Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 61| Part 2 of --- 25|Sengoku Period Tanto (1467 - 1596), Uncategorized

58|Part 2 of — 24 Sengoku Period Tanto (戦国時代短刀)

Chapter 58 is a detailed section of Chapter 24, Sengoku Period Tanto.  Please read Chapter 24, Sengoku Period Tanto, before reading this part. 

0-timeline - size 24 Sengoku Period

　　　　　      The red circle above indicates the time we discuss in this section  

Muramasa (村正)

This chapter discusses the famous Muramasa (村正).  Usually, many well-known swordsmiths come from one of the Goka-den (五家伝: the five main schools: Yamashiro-den, Bizen-den, Soshu-den, Yamato-den, and Mino-den).  However, Muramasa was not from Goka-den but from Ise Province.  The first-generation Muramasa was known as a student of He’ian-jo Nagayoshi (平安城長吉) of Yamashiro-den.  The Muramasa family existed through the mid-Muromachi period.  They spanned three generations from the mid-Muromachi to the Sengoku period. 

61 Ise map

Below is one of Muramasa’s tantos, made during the Sengoku period.  Since it was made during the Sengoku era, the blade shows the style of Sengoku-period swords.  It reflects Mino-den characteristics, combined with Soshu-den traits. 

     

 Muramasa (村正) from Sano Museum Catalogue (permission granted)

Characteristics  on this Tanto

Muramasa’s tantos are typically about ten inches ± half an inch or so.  Hirazukuri (平作り). Thin blades with a sharp look.  The nioi base with small nie and sunagashi patterns (brushed sand-like patterns, as shown in the illustration below) appears.  The boshi (the top part of the hamon) is jizo (a side view of a human head).  The tempered line varies with both wide and narrow areas.  Some areas are so narrow, almost close to the edge of the blade, while others are broader.  Hako midare (box-like shape) and gunome (lined-up bead pattern) appear.  O-notare (large, gentle waviness) is a signature characteristic of Muramasa.  The pointed-tempered line is a typical characteristic of Mino-den (Sanbon-sugi).  Refer to Chapter 23, Sengoku Period Sword, and Chapter 24, Sengoku Period Tanto.

                                       

 

Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 56| Nanboku-Cho Tanto (南北朝短刀）, Uncategorized

53| Part 2 of — 19 Nanboku-cho Period Tanto (南北朝短刀)

This chapter is a detailed section of Chapter 19.  Please read Chapter 19, Nanboku-cho Period Tanto, before proceeding on to this part. 

0-timeline - size 24 Nanboku-cho

                          The red circle above indicates the time we discuss in this section

20 Enbun Jyoji Kowakizashi Tanto

The drawing above shows a typical shape of a Nanboku-cho-period tanto. This drawing was in Chapter 19.  I exaggerated the features of the Enbun Joji ko-wakizashi tanto to better show you.  At the end of Chapter 19, Nanboku-cho Tanto, there is a list of swordsmiths’ names from that period.  Hiromitsu (広光) and Akihiro (秋広) represent the Nanboku-cho style.

56 cropped Hiromitu photo 20 HitatsuraHiromitsu from the Sano Museum Catalogue (permission to use granted)

Enbun Joji Ko-wakizashi tanto is also called Sun-nobi tanto (>10 inches) because its length is longer than the standard size (about 10 inches) tanto.  The upper part of the tanto curves outward slightly.  This type is called sakizori.

Characteristics of Hiromitsu (広光) and Akihiro (秋広)

  • Shape———————— Usually, one foot and one to two inches long (Sun-nobi).   Wide width.  Thin blade.  Sakizori.
  • Hamon ———————- A mix of wide and narrow hamon.  The hamon around the yakidashi (just above the machi) area is narrow but gradually widens as it moves up.  The hamon around the fukura area shows most work.  Mainly nie.  Sunagashi, kinsuji, gunome, umanoha-midare (horse teeth-shaped hamon), or hitatsura appear (drawing above).                 
  • Boshi———-Irregular and unevenly tempered.  The hamon covers almost the entire boshi. Deep turn back. 
  • Jihada ———————————————————Wood-grained pattern
  • Nakago —————–Tanago-bara shape.  Refer to 19 Nanboku-cho Period Tanto.

Nobukuni (Below is my sword)

Shodai Nobukuni (the first-generation Nobukuni) was a student of Sadamune.  He was one of the Sadamune San Tetsu (貞宗三哲, Sadamune’s top three students).  Nobukuni’s characteristics resembled those of Hiromitsu and Akihiro, as described above.  Nobukuni also created sun-nobi tanto.  The sword below has a hoso-suguha, ko-mokume (small burl pattern), and ko-maru boshi (small round). 

56 Nobukuni 1 Nobukuni4

56 Nobukuni 2This is the certification of my sword.  Shodai Nobukuni (初代信國).   Juyo Token (重要刀剣)

Certification

Number: Juyo 3220, Certification Juyo-Token

Wakizashi:  Nobukuni (信国), 31.4cm long, 0.3cm curvature, hirazukuri, mitsumune (three-sided mune), sun-nobi.  The ji-hada shows a wood grain and ji-nie (surface nie, between shinogi and hamon). The hamon is a chu-suguha (medium straight). The front carving shows bonji (Sanskrit) and sanko-ken. The back engraving is bonji and hoko (pike).   Original nakago.  Examined by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai.  It is certified as a Juyo Token.  The Chairman, Moritatu Hosokawa.  Showa 45 June 1 (June 1, 1970)

Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 13 Tanto(dagger) Middle Kamakura Period

12| The Middle Kamakura Period: Tanto (Dagger 鎌倉中期短刀）

0-timeline - size 24 Middle Kamakura

The red circle indicates the area we discuss in this chapter 

It is rare to find a tanto (短刀 dagger) made during the Heian period.  During the middle Kamakura period, many high-quality tanto were produced.  They were called takenoko-zori shaped tanto, with “takenoko” meaning bamboo shoot.  The back of the tanto curves inward slightly.

 

                              Middle Kamakura Period                                                                                                      Yamashiro School Tanto

12Tanto drawing Mid Kamakur

Sugata (shape)———-Hirazukuri.  This means there is no shinogi, no yokote line.  See the illustration above.  The standard tanto length is approximately ten inches.  The width is neither too wide nor too narrow, making it well-proportioned.  The body is slightly thick.  High gyo-no-mune (行の棟) and shin-no-mune (真の棟).　

13 Mune drawing

Hamon (刃文) ——————— The tempered area is narrow.  Nie base.  Suguha-midare (a straight-line pattern with an irregular wavy shape) or suguha-choji (a straight-line pattern with small choji).  The tempered edge line may display a frayed pattern.

Boshi(tempered line at Kissaki area) ———Yakizume,   Kaen,   Nie-kuzure.

13 Hamon and Hi

Engravings (彫刻) ———- Often, various types of engravings are applied to the lower part of the body.   These may include one or two grooves, Sanskrit, suken (spear), dragon, etc.  For the Sanskrit and spear, refer to the illustration in Chapter 8.

13 Hamon and Hi

Tanto Swordsmiths in the Middle Kamakura Period

Awataguchi group(粟田口)———————————Awataguchi Yoshimitu (粟田口吉光)  Rai group (来) ——————————————————————-Rai Kunitoshi(来国俊)  Soushu Group  (相州) ——————————————Shintougo Kunimitu (新藤五国光)  Bizen group (備前) —————————————————— Bizen Kagemitu (備前景光) Bungo no Kuni Group (豊後の国) ——————–Bungo-no-kuni Yukihira (豊後の国行平)

                          来国光（Rai Kunimitsu）

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