Shinogi-Ji – Study of Japanese Sword

September 2, 2019July 12, 2021 Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 65 | Part 2 of --- 29 | Main 7 Area Among Shin-To Sword (part B), Uncategorized

62|Part 2 of — 28 Shin-To Main 7 Region (part B)

This chapter is a continued part of chapter 28 Shin-to Main 7 Regions (part B). Please read chapter 28 before reading this chapter. Below are the regions 3,7.

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

29 Map with number 7

3.Musashi (Edo)

We find many famous swordsmiths in Edo also. They were Yasutsugu(康継), Kotetsu(虎徹), Noda Hankei (野田繁慶), Hojoji Masahiro (法成寺正弘), and their followers.

Two photos below are swordsmiths from Musashi (武蔵: Tokyo).

65 Yasutsugu photo Yasutsugu From Sano Museum Catalogue. Permission granted to use

Characteristics of Yasutusgu (康継) ——- shallow curvature; Chu-gissaki (medium Kissaki); Hamon of wide Notare, Midare, or O-gunome (sometimes double Gunome); a trace of Soshu Den and Mino Den; and woodgrain pattern mixed with Masame on Shinogi-ji.

65 Kotetsu photo 65 kotetu illustration Kotetsu (虎徹) from Sano Museum Catalogue, (permission granted to use)

Here is the famous Kotetsu. His formal name was Nagasone Okisato Nyudo Kotetsu (長曽祢興里入道虎徹). Kotetsu began to make swords after he passed 50 years old. Before that, he was an armor maker.

The characteristics of Kotetsu ———————– shallow curvature and wide width, wide tempered line with Nie. Small irregular Hamon at about the Machi area, becoming wide Suguha like Notare at the upper area. Fine Nie, Komaru–boshi with a short turn back. Ji-hada is fine wood grain and burl. Sometimes, you see O-hada (black core iron show through) at the lower part above the Machi area. The illustration above shows a thick tempered line with Nie, which is the typical Kotetsu’s characteristic. Once you see it, you will remember it. The next region is 7, skipping 4, 5, and 6.

Satsuma (Kyushu)

Miyahara Mondonosho Masakiyo (宮原主水正正清) from Sano Museum Catalogue, (permission granted to use).

Miyahara Mondonosho Masakiyo was highly regarded by the Shimazu family of Satsuma Han (Satsuma domain in Kyushu). Later he was chosen to go to Edo to forge swords for Shogun Yoshimune.

Mondonosho Masakiyo’s characteristics————-Well balanced sword shape, shallow curvature, and wide and narrow Hamon mixed with squarish Hamon and pointed Hamon as shown in the photo above. He engraved the Aoi crest (the hollyhock crest of the Tokugawa family) on Nakago.

July 14, 2018May 22, 2021 Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 29| Main Seven Area of Shinto Sword (part2), Uncategorized

28|Shin-to Sword — Main Seven Regions (part B 主要７刀匠地)

The red circle indicates the subject of this chapter

64Map with number with 8

3．Musashi ( 武蔵 ) in Edo ( 江戸 )

The Katana and Wakizashi made in the Musashi area have shallow Sori (curvature). Often the width of the upper part of the body tends to be narrow. Usually, the Hamon starts with a small irregular pattern, gradually becomes a bigger irregular pattern, then a few inches under the yokote line, it becomes a small irregular pattern again. The Boshi is usually Komaru-boshi. The Ji-hada is somewhat rough. Masame-hada shows on Shinogi-ji.

Well-known swordsmiths in Musashi ———————————-Noda Hannkei (野田繁慶) Nagasone Okisato Nyudo Kotetsu (長曽根興里入道虎徹)

28 Kotetsu はんけい cropped

Nagasone Okisato Nyudo Kotetsu Noda Hankei (野田繫慶) (長曽根興里入道虎徹) from Compton’s collection “Nippon-to” Once owned by my father.

Echizen ( 越前 ) and 5. Kaga (加賀 )

Many swordsmiths from Mino (美濃) area moved to Echizen and Kaga area (#4 & 5 on the map above). Therefore, the swords made in this area are called Echizen- seki, and Kaga-seki. Refer to 23|Sengoku Period (戦国) Sword for Mino Den. The style of Echizen Yasutsugu (越前康継) is similar to the one of Mino Den.

Well-known swordsmith in Echizen ————————-—Echizen Yasutsugu (越前康継 )

Hizen (肥前)

Both Katana and Wakizashi in Hizen have a well-balanced shape. Hizen area tends to make swords with Chu-suguha-hotsure (a medium-width straight Hamon that looks like frayed fabric.) with fine Nie (沸). The Boshi has a regular clean line with uniform width tempered line, as shown in the illustration below. If you see a Shinto sword which has Chu-suguha Hamon and a Boshi that looks like the one below, it is often made by Hizen Tadayoshi (肥前忠吉). Very fine Ji-hada (surface), sometimes called Nukame-hada.

29 Hizen Tadayoshi Boshi

Well-known swordsmith in Hizen ———————————— Hizen Tadayoshi ( 肥前忠吉)

Satsuma (薩摩 )

The swords made in Satsuma have a solid look for both katana and wakizashi. Kissaki (the top pointed area) is a little stretched. Yakidashi (a few inches above Machi ) shows a small irregular Hamon. Hamon is O-midare with coarse Nie called Ara-nie. The Ara-nie forms Togari-ba (pointed pattern, see the drawing below). One of the characteristics of this region is Satsuma-nie. That is, the Ara-nie around hamon continues and blends into the Ji-hada area. Therefore, the border between Ha-nie and Ji-nie is unclear. Inside the Hamon sometimes shows a thick line shaped like lightning. This line is called Satsuma-no-imozuru (sweet potato vine), less favorable than Inazume and Kinsiji. This is the most prominent feature of the Satsuma sword. Boshi has a narrow-tempered line with a small irregular pattern. This is called Satsuma-boshi. On the Ji-hada surface, Chikei (a long dark line like) appears. This is called Satsuma-gane (薩摩金).

29 Satsuma Togari-ba

Well-known swordsmiths in Satsuma —————— Izunokami Masafusa (伊豆守正房) Ichinohira Yasuyo (一平安代) Mondonosho Masakiyo (主水正正清)

June 23, 2018May 22, 2021 Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 28| Main Seven areas among Shinto Sword (1), Uncategorized

27|Shinto Sword — Main Seven Regions (Part A ：主要７刀匠地)

0-timeline - size 24 Shin-to

The red circle indicates the subject we discuss in this section

In Shin-to time, there were seven main prosperous areas where many swordsmiths gathered and actively made swords. Those are Yamashiro (山城) in Kyoto, Settsu (摂津) in Osaka, Musashi (武蔵 ) in Edo, Hizen (肥前) in Saga, Satsuma (薩摩) in Kagoshima, Echizen (越前) in Fukui, and Kaga (加賀) in Kanazawa. Swordsmiths of each area shared their own common regional characteristics of these places. Knowing each of these characteristics is the easiest way to understand Shin-to. But keep it in mind that each swordsmith in one group also has his own unique way of sword making. The followings are only the general descriptions of these characteristics.

Below is a map of Japan. Hokkaido is omitted from the map because swords were not made there at that time.

64Map with number with 8

1. Yamashiro (山城) Kyoto

Yamashiro Shin-to sword has a solid and strong look. Hamon at the lower part of the blade right above the Machi (区) area shows Suguha (straight hamon). This is called Kyo-yakidashi (京焼出), which means starting with a straight Hamon. Then it shows a sudden change to the design of O-midare (大乱). O-midare (irregular waviness) becomes less wavy at one or two inches below the Yokote line, then continues into the Boshi as a wavy Hamon. The design in the Boshi is Komaru-boshi. See the illustration below.

Ji-hada ———— Somewhat rough (this depends on the swordsmith). Masame-hada (straight grain pattern) may show on Shinogi-ji (the area between ridgeline and back).

Among Yamashiro Shin-to group, there was a group called Mishina Group (三品). They were Mino Den (美濃) related. Therefore, their Boshi was often Jizo-boshi (地蔵鋩子). This is called Mishina-boshi ( 三品鋩子). Jizo-boshi is a image of the side of a man’s head.

Well known swordsmiths in Yamashiro area: Umetada Myoju (梅忠明寿) Horikawa Kunihiro (堀川国広) Dewadaijyo Kunimichi (出羽大掾国路)

28 Mishina-Boshi Komaru-boshi, Kyo-Yakidashi

　Iganokami Kinnmichi (伊賀守金道) Yamashiro Den　Once my family sword

2．Settu (摂津) Osaka (大阪)

Settsu (Osaka) created more Wakizashi than Katana. They tend to make it slightly Sakizori (top half curves outward) and slightly stretched Boshi. Settsu sword also has Yakidashi the same way as the previous Yamashiro sword. Yet, unlike Yamashiro’ sword, in the area where Suguha changes into Notare (wavy pattern), the transition is not sudden but relatively smooth. This is called Osaka Yakidashi.

Osaka Boshi ———Hamon continues up to the Yokote line, then Komaru with a turn. Ji-hada————-Very fine, almost no pattern, solid surface like especially, Shinogi-ji (between ridgeline and back). This is called Osaka-tetsu (iron).

29 Osaka Yakidashi Komaru Boshi

Well-known swordsmiths in Settsu area— Osaka Tsuda Sukehiro (大阪津田助広) Tsuda Sukenao (津田助直) Ikkanshi Tadatsuna (一竿子忠綱)

Ikkanshi Tadatsuna (一竿子忠綱) Once my family sword

March 10, 2018May 21, 2021 Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 19| Nanboku-Cho (North and South dynasty) Period Sword, Uncategorized

18| Nanboku-Cho Period Sword (南北朝太刀）

The circle indicates the time we discuss in this section

During the Nanboku-Cho period, Samurai demanded a large, elaborate, and impressive yet practical sword. The Soshu Den style sword in Nanboku-cho time was just that. This type was the most popular style then. The Nanboku-cho period was the height of the Soshu Den. Many swordsmiths moved from other provinces to the Kamakura area and forged the Soshu Den style swords. Other schools and regions outside the Kamakura area also made the Soshu Den style swords in their own places.

19 Nanboku-cho Sword style

Sugata (姿: Shape)———-The original length of swords was 3, 4, or 5 feet long, but shortened to approximately two and a half feet long at a later time. A greatly shortened blade is called O-suriage.

The Nanboku-cho style sword has a shallow Kyo-zori (also called Torii-zori). Refer to Chapter 5 |Heian Period: Swords. The highest curvature comes around the middle of the body. A wide-body, high Shinogi, narrow Shinogi-Ji (Refer to Chapter 3 Names of Parts). The thin Kasane (thickness of the body) is the distinctive feature for the Nanboku-cho style. High Gyo-no-mune or Shin-no-mune, sometimes Maru-Mune (round back).

19 Nanboku-cho 3 kinds Mune

Hi (樋: groove) and Horimono (彫刻: engraving) ——– Often, a single Hi (Bo-hi), double Hi, Suken (dagger), Bonji (Sanscrit), and/or Dragon are engraved on the Shinogi-Ji area. Refer to Chapter 3 Names of Parts.

9 Hi, Suken, Bonji

Hamon (刃: Tempered line) —- The lower part of the body shows a narrow-tempered line; gradually, the tempered line becomes wider and showy. Course Nie. O-midare (large irregular wavy Hamon), Notare-midare (wavy, irregular Hamon), Gunome-midare (a mix of repeated half-circular and irregular Hamon). Inazuma, Kinsuji (refer to Chapter 14 Late Kamakura Period: Sword (鎌倉末太刀)) sometimes appears.

*From Sano Museum Catalogue ( Permission granted).

Ji-hada (地肌: Area between Shino-gi and tempered line) ———————-Wood-grain pattern (Itame 板目). Sometimes Tobiyaki (patchy tempered spots) appears on Ji-hada. For Ji-hada, refer to Chapter 3 Names of parts.

Kissaki (切っ先) and Boshi (Tempered line at Kissaki area) ———- O-kissaki (long and large Kissaki). Fukura kareru (less arc). Midare-komi (body and boshi have a similar tempered pattern), with Kaeri-fukashi (hamon deeply turns back), sometimes Hitatsura (entirely tempered). See the above illustration.

Sword-smiths during Nanboku-Cho Period Soshu Den (school)

From Soshu—————————————————Hiromitsu (広光) Akihiro (秋広) 　
From Yamashiro ———————————————Hasebe Kunishige (長谷部国重)
From Bizen (called So-den Bizen)——-Chogi (長儀 )group Kanemitsu (兼光 ) group
From Chikuzen ———————————————————-Samoji (左文字 ) group

19 Chogi photo from Sano book

The distinctive characteristics of the Nanboku-Cho period sword on the photo above

The engraving trace of Suken on the Nakago indicates this area was once a part of the main body.
Large and Long kissaki