Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 15|Late Kamakura period

14| Late Kamakura Period Sword (鎌倉末太刀)

0-timeline - size 24 Late Kamakura

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

The beginning of the Soshu style

A new sword style called Soshu-den appeared after the Mongolian invasion during the later part of the Kamakura period.  The Kamakura region became prosperous under the rule of the Hojo family (北条).  Many swordsmiths moved to Kamakura.  These included the Kunitsuna group (国綱)  from the Yamashiro area and Fukuoka Ichimonji Sukezane (福岡一文字助真) and Kunimune (国宗) from the Bizen area.  They are the originators of Soshu-den (相州伝).  A well-known swordsmith, Goro-Nyudo-Masamune (五郎入道正宗), emerged during this time.

15 Soshu sword with explanation

Sugata (Shape 姿) ——- O–kissaki (large kissaki: 大切先) and chu-kissaki (medium kissaki: 中切先).   The tip of the hi ends lower (see the illustration below).  Hamaguri– ha is no longer in style.  The body has become thinner.  The original length was approximately three feet or longer, but most were later shortened to two feet, three inches, or four inches.  The shortened sword is called o-suriage (大磨上).

15 Kissak shape of 4

14 Hi end lower

Hamon——————–Ｎarrow Hamon and wide Hamon.     

Narrow Hamon ——- A mix of Suguha (straight),  Ko-choji (small clove-like pattern), and Ko-gunome (small half-circle pattern).  Small Nie base. (shown below)

10 Nie & Nioi

Wide Hamon ——– Notare midare (wavy).  O-gunome.  Nie base.  Ashi-iri (short line toward the blade, the right drawing below). Inazuma (lightning-like line) or kinsuji (bright line) may appear on a tempered line.  However, inazuma and kinsuji require trained eyes to detect.  It is difficult for beginners to see inazuma or kinsuji.  

15 Late Kamakura Soshu Hamon

Boshi————The main body and boshi have the same type of hamon.  At the tip of the kissaki, angle it back slightly or yakizume.  You might also see o-maru (large round), ko-maru (small round), kaen (flame-like), or nie-kuzure.  Yakizume and kaen (Chapter 12).

15 three boshi name

Ji-hada (between the shinogi and the tempered line) ——-Strong ji-nie (地沸), which are sand-like small dots appearing on the ji (between the tempered line and the mune).  Yubashiri (a cluster of ji-nie), kinsuji (a bright, radiant line formed by nie), inazuma (a lightning-like irregular line), or chikei (similar to kinsuji) may appear on the ji-hada.

15 Yubashiri, Chikei, Inazuma

Late Kamakura Period Soshu School Sword Smiths

From Bizen————–Fukuoka Ichimonji Sukezane (福岡一文字助真) Kunimune (国宗 )   From Yamashiro ————————————–Toroku- Sakon- Kunituna (藤六左近国綱) 

The three swordsmiths mentioned above originated the Soshu-den (school) in Kamakura.  Later, Tosaburo Yukimitu and his son, the famous Goro Nyudo Masamune, emerged.

More  Soshu Den swordsmiths other than above

From Yamashiro (山城)———- Rai Kunitsugu (来国次), Hasebe Kunishige (長谷部国重) From Etchu (越中) province ———————Gou- no-Yoshihiro (郷義弘) Norishige (則重) From   Mino (美濃) province ——————————————-Kaneuji (兼氏) Kinjyu (金重) From   Chikuzen (筑前) province —————————————————-Samoji (左文字)

Goro Nyudo Masamune (正宗): his hamon is like ocean waves. (Sano Museum permission granted)        

Masamune  (政宗）                                          Yoshioka Ichimonji （吉岡一文字）

Once owned by my family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 14| Late Kamakura Period

13| Late Kamakura Period: Genko (鎌倉末元寇)

0-timeline - size 24 Late Kamakura

                       The circle represents the time we discuss in this section

GENKO 元寇  (1274 and 1281)

Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, attempted to invade Japan twice, in 1274 and 1281.  Both times, a powerful typhoon struck Japan.  The Mongols sent a large number of soldiers, along with all kinds of supplies, on numerous ships to Japan.  These ships had to stay very close to each other, side by side, front and back, within the limited offshore area of Kyushu.  When the strong winds arrived, the ships swayed, collided, and capsized.  Many people fell into the ocean, drowned, and lost supplies in the water.

Although Mongol soldiers landed and fought against the Japanese army, they had little choice but to retreat from Japan due to a typhoon and shipwrecks.   As a result of this strong wind, Japan was saved, and it seemed like Japan had won.  This was when the famous Japanese word “kamikaze” (divine wind) was created.

The Mongols had far superior weapons compared to the Japanese.  They had guns, which the Japanese did not.  Their team fighting tactics were far more effective than the Japanese’s one-on-one combat style.

After the Mongolian invasion, it became clear that the Ikubi-kissaki style sword needed to change.  When swords were used in battle, the most frequently damaged part was the kissaki.  Japanese soldiers primarily used ikubi-kissaki swords in this war.  An ikubi-kissaki tachi has a short kissaki.  When the damaged part of the kissaki is whetted out, the top part of the yakiba (tempered area) disappears, and the hi (a groove) rises too high into the boshi area (the top, triangle-like section).  The short ikubi-kissaki becomes even shorter, and the hi rises too high into the boshi area.  Aesthetically, this appears unattractive.  Functionally, it does not work well.  To fix this flaw, a new style started to emerge toward the end of the Kamakura period.

14 Ikubi kissaki Damadge

During the latter part of the Kamakura period, swordsmiths began creating a new style to address this flaw.  Additionally, pride and confidence grew among people after driving the Mongols away, which was reflected in the appearance of swords.  Generally, the hamon and the sword’s shape became stronger, more pronounced, and showier.

The Kamakura area prospered under the Hojo family’s rule.  Many swordsmiths moved to Kamakura from Bizen, Kyoto, and other regions during this time and created a new style.  This marks the beginning of the Soshu–den (Soshu is the Kanagawa area today).  Many renowned swordsmiths appeared during this period.

One of the famous swordsmiths is Goro-nyudo Masamune (五郎入道正宗).  You can easily visit Masamune’s tomb in Kamakura.  It is located at Honkaku-Ji Temple, about a 5 to 6-minute walk from Kamakura train station. 

While I was attending Mori Sensei’s (teacher) sword study group, I studied with a student who is a twenty-fourth-generation descendant of Masamune.   Although he does not carry the Masamune name, he has been making excellent swords in Kamakura.  He also makes high-quality kitchen knives.  His shop is called “Masamune Kogei (正宗工芸).”  It is a short walk from Kamakura Station.  To find his shop, ask at the information center at the train station.

            with  Mr. Tsunahiro Yamamura                    Honkaku-Ji Temple