Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 8 Kamakura period

7| Overview of the Kamakura Period Swords (鎌倉時代刀概要)

 
 

0-timeline - size 24 Kamakura Period

The circle above indicates the time we discuss in this section

Introduction of the Five Main Sword Schools (Den)

There are five major sword schools (den): Yamashiro-den (山城), Bizen-den (備前), Soshu-den (相州), Yamato-den (大和), and Mino-den (美濃).  During the Heian period, Yamashiro-den was the main and most active school.  A school called Ko-bizen (meaning old Bizen) during the Heian period is part of the Bizen-den.  However, we treat Ko-bizen separately because its style is slightly different from the later Bizen-den, yet it is somewhat similar to Yamashiro-den, as seen later.

During the Heian period, the swordsmiths of Yamashiro-den lived around Kyoto, which was Japan’s capital at the time.  In the early Kamakura period, Yamashiro-den maintained a sword style similar to the one they had created during the Heian period.  Bizen-den emerged in the middle Kamakura period.  Soshu-den appeared in the late Kamakura period in the Kamakura area.  Mino-den appeared later during the Muromachi period, which came much later.

The Early Kamakura Period (鎌倉) (1184-1218)

We divide the Kamakura period into three stages: Early, Middle, and Late Kamakura periods. The sword style during the early Kamakura period was almost the same as in the previous Heian period.  Yamashiro-den remained the most active school throughout the early Kamakura period.

The Middle Kamakura Period (1219-1277)

During the middle Kamakura period, there were three main sword styles to discuss: the Yamashiro-den style, the Bizen-den style, and the Ikubi-kissaki (猪首切先) style, which was a new development at the time. We can say that among Ikubi-kissaki swords, it is rare to find a mediocre one.

The previous section explained how the Kamakura Bakufu (鎌倉幕府: government) held political and military power, but the emperor remained on the throne in Kyoto.  Emperor Gotoba raised an army and attacked the Kamakura government to regain political control.  This war (1221) is known as Jyokyu-no-ran (承久の乱).  The war led to a change in sword shape to a sturdier form.  This style is what we now call the Ikubi-kissaki.

The Late Kamakura Period (1278-1333  after the Mongolian Invasion)

During the late Kamakura Period, the Soshu-den emerged alongside Yamashiro-den and Bizen-den.  After the two Mongolian invasions known as the Genko (元寇) in 1274 and 1281, swords with longer, wider blades and extended kissaki began to appear.  The Soshu-den swordsmiths forged this type of sword

Engravings on a Sword     

Engravings on swords from the Ko-to era (Heian to Keicho era) serve three purposes.  One is to reduce the weight of the sword, such as hi, bohi, and gomabashi (wide, narrow, short, or long grooves), for example.  The second is for religious reasons, as swordsmiths often carved Buddhist figures.  The third is for decoration.  In the shin-to era (from Keicho time onward), engraving primarily became decorative purposes.    

 

The figures below illustrate examples of the engravings.

8 Hi, Suken, Bonji                    8 gomabashi            8 Hi

Suken                           Bonji (Sanskrit)             Gomabashi                          Hi

Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 2 | Time line

1 | Timeline

Let’s look at the diagram below.  At the beginning of each chapter, a timeline like the one below will be shown.  It will serve as a useful reference for determining which period is being discussed.

0-timeline - size24 original 1

From the Jomon period to the Nara period, (the short top line) is the period we call the Joko-to period in the history of Japanese swords.  The term “Japanese sword” as we use it today refers to swords made after the Heian period (平安 794-1185).  Usually, Joko-to falls under the category of archaeological study.  In the next chapter, we will discuss Joko-to.  The bottom timeline, with short descriptions below, is the one we see in Japan’s general history books.  The middle timeline is more specific to the study of swords.  My discussion will follow the middle timeline.  A timeline diagram will appear at the beginning of each chapter for easy reference.  The swords discussed in this book are grouped based on their shape, style, and the trends of their era.

The difference between Tachi (太刀),  Katana (刀),  Wakizashi (脇差), Tanto (短刀)

Swords made before the Muromachi period (before 1392) are called tachi (太刀).  Swords made after the Muromachi (室町) period are referred to as katana (刀) and wakizashi (脇差).  Katana and wakizashi were worn together.  A tanto is a short dagger.  Tantos have been made throughout history.  The difference between a tachi and a katana is how they are worn.  A tachi was suspended from the waist belt, with the blade facing down.  The katana and wakizashi (called daisho, 大小, meaning “large and small”) were worn together between the belt and the body, with the blade side up.  Usually, a tachi is longer than a katana.   A wakizashi is shorter than a katana.  The tanto is the shortest.  When facing the swordsmith’s inscribed name, if the blade is on the right, that is a tachi.  When facing the swordsmith’s inscribed name, if the blade is on the left, that indicates a katana or a wakizashi. 

           　　　　　　　Tachi   >  Katana >  Wakizashi   >  Tanto

22 tachi & Katana

Ko-to (古刀)   Shin-to (新刀)   Shinshin-to (新々刀)   Gendai-to (現代刀)

Ko-to are swords made between the Heian period (794-1192) and the beginning of the Keicho Era (1596-1614).  Shin-to are swords made between the Keicho Era (1596-1614) and the Tenmei Era (1781-1789).  Shin shin-to are swords created during the Bakumatsu period (幕末期 1781-1868).  Gendai-to covers the period from the Meiji Restoration (明治1868) to the present day.  Although the names of eras or periods changed overnight due to political or dynastic shifts throughout history, the changes in sword style were always gradual.  In general history, the Bakumatsu period is simply the last part of the Edo period. However, for sword classification, it is from around the Tenmei era (天明 1781) to the beginning of the Meiji period (1868).