Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 67|Part 2 of - - -31|Shin-Shin-To (Bakumatsu Period Sword) 1781-1867, Uncategorized

64| Part 2 of –30 Shin Shin-To : Bakumatsu sword (新々刀)

This Chapter is a detailed Chapter of the 30|Bakumatsu Period, Shin Shin-to.  Please read Chapter 30 before reading this chapter.

0-timeline - size 24 Bakumatsu

                  The circle Above indicates the time we discuss in this chapter.

Swords made between the Tennmei era (天明 1781) and the end of the Keio era (慶應) are called shin shin-to.  Please refer to the timeline above.  This period was when Japan was moving toward the Meiji Restoration, known as the Bakumatsu era.  During this time, sword-making became active again.  Below are the well-known swordsmiths from the main areas.

Musashi no Kuni  (武蔵の国: Tokyo today)                                                       

Suishinshi Masahide (水心子正秀) ——— When Suishinshi Masahide made Yamashiro-den style swords, their shapes resembled those of ko-to period swords; funbari, an elegant shape; chu-suguha (medium straight); komaru-boshi, with fine wood grain. When he forged in the Bizen style, he made a Koshi-zori shape, similar to a ko-to made by Bizen Osafune.  Nioi with ko-choji, and katai-ha (refer to  30| Bakumatsu Period Sword 新々刀).  In my old sword textbook, I noted that  I saw Suishinshi in November 1970 and October 1971.

Taikei Naotane (大慶直胤) ————————–Although Taikei Naotane was part of the Suishinshi group, he was one of the top swordsmiths.  He had an exceptional ability to forge a wide range of sword styles beautifully.  When he made a Bizen-den style, it resembled Nagamitsu from the Ko-to era, with nioi.  Also, he did sakasa-choji as Katayama Ichimonji had done.  Katai-ha appears.  The notes in my old textbook indicate I saw Naotane in August 1971.

Minamoto no Kiyomaro (源清麿) ————————– Kiyomaro wanted to join the Meiji Restoration movement as a samurai; however, his guardian recognized Kiyomaro’s talent as a master swordsmith and helped him become one.  It is said that because Kiyomaro had a drinking problem, he was not very eager to make swords.  At age 42, he committed seppuku.  Kiyomaro, who lived in Yotsuya (now part of Shinjuku, Tokyo), was called Yotsuya Masamune because he was as good as Masamune.  His swords featured wide-width, shallow sori, stretched kissaki, and fukura-kereru.  The boshi is komaru-boshi.  Fine wood grain ji-gane.

Settsu no Kuni   ( 摂津の国:  Osaka today)

Gassan Sadakazu (月山貞一) ———- Gassan excelled in the Soshu-den and Bizen-den styles, but he was capable of making in any style.  He was as much a genius as Taikei Naotane.  You must pay close attention to notice a sword made by Gassan from genuine ko-to.  He also had remarkable carving skills.  His hirazukuri-kowakizashi, forged in the Soshu-den style, looks just like a Masamune or a Yukimitsu.  He forged in the Yamashiro-den style, with Takenoko-zori, hoso-suguha, or chu-suguha in nie.  Additionally, he forged the Yamato-den style with masame-hada.

 

 

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.

Yurie Endo 遠藤由利江 13 Tanto(dagger) Middle Kamakura Period

12| The Middle Kamakura Period: Tanto (Dagger 鎌倉中期短刀）

0-timeline - size 24 Middle Kamakura

The red circle indicates the area we discuss in this chapter 

It is rare to find a tanto (短刀 dagger) made during the Heian period.  During the middle Kamakura period, many high-quality tanto were produced.  They were called takenoko-zori shaped tanto, with “takenoko” meaning bamboo shoot.  The back of the tanto curves inward slightly.

 

                              Middle Kamakura Period                                                                                                      Yamashiro School Tanto

12Tanto drawing Mid Kamakur

Sugata (shape)———-Hirazukuri.  This means there is no shinogi, no yokote line.  See the illustration above.  The standard tanto length is approximately ten inches.  The width is neither too wide nor too narrow, making it well-proportioned.  The body is slightly thick.  High gyo-no-mune (行の棟) and shin-no-mune (真の棟).　

13 Mune drawing

Hamon (刃文) ——————— The tempered area is narrow.  Nie base.  Suguha-midare (a straight-line pattern with an irregular wavy shape) or suguha-choji (a straight-line pattern with small choji).  The tempered edge line may display a frayed pattern.

Boshi(tempered line at Kissaki area) ———Yakizume,   Kaen,   Nie-kuzure.

13 Hamon and Hi

Engravings (彫刻) ———- Often, various types of engravings are applied to the lower part of the body.   These may include one or two grooves, Sanskrit, suken (spear), dragon, etc.  For the Sanskrit and spear, refer to the illustration in Chapter 8.

13 Hamon and Hi

Tanto Swordsmiths in the Middle Kamakura Period

Awataguchi group(粟田口)———————————Awataguchi Yoshimitu (粟田口吉光)  Rai group (来) ——————————————————————-Rai Kunitoshi(来国俊)  Soushu Group  (相州) ——————————————Shintougo Kunimitu (新藤五国光)  Bizen group (備前) —————————————————— Bizen Kagemitu (備前景光) Bungo no Kuni Group (豊後の国) ——————–Bungo-no-kuni Yukihira (豊後の国行平)

                          来国光（Rai Kunimitsu）

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