Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 13 | «Part 2» Middle Kamakura Period Tanto (鎌倉中期短刀 ), Uncategorized

46|Part 2 of — 12|Middle Kamakura Period: Tanto 鎌倉中期短刀

This chapter is a datiled part of chapter of 12| Middle Kamakura Period Tanto ( 短刀) .  Please read Chapter 12 before reading this section.

0-timeline - size 24 Middle Kamakura

                   The circle above indicates the time we discuss in this section

 

In Chapter 12, Middle Kamakura Period: Tanto, it is described that the tanto shape called takenoko-zori appeared during the middle Kamakura period.  This type of tanto  curves slightly inward at the tip.  The drawing below may be somewhat exaggerated to show the curve.  The actual curvature of the takenoko-zori is not very noticeable.  Perhaps only a few millimeters inward. 

Usually, the length of a tanto is around 12 inches.  Tantos are categorized as follows: if it is approximately ten inches, it is called a josun tanto (定寸短刀), longer than ten inches is called a sun-nobi tanto (寸延び短刀), and shorter than ten inches is called a sun-zumari tanto (寸詰短刀).

12Tanto drawing Mid Kamakur

Sun-nobi Tanto (寸延び)  　>   Jyosun Tanto (定寸)  　> 　sun-zumari Tanto (寸詰り)　　(longer than 10 inches)         　 (approx. 10 inches)                (less than 10 inches

13 «Part 2» Tanto photo

 46 Shintogo Kunimitsu Oshigata

Shintogo Kunimitsu (新藤五国光)  Sano Museum Catalogue, permission granted to use

The style above is called kanmuri-otoshi (冠落); the mune side (opposite side of the 　cutting edge) is shaved off.  The length is approx. 10 inches: woodgrain pattern surface  with nie on ji (refer to Chapter 3, Names of parts).   Very finely forged.  The hamon is a medium suguha (straight).  The boshi is ko-maru (small round).  Due to the kanmuri-otoshi style, it may not be easy to see the takenoko-zori; the mune side slightly bends inward.  Shintogo Kunimitsu is regarded as the top tanto maker.

13 «Part 2»Tanto photo with Saya

The above photo is also by Shintogo Kunimitsu (新藤五国光) with Saya.  Saya is the scabbard.  The handle of the scabbard (white part) is made of sharkskin.  Both photos are from the  Sano Museum Catalog “Reborn.”  Permission granted.                                                                     

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.