"Satsuma rebellion" koshirae

[stekemest]

I have just read the tiny discussion within the "Edo Period Corner" thread about what is often called "rebellion koshirae". IanB states that he doesn't think this label is correct, and refers to them as "okkashi-to":

viewtopic.php?p=29524#p29524

 

As it seems, the matter hasn't been discussed in any more detail, so I'd like to focus on this question again.

 

What exactly is an "okkashi-to", and are there any other proofs that support IanB's opinion? What is generally known about those koshirae, are there books in which they are mentioned, if yes, as what? In what time do they belong, and so on?

 

I'd be glad to read any information you have.

 

Peter

[IanB]

Peter, The term means a 'lent sword' - that is one issued from stores to low ranking soldiers recruited from the non-bushi classes. In the same way they were issued with a 'lent armour' having a very simple do, pair of sleeves and either a zunari kabuto or more often a simple conical jingasa.

I have several reasons for suggesting that this is what these swords were.

1. Almost all of these swords are very cheaply made up from old scabbards, and simple (or even crude) iron mounts. Yours is somewhat better in that the tsuka is at least covered with same. Most have a hilt made from a short section of scabbard. Most or even all of the bindings are from strips of folded hemp cloth, generally dyed green originally, with menuki of iron washers. The whole assemby suggest cheap but sturdy.

2. I had a book 'Stories of common soldiers' originally published in the early 17th century that showed a couple of spearmen. They had swords shown with the simple spiral binding, as did all the footsoldiers in the book. One of them had two looted swords tied to his spear with carefully depicted regular bindings. It was clear that the artist was indicating the the soldiers were wearing their issued swords. I regret I cannot reproduce the image. My copy of this book has dissapeared. I suspect it is in the Royal armouries somewhere but attempts to find it have failed. However, if you have a copy of my book 'The arms and armour of the samurai' it is on page 147.

3. Many of the blades have defects or are from cut down katana. In other words good enough for the rank and file.

4. Finally there are relatively common - as would be expected if most castles had store rooms with stocks of such material. The armours are less common for the simple reason that a lot were weighed in for scrap.

 

The rebellion of the Satsuma samurai involved about 12000 men, almost all of which were of that class and hence would have proper swords.Wikipedia states that there were about 1200 labourers. These it could be argued could have needed swords but since the rebels had already raided several arsenals, primarily to obtain guns, it suggest they wouldn't need to use swords such as these.

I may be wrong, but this is the conclusion I have come to.

Ian Bottomley

[Lorenzo]

In the italian sword association forum it happened to me to read sometimes that cheaply made koshirae to be the "satsuma koshirae", wich I agree to be a different thing, I own this book:

http://cgi.ebay.it/Japanese-SWORD-SATSU ... 0105254576

To me those koshirae displayed in the book doesn't show a very topical and identifiable difference with other koshirae. The only thing seems to be the way kurikata and sakazuno are done and mounted.. I can picture the book with camera if it is of use.

[Guido]

Lorenzo, one of the most distinguishable traits of typical Satsuma-Koshirae is the Naizori 内反り ("inside curvature") Tsuka, because of the Jigenryû fighting style - see pages 46 and 52 of the book you linked to. Also, that book doesn't show any examples of the so-called "rebellion sword" Koshirae since it's only of fleeting interest to mainstream collectors due to their low grade.

[Lorenzo]

Thank you Guido, I really needed a reading key.. I longed watched that without notice

[Mark Green]

Hi Gang,

From what I have been told, my Setsuma reb. tsuka is very typical. Right down to the washer Minuki viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4591

Mark

[Lorenzo]

that's the point. On my book, no swords are mounted like that. :?

[stekemest]

Thank you for the replies.

 

Ian, very interesting, thank you very much for the explanation. If I understand that correctly, it would mean that no daitô with such a koshirae can exist, because only bushi were allowed to carry long swords, right?

 

Do such swords belong into the late edo period or how can they be dated?

 

Peter

[pcfarrar]

If I understand that correctly, it would mean that no daitô with such a koshirae can exist, because only bushi were allowed to carry long swords, right?

 

Whilst wakizashi are far more common you still see the odd katana in rebellion mounts.

[IanB]

As Peter F. remarked, katana do exist but shorter weapons are far far more common. What I tried to say is that these were weapons issued to common soldiers, pressed into service during times of war, who had no equipment of their own. Since much of the fighting was at close-quarters, a shorter sword was probably far more useful (if I have remembered correctly, the tameshigiri officials came to the conclusion that the most effective swords at cutting were about 24" long). Also bear in mind that the sword issued to these troops was always the secondary weapon and that they were issued with guns, spears or bows as their primary weapon.

Ian