Tamashigiri , cutting test

[Tengu1957]

Tameshigiri - Koto Katana
O- suriage  26.75 inches
NBTHK Hozon to Mino Senjuin
Early Muromachi circa 1500
Sword has pronounced Utsuri

Tameshigiri conducted by the 8th master of the Yamada family of test cutters ,  Asaemon Yoshitoyo in November 1860 cut one body in half into the Dodan ( sand pile )
Test cuts on Koto swords are rare.

[waljamada]

Always find these tameshigiri blades interesting and the side topic of notable testers.  Notoriety in such a thing is oddly morbid but historically has it's context.  The Yamadas I believe literally "wrote the book" on tameshigiri by defining/naming which cut is what.  I do sometimes forget katana are firstly designed as lethal weapons.

[SteveM]

The inscription says the cut performed was a "tai-tai" cut, which is one of the more difficult cuts, across the widest part of the shoulders. The cut was performed at the Senjū execution grounds.

 

Senjū still exists as a location name in Tokyo, and there is a temple with a Jizō statue dedicated to the various souls executed at Senjū. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kozukappara_execution_grounds 

[DTM72]

Diagram of cuts, for those who may not have seen it before.

[Kmad]

Hi

 

I have seen the cutting test cuts before but never noticed the loin cloth.

Looking at the Drawing of the test victim I find it quiet bizarre/ironic  that they are clothed.

I wonder did they cloth the person or corpse when they were performing the cuts?

 

Regards,

Ken 

 

[Baba Yaga]

1 hour ago, Kmad said:

Hi

 

I have seen the cutting test cuts before but never noticed the loin cloth.

Looking at the Drawing of the test victim I find it quiet bizarre/ironic  that they are clothed.

I wonder did they cloth the person or corpse when they were performing the cuts?

 

Regards,

Ken 

 

This is the Gaijin version. You may be looking for The Japanese version.

 

https://www.bujinkangreece.net/el/arthra-skepseis/tameshigiri-art-cutting

 

[Baba Yaga]

Yamada Asaemon Yoshitoshi  Allegedly  true and documented. 

https://nihontoantiques.com/project/7561/

 

 

[Tengu1957]

This is Yamada Yoshitoshi , Yoshitoyo's Fathern with a test cut on a Shinshinto Wakizashi.