Late Tokugawa period stour

Earlier period of Yasunaga of the short sword (Tokyo National Museum possession) black ship visit to a shore previous night of Edo period. The decline of the samurai family became remarkable, and, by repeated famine without waiting for a black ship visit to a shore, the enlargement of the merchant by the rise of the money society, people have begun to feel the wind of the social change in consciousness / unconsciousness. I entered from the Dewa country Edo in such times, and the thing which polished 鍛刀技術 appeared. It is Kawabe matter Hachiro Masahide Fujiwara who changed a signature to Masahide in Yasunaga 3, the appearance of Masahide Suishinshi (すいしんしまさひで) who is that is to say called the father of the new sword. I sort the times to the Meiji Restoration with "a new sword" than this. Because beautiful iron came to be mass-produced for a characteristic by further progress of the iron manufacture technology, ground iron is plain, and there is the thing that I see it. The Hiroshi iron refinement technology was taken in in the latter period, too, and place of plain wind iron was made. There are many things which a smell mouth is rambling, and do it from a change of the ground iron and a fall of the quenching technology generally. In addition, the sword which gave skin forcibly and a copying thing of Kosaku appear with color iron as if I retrogress. The figure is various in each country, but it is it that I am accompanied by width of the body widely expired last growth, the curve generally.

With a book called "the maiden sword dialect doubt", 沸匂深 was in the condition of the celebrated sword, and, in early period of new sword, a samurai called Gyomyo Kamada insisted on a product and applauded Shinkai Inoue of the Osaka maiden sword, Tsuda Sukehiro. Therefore it was prevalent to bake splendid 涛瀾乱 れを which first-term Tsuda Sukehiro founded in the days of Edo in early period of new sword. However, the ground iron is weak with having no pattern key when I compare it with a core course, and the blade is high so as to suffer from 鎬, and there are much firing and products which I smell it, and is accompanied by 斑沸 with the result without vast cracking down on. Masahide who felt that it was far had doubt towards the opinion of Gyomyo Kamada with the practical use sword, and the restoration of the practical use sword that is to say advocated the restoration to the sword in the Kamakura era / the north and south Imperial Court times. It sounded with the social conditions that loyalty to the Emperor thought of the next was becoming popular, and this restoration movement interchanged with Kaji of each place (I became a pupil in order to learn Sagami biography, the hidden ritual of the Bizen biography) and brought up a large number of pupils at the same time. Though try ground iron manufacture for Kamakura / the north and south Imperial Court period which concentrate various devices, and wholesale iron aims for; did not need to arrive. This is similar today.

The pupil of Masahide is scattered to each place nationwide, and it may be said that the thing which is not affected by Masahide is nil among swordmakers of the new sword period literally. Great happiness direct paternal blood, Masayoshi Hosokawa, Kato rope Shun were to a well-known pupil and, like each Masahide, brought up many disciples.

A prodigy is born in Shinshu while a Masahide school plays an active part. I learn a making a sword from 河村寿隆 of Ozaki school descending from the Osaka maiden sword at the beginning, and it is found talent to Edo by Sugane Kubota whom it is from, a shogun's retainer, and was a person of military science in order to attend and makes copying of the Old celebrated sword of each house transmission. He is Kiyomaro Minamoto who became a swordmaker representing Edo period. There is a problem in the private life and retires from the world to Choshu and drinks large quantities of liquor without doing 鍛刀, and then 著名刀工固山宗次 and the episode that I drink it and compare it, and performed a battle are famous. Kiyomaro Minamoto undergoes a change of the first signature with limit / "round" / "Masayuki" / "清麿" with "Hideju". Because I lived in Yotsuya, I have the nickname of "the Yotsuya sword Masamune". Because they make copying to see the goods of Kosaku and improved their skill, a figure, the result are different from the reproduction of the Masahide school very much. I was in particular good at reversed character copying, Kaneuji Shizu copying. The ground iron attracts a line with the other new mechanic, too, and I forge it, and skin is powerful beautifully. In addition, the fried blade contains an officer of the old Japanese armed forces flourishingly like Kosaku. However, I left a large amount of debt (鍛刀, money of reputation) and committed suicide at 42 years old. A pupil has Nobuhide Kurihara, Kiyoto Fujiwara, Masao Suzuki. Kiyoto Fujiwara and Nobuhide Kurihara undertake 鍛刀 of a left promise after a teacher committed suicide and have the anecdote that gave back a debt.

There is a surprise attack case out of Sakurada-mon Gate where long-nosed goblin party case by the Mito loyalty to the Emperor group, Naosuke Ii were assassinated, and adherence to the shogunate group and loyalty to the Emperor group are mixed and confused in the countries, and struggle comes to be performed. To times environment, the samurais liking the demand for few knives, a tall and stout sword of the number of the making a swords increase after the Edo early days and a making a sword began prosperity again and invites the Meiji Restoration. Revenge was prohibited to (1873) in 1873, and the Japanese sword has declined rapidly because Law banning private possession of swords to prohibit a swordswoman (1876) other than a police officer / an officer on March 28 in 1876 was started.

After the Muromachi era

A school called "a small curve" in Bizen country played an active part in the days of Muromachi in the early days. The main swordmaker is Masamitsu Osafune, Hidemitsu, teacher light. Assistant, in the Oei era year to follow, passed through Bizen Shigeru Osafune light, Yasumitsu, a family, and the master craftspersons such as houses came. Because there are many things made in the Oei era year, these are called "Oei era Bizen" in the world.
 There is the characteristic of Oei era Bizen at the point that is the elegant figure which the waist curve that aimed at the sword of the Kamakura era points out. In addition, of the Kakitsu era because is strange, and the sword which 鎬作 Rino has a short was bought for indoor battles, the point performed the production of so-called short sword is an important point.
 It is just this time that a long sword, cooking with two spits-style of the short sword were born from a sword. A figure was very good, and the long sword (two the shakus 3 back where is just before) of Oei era Bizen, the short sword (one the shaku 5 back where is just before) were valued high so that a daimyo made beautiful attire in the Edo era. It is said that one step たたら iron manufacture technology progressed these days, and large-scale iron manufacture ground trace comes to be seen.

(the Japanese sword lowers a blade and I hit long sword (佩 (does a blade from a) く sword upward, and to put in a waist and, after the Muromachi middle, take place of) which is to a waist.) In addition, it is common that an aspect to become a sword / the long sword outward when I wore it cuts a swordmaker signature in the aspect by the list of the sword blade. Therefore, there are many cases that the long sword can be distinguished from a sword by a position cutting a signature, but cut it in engravings on the reverse side of the sword blade; the swordmaker is, too;).

A sword： 備前長船祐定 (青貝螺鈿拵).
The sword of the Muromachi era.
Because the peaceful times began, the home demand of the sword deteriorated, but the production as the light への important trade product came to be performed. And 粗製濫造品 called bad "number casts" such as the "sword (a lent sword) for rent" for farmer soldiers came to appear to the common soldiers in large quantities to meet enormous demand when the world of the war began by Onin War again. When the age of civil strife begins, sword production is performed in each place, and the Mino country where a swordmaker giving the Bizen country where a little over 60 was prepared and a 兼 "certain person" played an active part in only the swordmaker giving 祐定 in particular is the two excellent things of the production base. Alternatively, Bungo, Mihara, Yamato, Kaga, Ecchu, Suruga Province are known. From the Kansho era year to the Tensho era that matchlocks spread, there are many swords (two shaku front and back) of the single closing a bargain. In addition, there was able to be the thing that the military commander spending all its time ing battle orders the sword which oneself entrusts with fate specially. "An order touches" these, and being similar has celebrated swords. I bake the eyes disorder of each other with a compromise blade from the inside to the point from the cause to the middle whether the product reflects the sense of beauty of the Kuriyama certain person of the orderer in Eisho era one-year term of "長船與三左衛門祐定" appointed to important cultural property, and it is the unique celebrated sword of the conventional sense. For the well-known swordmaker of the same period Norimitsu of Bizen, a living-in-light, light, Yuuko, 勝光, sect light, Kiyomitsu, Harumitsu, Osamu light, Yukimitsu who congratulate it. 兼定 of Mino, Kanemoto, 兼常, Kanefusa, 兼先, Kanemichi, Kanenori, 兼若, 氏貞等 are given. In the other district, wide Sagami rope; Muramasa Sengo high Tenjin Kaneaki, Bungo flat Shizu religion, flat Anjo Chokichi, 手掻包真, State of California line light, Uda country sect, Namihira certain person. In addition, it seems that there was more number of swordmakers than World War II time when I include a nameless swordmaker.

However, by the transmission of the gun by the Western trade, I will greet rapid switch from the form of the battle to the figure of the sword. At first 甲冑 was reinforced to be opposed to a gun. In addition, because large-scale battles increased, it was fighting for the long time with the figure which grasped a handle with both hands from conventional single closing a bargain in order to bear it, and width of the body was wide, and I repeated it, and I was thick, and a sword of the large chop ahead has begun to appear. This figure was inherited after the world unification by Hideyoshi Toyotomi and became the soil which produced magnificent "Keicho era maiden sword" positions.

In the days of the north and south Imperial Court

What I watch as daringly another times is common in the history of sword arms by the political periodization in the days of north and south morning with much what is included in the Muromachi era.

The sword of this time is different from the other times, and a lot of large-sized things such as a long sword / the short sword are made.

Sagami biography has an influence on each place in this time as I already spoke it. The thing which brought "eyes disorder (ぐのめみだれ) of each other" into "のたれ" is good, and it is supposed, and the eyes disorder of each other is seen in the product of the Kanemitsu school which was leader of Osafune group in those days in the Bizen country which was big power than ancient times not traditional clove disorder (I grow and am confused), and the pattern on the sword blade has an influence to the swordmaker of the Osafune school of the back.

As for the sword of this time, it is done 磨上 げ (I print it off) / 大磨上 げ (I print it off) of the thing which was a long sword of 元来長寸 in history, and it is coordinated length, and there are many things remade by a long sword.

Because war-torn country military commanders such as Nobunaga Oda let you do treasured sword a lot of 磨上 in the Tensho era year, I call 磨上 in Muromachi last years with "天正磨上", and there are many great celebrated swords. In addition, the short-sword fencing exists a little in this time, and it seems that I suggest a long sword of the next.

The Kamakura era

Biography Yoritomo Minamoto image. I do a sword worn of hair-tweezers form sword. The early Japanese sword does last years and the figure which I do not take place of very much in the days of peace in the days of Kamakura, but the system of the military administration by the Kamakura Shogunate establishes it, and sword world becomes active. The back Toba ex-emperor installed turn Kaji and let I caught a swordmaker monthly and do 鍛刀, and a reason encouraged a making a sword to you positively when the ex-emperor oneself put a fried blade. Above all, 刀工則宗 of Bizen is famous. Awata mouth group, the 1 character group of the Bizen country of the Yamashiro country came into existence newly in this time.

As a result of having made much of utility when it is the middle in the days of Kamakura, width of the body is wide, and the difference of former width and the point width decreases and flat meat is good and follows it. The spearhead is wide, and length is jam-packed and becomes a man with a short, thick neck (there is it, neck) and simple and sturdy の character is good and appears. The production of the knife becomes active from these days, and it is often supposed an example. For the characteristic of the knife of this time, I slightly become the inner curve (it is thought that I polish it, and ridges decreased) whether there is not a curve, and, as for the stem, there are a thing without the curve and long-sleeved kimono form (feint sleeves). As a famous swordmaker of this time, Kunitomo of the Awata mouth group of Yamashiro, 則国, Kuniyoshi, Yoshimitsu, Kuniyasu, a country line, Kunitoshi Rai of the country next group (as for there being it), two characters country Shun (it merely cuts a signature character with "country Shun not "Kunitoshi Rai), Toma group country line", 手掻派 包永" of the Yamato country, 保昌派, Senju House group, Fukuoka 1 character group of the Bizen country are late a little, and there are Hajime Yoshioka letter group, 光忠 of Osafune group, the Zichang light, the blue Jiang Sadaji school of the Bicchu country.

In addition, in the Kamakura Shogunate, I invited a master craftsperson for making a sword study promotion from each place. It is said to the main swordmaker with the assistant truth, the country sect of the country denomination of the Fukuoka 1 character group, Kyoto biography, five Shindo light to descend from Tsutae Yamato from the Yamashiro country by six Awata Kuchifuji left neighboring country ropes, the Bizen country. As for five Shindo light, 沸働 きの seen in Tsutae Yamato establishes a strong style on minute soil iron of the conventional Tsutae Yamashiro tradition, and it is said in particular with the father of "the Sagami biography" virtually. Line light, Kunihiro are to the pupil, and Ecchu Norishige, the Goro, Okazaki lay priest sword Masamune are known to a pupil of the line light. One Sagami biography known as "the smell result" is "沸出来" Bizen biography.

A making a sword method of 5 countries of Yamashiro / Yamato / Bizen / Mino / Sagami is called "Tsutae Goka". For a making a sword of these 5 countries, I strengthen ground iron each, and there is an original characteristic in patterns on the sword blade and names it "Tsutae Yamashiro", "Sagami biography". In addition, there is a custom called "the Sagami biography" without saying "the Sagami biography" about the Sagami country. It is the division which the Honnami whole families whom Tsutae Goka runs in the Momoyama - Edo era, and lived by sword abrasion / judgment arranged.

The making a sword is energized by disturbances such as 2 degrees Mongolian Invasions or the collapse of the political system more in the days of Kamakura in last years. The Japanese sword of this time turns into the thing which made a figure of the Kamakura middle more daring. The width of the body becomes wider, and the difference of former width and last width decreases, and the things that a spearhead spread increase. A product of 長寸 comes out to a knife and other swords in the same way as a sword. But the point where a stack is thin in the whole is a big difference with the other times.

When it is terminal, and the best-known swordmaker, the Goro, Okazaki lay priest Masamune of Sagami can just write it from the Kamakura middle and played an active part in the ancient and modern times, it is supposed. He is known for the style that strengthened "the Sagami biography" which five Shindo light established more. I expressed "a work of 沸" of the whole ground blade that it was called sand style (I do not do it, but do it) / officer of the old Japanese armed forces (a Kin line) / 沸裂 (I am boiled and bloom) / 地景 (ちけい) / melting away (ゆばしり) / 沸映 り (I am boiled and move) by strengthening the place of bulls and bears iron that put steel together skillfully by strengthening the place of bulls and bears iron that put steel together skillfully than a conventional swordmaker. 沸荒 く in coming ages flies and bakes it and pulls remarkable "Sagami biography" and line, and I distinguish the product of the "Sagami biography" swordmaker at the same period from "the product of the mechanic in Sagami", and the brightness of small 沸 in a blade is particularly applauded. In addition, I established a gorgeous pattern on the sword blade of the conventional large disorder that brought "eyes disorder (ぐのめみだれ) of each other" into "gulf れ" (sauce) like "a work" of the ground iron being luxurious gorgeousness. The style of the sword Masamune had a great influence on the swordmaker of each place of the north and south dynasty period from Kamakura last years. There is a swordmaker called "sword Masamune ten sages" in the world. Though the most of them are pretexts of coming ages, and there are not real master and pupil relations with the sword Masamune, it is good and understands that the Sagami biography of the sword Masamune had an influence on each place.

The history of the Japanese sword The Heian era

Inariyma small Kaji. Swordsmith / Munechika let a messenger of Inari chime in and finished a celebrated sword called the little fox-maru.
The power of the samurai family increases in the days of peace from a position in pre-9 when samurai family power became particularly active and the position area of Gosannen in the latter period, and a sword develops with this and usually does things after this with a Japanese sword. Each school of the swordmaker appeared in Yamashiro state / the Yamato country which was cloud Haku border area and Bizen country and the center of the political culture where high quality iron sand was produced. The sword that the Japanese sword of these days was thought about mainly on an Umaue decisive battle is the subject. "Little fox circle" (destroyed by fire at the time of Munechika Sanjo product of the Yamashiro country, World War II) with the legend that let "running out of apprentice to a priest" (the Yasushi rope product of the Hoki country, a national treasure) and a fox said to that Yorimitsu Minamotono cut the drinker apprentice to a priest of the river and mountain very much beat against 合鎚 is a Japanese sword representing this time. The Yasushi rope of the cloud Haku border that is the author of "the running out of apprentice to a priest" does the times with (about 806) to an old book of secrets in the Datong year of the beginning in the ninth century, but it is history of sword that watch with the time in ten end of the century at the peace middle, and it is it with a common view without stopping in the days of to there as far as I watch an existence work. Other than Yasushi rope, three lines of small Munechika Kaji of Yamashiro (Kyoto), Old Bizen Tomonari are considered to be the oldest swordmaker with the existence having the maker's name inscribed product.

I list below the characteristics of the sword of the Heian era. As for the finish, as for the width of the body (みはば), a spearhead (きっさき) is clogged up with 鎬造 り, a hermitage ridge (there is it, cage chest) narrowly generally and becomes cut. The figure does a figure falling down to the ridge side from a waist and I bend and am high, and, as for the edge (I beat), a curve lie down, and it is about time when. I do a figure elegant (the form that last width becomes narrow in comparison with former width) with the holding out. The pattern on the sword blade (はもん) contains fine regularity of a wave pattern in the sword (it is crowded and becomes dull) a direct blade (immediately) or a small clove (こちょうじ) and is the 沸 (boiled) result. The fried width is not so wide, and there are many things that a pattern on the sword blade begins from a little ahead from the blade ward (I wait). I polish this, and it is relations of the decrease, but I call it "the fried last joke", and Bungo country white-glazed earthenware pans are seen in Kyushu Kaji even in coming ages. We have a curve to the stem (a basket), and pheasant crotch (a pheasant peach) form is the mainstream. There is rarely the daring sword that there are not many differences in width of the body (みはば) of former future, and well-known, parcel flat の size parcel flat (おおかねひら Tokyo National Museum storehouse) 真恒 (Mt. tongue Tsune Kuno Tosho-gu Shrine storehouse) of Old Bizen group, Tomonari (I become it, Itsukushima-jinja Shrine storehouse), large Norita (おおでんた Iku Maeda virtue society storehouse) of Miike Mitsuyo (I look, and go, Mitsuyo) of Kyushu are appointed to a national treasure both.

The history of the Japanese sword

As for the Japanese sword, politics / economy / culture / manners and customs / a custom was combined with a historic factor of then and repeated a change.


From ancient times to an appearance of the tulwar

Prince Shotoku who does 佩用 of a dirk (I stand). I lower a dirk with Yamagata hardware and long metal fittings in 帯取 and 佩緒 in a sheath of the black lacquer coat. An iron sword was already made in Burial Mound age. For example, an iron sword, a dirk excavate it from the Tsukuriyama old burial mound which is a large-sized square tumulus of Izumo representing the first half year in the days of an old burial mound of Inariyma old burial mound and Shimane of Saitama. An origin that I made it from the Inariyma old burial mound in commemoration of the achievement that served ワカタケル (the Emperor Yuryaku) in excavated 金錯銘鉄剣 in 471 is ticked away in a kanji of 115 characters. Many of swords of this time do 朽損, but there is 金銅装環頭大刀 of the Yasugi-shi, Shimane のかわらけ Valley exhumation in superior state of preservation miraculously, and I have a golden handle, and even the sword blade is famous as the rare example which can stream down ancient brightness in now.

7 - A sword after the eighth century has many things keeping the original form well, and "丙子椒林剣 (Rin Ken whom I do a wall, and carry it on its back) and the "7 star sword (しちせいけん) of Shitenno-ji Temple, "金銀鈿荘唐大刀" (I tend not to leave Kin Gin from going) of Shoso-in are known (I assign the character of the dirk" to a straight sword before the tulwar completion not a sword"). In this time, a sword of Kure (the general term of the Southeast in China) was done with best so that the Emperor Suiko wrote it with "Kure のまさび if it was a piece of the sun, a sword if it was a horse". But, the standard of the Japanese Kaji craftsman rose, too. The domestic straight sword called a Chinese design sword is kept with the visit product from the foreign countries called a Chinese style sword in Shoso-in. In addition, a straight sword made with flat plowing / an edge of a sword, the domestic sword such as the sword with a bracken-shaped grip (わらびてのかたな) exist.

It was not elucidated enough scientifically whether the memento of the early sword was poor, and the change of the style and how when Japanese original tulwar were formed in the days of peace, but a sword with a bracken-shaped grip (a flexura sword) with the curve came to be used for the sword blade which it was easy to treat at the time of riding on horseback in substitution for a straight sword in before (the the tenth century time) after the middle in the Heian era when Revolts of the Shohei and Tengyo periods occurred. As for this, the sword with a bracken-shaped grip which I used while 俘囚 rides a horse in a dispute with Tohoku tormented in a for a long time is considered to influence it. In addition, in substitution for flat plowing / an edge of a sword structure, it is this time that a sword of the "鎬造 り" (I get and make it) that the section of the sword blade is a long lozenge came to be made. It is said that I am more firm than flat plowing / an edge of a sword structure and am easy to cut "鎬造 り". A handle is small Karasuma with the curve with a sword blade and hair-tweezers form sword and a spearhead double-edged blade (きっさきもろは) structure of the coiron being the transition period of the above-mentioned change (こがらすまる); (swordmaker "heaven" (of) is sweet, and resemble the beginning to an old book of secrets in (the eighth century in the Daiho year, and there is small Karasuma with a product of), but, as for the real production, what watch with the peace middle becomes an established theory). As for the hair-tweezers form sword, Hidesato Fujiwara business and the thing of Ise-jingu Grand Shrine to tell are famous. Because there is openwork of the hair-tweezers form to a handle, there is this name.

A name called "the Japanese sword"

"The Japanese sword" is a name when I looked from the foreign countries originally. I call it "a sword" (it is a person) or "a sword" (a sword) in old Japan and do not use the name called "the Japanese sword".

The name called "the Japanese sword" is seen in "a Japanese sword song" of Europe positive Osamu (I learn it to chase it) who is a poet of north Soong. In this poetry, a point of view of the art such as a thing and the decoration or the features to go is sung to purchase the Japanese sword that a merchant of 越 (the sinter south) was already called a precious sword in those days to Japan. The main subject of "the song of Japanese sword" is the poetry that grieved over there being the book which has been already scattered and lost in Japan not a Japanese sword in China,; but the beauty of the Japanese sword is the latter period in the Heian era - It is recognized and has already shown that I was considered to be the one of the exports to overseas connoisseurs in the days of Kamakura in the early days.

It is a thing after the late Tokugawa period that a name called "the Japanese sword" spread out as a general name for the Japanese. As the reason, cope with what the Japanese picture which flow out into Europe, and evaluation was sublimed into distinguishes it from a conventional Western picture, and came to be referred to "a Japanese traditional painting" after the late Tokugawa period; and for a Western sword called the Japanese sword called it, and settled. Or a name called "the sword" was common "a long sword" before it (I beat, and it is). It was to enter Showa mainly that a name called the Japanese sword was tied to nationalism, and came to be told, and it was only swords fossil in the Meiji era, and the sword of the saber style was adopted as a saber until the time of the Manchurian Incident.

A general statement

A beautiful figure has a symbolic meaning with a role as the weapon from ancient times, and there are many high things of the evaluation as a work of art. It was respected as proof of the authority with the lineage which followed for a long time. In addition, it functioned as a prop of the moral culture as "a soul of the samurais" backed by the samurai Administration.

And it is with a point and a sword blade basket (a stem, the center) that the characteristic assumes steel trained well in "lapel training method" material is united structure. An objective aperture (a rivet of a gun stock aperture) fixing a sword blade to a handle in a rivet of a gun stock to a stem is arranged (there is rarely the thing without a rivet of a gun stock aperture with swords for dedication). In addition, the Japanese sword is different from the swords of many foreign countries, and it may be said that it is the greatest characteristic with sword blade in itself showing artistic value separately from decoration product (I make it).

A Japanese sword

The general term of the swords that the Japanese sword (nihonto) was made by a manufacturing process peculiar to Japan. The swords were made in Japan from Burial Mound age, but generally the thing called a Japanese sword appears in last years in the Heian era and puts the mainstream and the sword which curved that it was it after it. It is classified in a sword (a sword / a long sword), a short sword (a short sword), a knife by dimensions. A wide sense contains a long volume, a Japanese halberd, a sword, the spearmanship, too.

The person of the job to make a sword is called "a swordmaker", "a swordsmith", "a swordsmith".