Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 25 Sengoku Period Tanto, Uncategorized

24| Sengoku Period Tanto (戦国時代短刀)

0-timeline - size 24 Sengoku Period                             The red circle above indicates the time we discuss in this section

25 Chukanzori Tanto

Chukan-zori (中間反り) ————– The chukan-zori tanto features a straight mune (back).  Its back does not curve either inward or outward.   

Hamon (刃文: Tempered line) ————————————-Sanbon-sugi (三本杉), o-notare (大湾), yahazu-midare (矢筈乱), hako-midare (箱乱), gunome-choji (互の目丁子), chu-suguha (中直刃).   See below.

24 Sannbon sugi,hako, yahazu, O-midare)

Horimono (彫り物: Carving) —————Often Hi (grooves) is curved

Tanto Length ————————— The standard tanto length should not exceed one shaku*¹ (about 12 inches, 30.5cm).  The standard size tanto is called a Jo-sun tanto, which is roughly 8.5 shaku (about 10 inches, 25.7cm).  Longer than jo-sun is called sun-nobi tanto (寸延).  Shorter than jo-sun is called sun-zumari tanto (寸詰).

             Sun-nobi Tanto  >  Jo-sun Tanto (approx. 10 inches) >  Sun-zumari Tanto

**¹ Shaku is a traditional Japanese unit of length measurement.

Takenoko-zori jo-sun tanto (筍反定寸短刀)————– The takenoko-zori jo-sun tanto was made during the Sengoku period.  It resembles swords made by Rai Kunimitsu of Yamashiro–den.  (illustration below)

Hamon (刃文: Tempered line) ————– Hoso-suguha (細直刃: Narrow straight hamon). Katai-ha (illustration below) appears somewhere on the blade.  Masame–hada (straight grain pattern) may be visible on the mune side.

                13 Middle Kamakura Period Tanto                 24 Suguha katai-ha

Ji-hada (地肌: The area between the shinogi and the tempered line)————– Some shirake (白け: a whitish surface) may sometimes appear.  Some utsuri (a light, whitish, cloud-like effect) appears on the ji-hada.

Sun-nobi Tanto (寸延短刀)–————–This type of tanto resembles the sakizori tanto from the late Soshu-den period.  You may see a hitatsura-type hamon.  (illustration below).   Unlike the Soshu-den style, the hitatsura pattern is more visible in the lower part of the tanto and less in the upper part.

                                             25 Sun-Nobi Tanto      25 Hitatsura

Hirazukuri Takenokozori Sunzumari Tanto (平造筍反寸詰短刀)                                  

This is a unique tanto from the Sengoku period.   Hirazukuri means a flat-surfaced sword without a shinogi, yokote line, or obvious kissaki.   Takenoko-zori refers to a bamboo shoot shape (the back of the sword curves inward).   Sun-zumari indicates a blade shorter than 10 inches (less than 8.5 shaku or 25.7 cm).  The lower part of the blade is wide and thick, while the tip is narrow and thin.  It has a piercing, sharp appearance.

  • Horimono (彫物: Engraving) ————- Deeply carved ken-maki ryu (a dragon wrapped around a spear).
  • Hamon (刃文: Tempered line)——— Wide tempered line, with a nioi base.  Irregular hamon, with wide suguha (straight), and chu-suguha (medium straight).  The hamon in the boshi area curves back deeply.
  • Ji-hada (地肌)———– fine ji-gane and wood burl pattern.

Moroha-tanto (諸刃短刀: Double-edged sword)

A double-edged sword with a hamon on both cutting edges.  Often, Bonji (Sanskrit) is curved.

  • Hamon (刃文: Tempered line) ——— Wide tempered line.   Nioi base.  Irregular hamon, wide suguha (straight tempered line), and chu-suguha (medium straight  tempered line).  The hamon turns back deeply.
  • Ji-hada (地肌: The area between the shinogi and the tempered line)——- Fine ji-gane and wood burl pattern.

25-moroha-tanto1 Moroha Tanto

The Swordsmith for Tanto during the Sengoku Period 

The Bizen swords from the Sengoku period are called sue-bizen.  Sue is pronounced “su” and “e“ as in egg.   Bizen Osafune Yoso-Zaemon Sukesada (与三左衛門祐定) is the most famous swordsmith of the Sengoku period.  He also forged tantos.  One thing to note is that many swordsmiths had the name Sukesada.  Yoso-Zaemon Sukesada is the one who best represents the era.

Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 20 Nanboku-Cho Tanto, Uncategorized

19 | Nanboku-Cho Period Tanto（南北朝短刀）

0-timeline - size 24 Nanboku-cho
The circle indicates the time we discuss in this section

During the Nanboku-cho period, a type of tanto called hirazukuri ko-wakizashi sun-nobi tanto was made.  Hirazukuri means flat swords without the yokote line or shinogi.  Ko-wakizashi refers to a shorter sword.  Sun-nobi tanto means longer than a standard tanto.  This type is also known as Enbun Jyoji ko-wakizashi tanto because most of these tantos were created during the Enbun and Jyoji eras of the imperial period.  In Japan, a new imperial era begins when a new emperor ascends to the throne.  The Enbun era spanned 1356-1361, while the Jyoji period spanned 1362-1368.

20 Enbun Jyoji Kowakizashi Tanto

Sugata (姿: shape) ————A standard tanto measure is approximately one shaku.  Shaku is an old Japanese unit of measurement for length, and one shaku is roughly equal to one foot.  

8.5 sun (the sun is another old Japanese measurement unit of length) is approximately ten inches.  Ten inches is the standard size for a tanto, known as a josun tanto.  Anything longer than a josun tanto is called a sun-nobi tanto.  Anything shorter than a josun is called a sun-zumari tanto. 

Most of the Nanboku-cho tantos are longer than a josun tanto, approximately one foot two inches.  Therefore, they are called hirazukuri ko-wakizashi sun-nobi tanto.  Saki-zori (curved outward at the top.  See the illustration above).   Wide in width and thin in body.  Fukura kareru (no fukura means less arc).  Shin-no-mune.  See the drawing below.

20 Fukura           20 Shin-no-Mune

Hi, (樋: Grooves) and Horimono (彫り物: Engraving) ——- A groove or grooves on the mune side.  Bonji (Sanskrit, see Chapter 16 Late Kamakura Period (Early Soshu-Den Tanto),  koshi-bi (short groove),  tumetuki ken, and tokko-tsuki ken (see below) appear. The ken (dagger) is curved widely and deeply in the upper part and shallower and narrower in the lower part.  This is called Soshu-bori (Soshu-style carving).

20 Tokko, tume Ken

Hamon (刃: Tempered line) ——- The narrowly tempered section at the lower part gradually widens toward the top.  A similar wide hamon pattern extends into the boshi area.  The hamon in the kissaki area is kaeri-fukashi (deep turn back).  See the illustration below.  Coarse nie.  O-midare (large irregular hamon pattern).

20 Hitatsura

                                        From Sano Museum Catalogue

Ji-hada (地肌: the area between shinogi-ji and the tempered line) ——– a loose wood grain pattern called itame.  Yubashiri (see Chapter 16, Late Kamakura Period) and tobiyaki (irregular patchy tempered spots) appear.  Dense tobiyaki is called hitatsura (see the drawing above).

Nakago (茎: Tang) —- Short tanago-bara.  Tanago-bara refers to the shape of the belly of a Japanese fish called tanago (bitterling).

20 Tanago Bara

Tanto Swordsmiths during the Nanboku-Cho Period

Soshu Den ———————————————————-Hiromitu( 広光) Akihiro (秋広) Yamashiro Den ————————————————–Hasebe Kunishige (長谷部国重)   Bizen Den ——————————————————— Kanemitu (兼光) Chogi (長義 )

    Soshu Hiromitsu     “Nippon-To Art Sword of Japan “   The Walter A. Compton Collection