Koshiraé on display in Osafuné

[Bugyotsuji]

Not been to see this just yet but several people have recommended it. Allegedly including some rare and valuable papered Koshiraé. Will report back after visiting.

@Osafuné Sword Museum, near Bizen.

 

https://www.city.set...site/token/1315.html

 

List of blades and koshiraé in link. (In Japanese)

[Bugyotsuji]

Did a quick run just before closing time when there were fewer people, in order to grab some paperwork and a few photos. Some lovely Koshiraé there. Will definitely go again in the next couple of weeks.

 

Here are some printed materials. If anything grabs your fancy, I’ll put up a photo.

 

 

The Koshiraé were mainly in the upstairs exhibits room.

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

EG The first was a Den Masamune Tantō.

 

Page 2

 

[Bugyotsuji]

And page 3

 

[Bugyotsuji]

(Last two Koshiraé on the list above.)

 

 

catching the light on the raden 

 

and from the other side

 

[Bugyotsuji]

OK, there does seem to be some interest here after all. I shall pick a few that I particularly liked then, and post them here.

 

Nagadachi 長太刀

 

First of all, this GIANT Kinkarakawa tsutsumi-zaya nagadachi koshirae.

Oh, ...did I mention that it is quite big?

 

 

In fact it was too big for the camera, so here’s half of it, the Tsuka end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

So I got a better camera, and took this from a distance! 
 

 

[Brian]

Wow.

[Bugyotsuji]

The panels speak for themselves. I am sure there is more to say, but brevity probably overrules museum explanations.

Most of these photos get bigger and bigger the more I click on them, up to three times larger, or closer.

 

 

And another angle…

[Bugyotsuji]

Any requests out there?

 

Here’s a ‘cobble-stones’ lacquer technique I’ve not come across before.

 

to wit:

 

[Bugyotsuji]

A couple of eye-catchers next.

(What’s this first one made with?)

 

And

[myochin]

Many thanks Piers , much appreciated

 

Paul

[Brian]

Some seriously fine koshirae there. I guess there were no blades. Most on loan from private collectors?

[Deiro]

a despair not to be there.

 

beautiful, if only my eyes could see.

[Bugyotsuji]

Cheers, Paul. I’ll put up some more. Here’s a blade for today’s guest, Brian! 
Nagayoshi, they say! 

In Japanese

 

And the blade

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Hoping your eyes can see this neat piece of functionality, Deiro.

 

 

For cleaning out the scabbard!

 

[Bugyotsuji]

9 hours ago, Brian said:

Some seriously fine koshirae there. I guess there were no blades. Most on loan from private collectors?

At present, the ground floor of the Osafuné Sword Museum has a display of sword blades representing the various ages, while the second floor was for the Koshiraé exhibition. Private collectors, yes.

 

(Tumi works there full-time, and he and Paul Martin have been featuring as a combo on TV recently.)

[Bugyotsuji]

Owning a lovely little Tantō of his, I have a soft spot for the very late Edo and into early Meiji, Bizen Sukenaga.

 

and in Japanese

 

Another blade for Brian

 

[Lewis B]

On 3/6/2025 at 3:15 PM, Bugyotsuji said:

A couple of eye-catchers next.

(What’s this first one made with?)

 

And

Not sure if anyone answered but the white appliqué are otoliths... fish inner ear bones. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Thank you, Lewis. The cards on the left are right on the edge of readable!

(The lower one is ray skin.)

[Gakusee]

Dear Piers, thank you so much for satiating our visual cravings! These are wonderful koshirae. I particularly like the various tachi ones - the efu one and kenukigata one. 
 

Without reading the labels and from a distance while not zooming in, I thought we were dealing with plain old egg-shell technique in the above conundrum. Interesting to learn something new in relation to the otolith usage. 
 

Please keep sending us info and images (much appreciated!) as Tumi is too busy given all that is going on in the museum and his exciting life stage,  and Paul Martin - even busier with the various media outlet participations and projects. 
 

Thank you sir! 

[Bugyotsuji]

Haha, well, that post deserves another Koshiraé or two! Watch this space. (Thank you in turn.)

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

and

[Gakusee]

Thank you! 

[Bugyotsuji]

Apologies for posting these in dribs and drabs, but I thought it unfair on the museum to post everything all at once. (Even though they kindly allowed photographs.)

[Lewis B]

9 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Apologies for posting these in dribs and drabs, but I thought it unfair on the museum to post everything all at once. (Even though they kindly allowed photographs.)

No apology needed. Its the best way to appreciate each piece.

btw Do you remember the maker of the blade in the last photo? The info sheet is too blurred to make out the attribution.

[Bugyotsuji]

Strange blurry shot!

It’s Mumei Lewis, with Sairen attribution, 13th C Kamakura.

 

(See info sheet at the thread start.)

[Jussi Ekholm]

Thank you Piers, that ōdachi koshirae is wonderful. While not maybe on par in craftsmanship with others, to me it takes the cake in historical importance.

[Iekatsu]

Thanks for sharing these Piers, much appreciated.

[Bugyotsuji]

Got some more detailed follow-up shots today. Here’s the Sairen caption for Lewis.