Hagire

[Matsunoki]

Going back a long time ago in a Nihonto galaxy far far away………we took “chisa katana” to mean a sword that was just a bit short of the then accepted minimum length of a katana. The variance was not to my knowledge ever  defined so we all had our own opinions.Then there was O-wakizashi (how that differed from Chisakatana was a mystery). Then O-Tanto (probably the aforesaid sun nobi Tanto in today’s speak. 
By “we” I mean the scattered enthusiasts that existed mostly outside London some 45 years ago. There was more informed opinion in the Token Society which was largely London orientated but we outsiders still had a ball. Some of the stories we could tell….😳….in fact that would make a great topic maybe….?

Some of you fellow members wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry or just wish you were there back then. 
Imagine a world with no internet, no mobile phones let alone iPhones. The only books were Ogasawara, Yumoto, Robinson and if you were very very lucky, Hawley. 
Anyway enough end of year rambling.

If you read this….Happy New Year! 
 

[Franco D]

Tanto - blade length is under 1 shaku

Jo Sun Tanto - blade length ~ 8 sun 5 bu - meaning prescribed length

Sun Nobi Tanto - blade length over 8 sun 5 bu

Sun Zumari Tanto - blade length under 8 sun 5 bu

Yamanaka Newsletters (revised) - Vol. II

 

Some of the longer lengths listed by some of the well known tanto makers during the early to mid koto period, seem to run 1 shaku and 1 or 2 sun more, but not longer.

 

https://www.kampaibudokai.org/Script.htm

[Tcat]

11 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Going back a long time ago in a Nihonto galaxy far far away………we took “chisa katana” to mean a sword that was just a bit short of the then accepted minimum length of a katana. The variance was not to my knowledge ever  defined so we all had our own opinions.Then there was O-wakizashi (how that differed from Chisakatana was a mystery). Then O-Tanto (probably the aforesaid sun nobi Tanto in today’s speak.
By “we” I mean the scattered enthusiasts that existed mostly outside London some 45 years ago. There was more informed opinion in the Token Society which was largely London orientated but we outsiders still had a ball. Some of the stories we could tell….😳….in fact that would make a great topic maybe….?

Some of you fellow members wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry or just wish you were there back then. 
Imagine a world with no internet, no mobile phones let alone iPhones. The only books were Ogasawara, Yumoto, Robinson and if you were very very lucky, Hawley. 
Anyway enough end of year rambling.

If you read this….Happy New Year! 
 

I for one would love to hear… I have to satiate myself with the “fag ends” of this era, which my father was very much a part of when it came to Rigbys Purdeys and HH rifles but sadly not Japanese swords. Happy New Year Colin.

[chi fan wong]

to add a bit more confusion to all this discussion about length, in the old days before the meiji attempt to standardize measurements, one shaku in kyoto was not the same as one shaku in edo.  this difference even persists today in the dimensions and proportions of the tatami mats produced in the different regions.

 

it seems then a more nuanced approach to these "rules" about measurements (and perhaps other aspects of Japanese culture as well) instead of a more empirical approach,  may lead to better understanding of each other.