however, he is also credited with "inventing" stress relief, thus avoiding those undesired effects.

 

The Jigane is complex with varied hues in the Jihada, rich in Jinie, with both bright and dark pools of Chikei. The Hamon is predominantly Notare with Midareba, deep and intense with varied lines of Inazuma, Sunagashi and Kinsuji. The effect is not unlike the work of Yasutsuna of Hôki 伯耆安綱 in its extremes of activity, and it is thought that Masamune may have consciously emulated him.

 

Although Masamune worked mainly during the Kamakura period (1185 ~ 1333 AD) when one of the characteristic of swords was the pronounced tapering down of the width towards the point, Chû-kissaki and Koshi-zori or deep Torii-zori, he also produced swords at the beginning of the Nambokuchô period (1333 ~ 1392 AD) and consequently we see swords of him with an overall wide Mihaba, shallow Torii-zori and Ô-Kissaki.

 

Because blades actually signed by Masamune are exceedingly rare, a theory was developed at the end of the 19’th century that Masamune never existed at all. In the sword books of the Muromachi period the scarcity of signed blades by Masamune is accounted for by the explanation that his work was so absolutely distinctive that there was no need for a Mei. However, it is more likely that the reason lies in the fact that Masamune was employed by the Kamakura Bakufu (administration); many of his swords were made for the use by the Shôgun, and it would have been presumptuous and contrary to all normal practice - at that time - for him to have signed them. Another reason is simply that Tachi were of such great length that they have been cut down to a convenient size for wearing in Uchigatana-koshirae, and have therefore lost the inscriptions that were on the original Nakago.

 

A number of signed Tantô are extant which are demonstrably by the same hands. Those blades that still retain his signature are inscribed with two characters - MASA 正 MUNE 宗 - except the Tantô "Daikoku Masamune" that bears the signature "Masamune Saku 正宗作".

 

Masamune is perhaps the most famous of all Japanese smiths. The distinguished scholar and statesman Kanera Ichijô (1402 ~ 1481 AD) recognized Masamune as one of the great men of modern times, and praised him as a smith whose blades were equal in quality to the sharp weapons of the Buddhist guardian deity Fudô himself. Masamune’s Hamon is usually described as refined and leisurely at the same time, his Kinsuji looking like lightning in the clouds, and his Nie like bare patches in partially melted snow.

 

There is not much known about Masamune the man - at least not much verifiable. At least we know his real name: according to the Nihonshi Kojiten 日本史小辞典, he was born Okazaki Gorô 岡崎五郎. He's supposedly the son of Tôsaburô Yukimitsu 藤三郎行光, therefore also called Kômitsushi (when the character for "child 子 [of]" is added to "Yukimitsu 行光", the resulting three Kanji are read "Kômitsushi行光子"). No explanation is given as to when and why he chose Masamune as his art name. He evidently later became a lay priest (Nyûdô 入道), and therefore is commonly called Gorô Nyûdô Masamune 五郎入道正宗.

 

However, the thesis that Masamune was the son of Yukimitsu is nowadays refuted by scholars, it being much more likely that they were fellow students of Shintôgo Kunimitsu.

 

The Yagi-Bushi 八木節 ("bushi" is an old fashioned, story-telling song) gives a colorful description of Masamune's life. The story goes that Yukimitsu, while passing through Kyôto, had an affair with an innkeeper's daughter, resulting in little Masamune. Being born out of wedlock, Masamune is teased by the kids in the neighborhood, and decides to look for his father. He travels to Kamakura where he tries to become an apprentice of Yukimitsu, who has a hard time choosing from all those who apply for being his student. Masamune shows him the dagger that his mother gave him, and Yukimitsu recognizes it as his own work - he had left it with Masamune's mother as a farewell present.

 

This apparently made up Yukimitsu's mind, and he embraced the son he never knew of and saw before, making him his apprentice. Unfortunately they didn't live happily ever after. Yukimitsu died, and Masamune became Kunimitsu's student.

 

Well, so much for an interesting story at the camp-fire …

 

Swords by Masamune were very highly regarded throughout Japanese sword history, and 39 are listed in the Kyôhô Meibutsuchô (not counting Yakemi). The Daimyô of the Edo period saw it as a matter of prestige to own a Tantô by Masamune or Awataguchi Yoshimitsu 粟田口吉光. When a new Shôgun succeeded his predecessor, it was the custom to present him with a sword made by Rai Kunimitsu 来國光 or Shintôgo Kunimitsu 新藤五國光 since Kunimitsu 國光 can be interpreted as "may the country prosper" (or, rather, "shine"). At important birthdays like the 61'st, 70'th or 77'th, swords from the Enju 延寿 school or Toshinaga 俊長 were presented; those Mei can be taken to mean "long life".

 

The demand for blades by above mentioned smiths obviously couldn't be met by the already existing swords, and therefore forgeries became abundant. However, the underlying idea behind this was that "it's the thought that counts", not the intention to maliciously deceive the receiver of the gift. This doesn't mean that a sword buyer didn't fall for a Gimei now and then, but the Daimyô, for example, usually had no qualms presenting a probable forgery to the Shôgun, who accepted the blade without showing the bad taste of questioning its authenticity, and mostly presented it back to the giver on a suitable occasion.

 

Important swords were constantly exchanged as gifts, used as bribes, or given as rewards. Receiving a sword from ones lord was an honor beyond its monetary value. Toda Ujitetsu, one of the generals of Shôgun Tokugawa Iemitsu, was once given the choice between a Tantô by Masamune and an increase of his annual stipend by 30,000 Koku (one Koku is 180 liters of rice, the amount needed to feed one person for a year, and used as a means to calculate income) - Toda unhesitatingly chose the Tantô.

 

"Meibutsu 名物" are items that are recorded in the Kyôhô Meibutsuchô 享保名物帳 ("genealogy of famous things of the Kyôhô era"), compiled by Honami Mitsutada 本阿弥光忠 in 1719 at the behest of Shôgun 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 (Tôshirô 藤四郎), Masamune 正宗 and Yoshihiro義弘 (Gô 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 Meibutsuchô are made not later than the Nambokuchô period, and only about one hundred of them are still in existence today. The high number of blades that are forged in the Sôshû tradition reflect the popularity these swords enjoyed with the Daimyô. It can be safely assumed that more than a few swords with doubtful attributions are listed, or that in other ways don't merit their status as Meibutsu, because the Honami were under a lot of pressure to be "politically correct". It would have been unthinkable for them to offend any of the high-ranking owners in declaring their sword a fake, or of inferior quality.

 

The Meibutsuchô isn't actually very helpful in getting a lot of information about those famous swords; basically only the sword owner, and a brief description including the measurements, are given. Oshigata are not included, but there's quite a collection of them made by the sword smith Ômi no Kami Tsuguhira 近江守継平 (Nidai 二代), who was the keeper of arms for Shôgun Yoshimune at that time.

 

One of Tsuguhira's Oshigata is of the Honjô Masamune 本庄正宗, a sword of legend and mystery. This Oshigata was drawn in ink, and doesn't seem to be very accurate - Oshigata back then weren't as sophisticated as they are nowadays.

 

Honjô Echizen no Kami Shigenaga 本庄越前守重長 ("Shigenaga" is also sometimes written 繁長) was one of the generals serving under Uesugi Kenshin 上杉謙信 and Uesugi Kagekatsu 上杉景勝. During one of the Uesugi campaigns, Shigenaga attacked and overthrew the Dewa Shônai 出羽庄内 castle which was held by Daihôji Yoshioki 大宝寺義興. After the siege, Shigenaga was approached by Tozenji 東善寺 (or 東禅寺) Umanosuke 右馬介, a retainer of Daihôji, under the pretense of showing him some captured heads. Umanosuke attacked Shigenaga, and managed to cut the latter's helmet in half - seriously wounding him - before he was finally overcome and slain by Shigenaga.

 

The sword that was used in the assassination attempt turned out to be made by Masamune, and had sustained some chips on the edge from cutting Shigenaga's helmet. How it came into the possession of Umanosuke in the first place is unknown - the original owner certainly wasn't in the condition to answer questions anymore.

 

Shigenaga kept it as a war trophy, and later it was sold to Toyotomi Hidetsugu 豊臣秀次. It then went to Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豊臣秀吉, Shimazu Yoshihiro 島津義弘, again to Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu 徳川家康, Tokugawa Yorinobu 徳川頼宣, and finally Tokugawa Ietsuna 徳川家綱. It remained in the Kii 紀伊 branch of the Tokugawa family, the last known owner being Tokugawa Iemasa 徳川家正 at the end of WWII.

 

It is said that the Honjô Masamune was one of the treasure swords of the Tokugawa, and that it symbolically was presented to each succeeding Shôgun when he took office from Ietsuna on. On May 29, 1939 it was designated as a Kokuhô, or national treasure (but technically speaking, it isn't a Kokuhô anymore. In 1950 all former national treasures were re-assigned as Jûyô-Bunkazai, and had to be submitted again to regain their Kokuhô status. The designation of the 14 pre-war Kokuhô that were "lost" after WWII is therefore void).

 

Although the sword is said to have had the original length of 3 Shaku 8 Sun when Umanosuke attacked Shigenaga, at the time of it becoming a national treasure the description by the Japanese National Museum in Ueno reads as follows:

 

Gyobutsu 御物 Honjô Masamune ("Gyobutsu" nowadays refers to items in the possession of the imperial family, but in the Edo period it meant property of the Shôgun).

Suriage Mumei, Nagasa 2 Shaku 1 Sun 5 1/2 Bu (65.2 cm), Sori 1.7 cm

Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune, wide Mihaba, thin Kasane, Kissaki-nobiru (= Ô-Kissaki), Shinogi-ji narrow, high Shinogi.

Ko-Itame-Hada, fine Ji-Nie, Chikei and Tobiyaki. Hamon in Ko-Nie forming Ô-Midare and Ko-Midare, having Kinsuji and Ashi, Bôshi is Midarekomi.

There are no Horimono, the Nakago is Ô-Suriage, the shape of the Nakagojiri is Kengyo, and there is one Mekugi-Ana.

The width of the Hamon was polished down, there are chips (Hakobore) in the Ha and battle marks (Kirikomi) on the Mune.

The Koshirae is a Momoyama period Uchigatana-koshirae, the Tsuka has black Samé, indigo-blue Tsukamaki, the Menuki are pairs of three Kiri, the Tsuba and Fuchi have a Kiri and Kiku motif, the Kozuka and Kogai Kiri in gold.

 

As stated above, the Honjô Masamune lost its signature - if it ever had one - due to the shortening. The rumor that it is signed is probably due to there being *another* Honjô Masamune: an Ubu Zaimei Tantô owned by the Honjô family. Not a Meibutsu, an Oshigata can be found in Imamura Kashô's 飯村嘉章 "Yûmei Kotô Taikan 有銘古刀大鑑".

 

Besides the description in the Meibutsuchô and later at the designation as a national treasure, both Imamura Chôga and Honami Kôsan inspected the Honjô Masamune in 1880 and 1943 respectively. Well known and respected connoisseurs, they didn't find it - its historical value not withstanding - artistically very appealing. As with many other swords owned by powerful people and attributed to Masamune, some doubts about its true maker remain.

 

The Honjô Masamune, along with 14 other swords, was submitted to the Meijiro 目白 police station in December of 1945 by Tokugawa Iemasa, following the order of the occupation forces to surrender all swords. It is reported that the swords were handed over to a Sgt. from the 7'th Cavalry Regiment on January 18, 1946. What happened to the sword thereafter is open to speculation, its whereabouts remain unknown until today.

 

Although quite a few swords were brought back to the US by American servicemen as souvenirs, those blades were usually collected on the battlefield, or simply bought. However, once they were officially recorded, their fate was usually sealed, and they were destroyed. On the other hand, it's not unheard of that some of the swords that were reportedly "surrendered" to the authorities later found their way back to the original - or a new - owner in the confusion and turbulent days after the war.

 

 

Bibliography

Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan by E. Papinot

Masamune - Nihontô no Tensai to sono Keifu published by the Sano Art Museum

Nihonshi Kojiten published by Yamagawa Shuppansha

Nihontô Kôza Vol. II by Homma and others

Nihonto Newsletters by Albert Yamanaka

Swords of the Samurai by Victor Harris and Nobuo Ogasawara

The Japanese Sword by Kanzan Satô

Tôken Meibutsuchô by Tadao Tsujimoto

Yûmei Kotô Taikan by Kashô Imamura

[paulb]

Thanks Guido for some excellent work. Much appreciated.

regards

Paul

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Guido, well...

 

Firtsly I'm happy to have pushed out that mororn after his claim for a couple billion dollars for his Honjo Masamune...

 

And then I'm linking this thread to the one on Samurai Archives.

A great explanation that should be read first hand.

 

I've read the excellent article you've prepared with Dr. T about the Japanese sword for Antonio's catalogue.

I wonder if you're making this aarticle about Honjo Masamune

a public one as the previous I've mentioned.

 

Anyway thanks for the kindness and sorry to for any trouble caused.

I wasn't aware of the situation.

 

Have all the best.

[Brian]

Guido,

 

Thanks for that excellent article. I added it to the new Archives section linked above the forum if you don't mind.

 

Brian

[Guest Simon Rowson]

Forgive me for possibly opening old wounds that are at least a month old but I am very new to this (or any) forum.

I had been reading the various topics discussed with great interest when I happened upon this thread debating the fabled "Honjo Masamune" and, by following Guido's link to "Samurai-Archives.Com, I was completely flabbergasted (and at times crying with laughter) at "Steve / Stephen T"s insane ramblings!

 

Who IS this complete fruit-loop and what on earth has he claimed in the past.....that he now has the original Holy Grail buried in his grandfather's allotment (because he once offered it to the Vatican but the Pope "disrespected" him and now he'll only consider selling it for a million, billion dollars to a "true believer")?

 

When you compare the ravings of this utter looney to the scholarly work of Guido in his masterful article about the missing masterpiece, you can truly see the two vastly different ends of the sword (or any antique) collecting community!

I, for one, would love to meet and learn from anyone of Guido's level of knowledge whilst steering well clear of the other type!

 

Happy New Year to everyone,

Simon

[Lucien Berry]

Simon,

 

When you call Mr. Steve san names, it is not liked by me.

If you speak with some officials with whom this was graded as the lost sword of Tokugawa family, it would please me to watch.

 

Then you find out . Ha Ha!!

 

It is given me to introduce to you Zack Cregger's new website:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/honjo_m ... index.html

 

 

Lucien Berry

[Lucien Berry]

I add this too:

 

:lol:

 

"Most of the world's most famous paintings are owned by museums, who very rarely sell them once acquired. As such, they are quite literally priceless. If for some reason paintings like the Mona Lisa were to become available, it is highly likely that they would sell for values like one billion ($ 1.000.000.000,00) US dollars and above.

 

Actually Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is priceless and will never be sold, even at higher rates. It's on a permanent exhibition in Museum of Louvre in France."

 

cite:

http://www.moodbook.com/art/leonardo-da-vinci.html

[sencho]

sounds like time for another IP add' check...

 

Cheers

[Ford Hallam]

So, if I can get this rather small section of oshigata to only partially match with any part of any of the swords I have, it might also be the Honjo Masamune. :D I would guess that among the members of this forum we may have a dozen or more contenders based on that criteria.

 

And should'nt someone let the present Emperor know that his soul and that of Japan's is being displayed on a pretty sorry looking web page?

 

One final thought, If, as the writer of this "amazing" web-page suggests, who-ever holds this sword controls Japan, should'nt Japan buy it quickly, before North Korea sees it?

 

thanks for the giggles, cheers, Ford

[Stephen]

and as believable as a lone gunman who shot JFK

[Guest Simon Rowson]

Oh hi Steve san.....sorry "Lucian"! Ha Ha!

 

I agree absolutely with Steve san. My butter knife signed "Sheffield Steel" may be the earlier mei of Masamune and so, should I wish to sell it, I might wish to charge $111111,00000000,00000000000000!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

However, as I wish to keep it buried along with my Mona Lisa I will "speak with some officials with whom this was graded" as you suggest.

 

Thank you for your toatally sane comments, Steve san....sorry "Lucian".

 

I will file them with my e-mails fom Jahya.....Sorry "John"

 

Bunty.......sorry "Simon"

[sencho]

oshigata to only partially match with any part of any of the swords I have, i

 

Hi Ford. This got me thinking...

 

Just out of interest and for my own personal education, it is possible for the hamon to change over the ages? I mean if, after repeated polishings, the hamon would change shape?

 

I have heard of people talking about a sword that would not "taka another polish" " or "hamon now running off the ha". Could or would the Habuchi/Nioiguchi change? Would this vary between different swords, forging processes, schools and hamons?

 

Therefore, and not supporting Steve AKA Lucian, in any shape or form, could an oshigata be inaccurate to the blade it represented after a few hundred years?

 

Cheers

[Guest Simon Rowson]

PS: As I understand it Lucian, your friend "Steve san" is trying to pass off a far inferior blade (just check out that "let's try to pair up the totally mismatched hamon slide-show") as the Honjo Masamune then, when whenever anyone shows a healthy disbelief in his claim, he threatens to bury it! (totally lucid behaviour....not!).

 

Being perfectly frank, I don't really care about you or your alter-ego Steve .......I simply believe that you are a perfect example of the strange and sad individual who tries to justify their own existance with spectacular and grandious claims within a small community of enthusiasts.

 

Even if you (Steve/Lucian) really have the Honjo Masamune, (which I don't believe for one second) I wish you'd just gloat over it and leave the rest of us, normal individuals, alone.

[Brian]

[Stephen]

we could use another name besides Steve/Stephen...

[Guest Simon Rowson]

Blooming heck.....I take back all my previous comments.

 

I just checked out Zack Crebber's website (as recommended by Lucien...sorry for the mis-spelling earlier) and I found out that the Honjo Masamune was forged from a meteorite!!!!!

 

WOW!!! This explains why it's totally impervious to rust when loonies bury it!

 

A very humble Simon