Hoju/houju/houjyu School

[Fuuten]

Hi everyone,

 

I think i got all the ways its spelled in English. My story for now starts about a year ago when i bought a book called; the origin of the curve. In the book there is one blade that speaks to me in particular, which is a signed tachi by Hoju, (plate 20, plus some extra information but i don't have the book with me right now). I was trying to find a photo or scan of the entire sword online, but failed to do so, so far, tried all my online resources but closest was this blade which is mumei which kind of represents the blade from the book: http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/O111235_S1300_PUP_E.html

 

Anyway i'm quite interested in the school so i was wondering if there are certain books about that particular place. If anyone can give some recommendations i'de be very grateful.

 

Thank you in advance,

 

Axel

[Ken-Hawaii]

Axel, are you looking for information on the Hoju school, or this blade in particular?

 

There's some brief info on the school at http://www.sho-shin.com/tosan10.htm, & even less on page 23 of Nagayama.  A bit more at http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi/%2816%29%20No%20562.htm.

 

Very nice blade, BTW!  Best Ayasugi hada I've ever seen!

 

Ken

 

[Caleb Mok]

I think (?) this one counts, late Kama/early Nanbo, but with Mokume hada...

 

http://www.taiseido.biz/cn11/cn22/pg553.html

 

And if you search just 寳壽 綾杉 i.e .houju ayasugi, you get this among others:

 

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/obugyo-sama/e/73bc15a991a6e15379c3250eb0b88dd4

 

hope that helps -Caleb

[Caleb Mok]

This one is good too, but it is Nanbo/Muro...easier recognised ayasugi

 

http://isejinguu.gambler55.com/wp/?p=59711

 

This one much better because the signature is so similar to the one on sho-shin

 

http://toyuukai.com/2015/10/%E5%A4%AA%E5%88%80%E5%AE%9D%E5%AF%BF/

 

 

And finally, i am getting really quite desperate with this one

 

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tcOht3uI48kJ:aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/o73213118/+&cd=4&hl=zh-TW&ct=clnk&gl=tw

[Caleb Mok]

Oh wait, maybe one more

 

http://www.samurai-nippon.net/SHOP/648.html

[Fuuten]

I think (?) this one counts, late Kama/early Nanbo, but with Mokume hada...

 

http://www.taiseido.biz/cn11/cn22/pg553.html

 

Caleb, thank you for sharing, absolutely stunning hada on the tachi.

 

Mainly i made this topic because i want to know if there are some books about this school, maybe i should ask Grey

[Jussi Ekholm]

Info on sword n. 20 in that book - is roughly here. I've had a long day so there will be errors and this is already bit above my understanding.   Like always I trust that someone more experienced will make corrections to it.

 

重要美術品 - 太刀 - 銘 寳壽, 正中□年正月日 - 鎌倉時代 （ 一三二四、 五）東京都 武蔵御嶽神社蔵 - 刃長 七四,二 反り三,五 元幅 三,四 - 鎬造, 庵棟, 反り高, 中鋒. 鍛えは板目に杢目交じり肌立ち, 総体に白ける, 刃文は直刃に小乱交じり沸つき, 匂口沈む. 茎は生ぶ, 先栗尻, 鑢目不詳,目釘孔一個, 銘は表に二字銘, 裏に年紀がある.

 

宝寿は平安時代以来続く奥州舞草鍛冶で現存する寶壽ものは鎌倉時代初期以降室町時代後期に及んでいる. この太刀は正中（ 一三二四· 五） 年紀があり, 殊に貴重な資料である.

 

Jūyō bijutsu-hin - Tachi - Mei Hōju, Shōchū [] nen a day in new year - Kamakura jidai (1324-5) Tōkyōto Musashimitakejinja zō - Hachō 74,2 cm sori 3,5 cm. Motohaba 3,4 cm - Shinogi-zukuri, An-tō, Large sori, Chūhō. Kitae is itame and mokume it is hadatachi,  (I don't understand this), Hamon is suguha and ko-midare in nie, nioikuchi (sinks?). Nakago is ubu, saki kurijiri, yasurime can't be determined, 1 meguki-ana, mei is niji mei, there is date on ura side

 

Hōju started late Heian period in Ōshū. And Hōju is early Kamakura extending to late Muromachi period. This tachi is Shōchū (1324-5). This is very important article.

[Jean]

Jussi,

 

Hadatachi means a hada which is a bit rough/violent: a proeminent hada which can be seen 3 feet away. A standing out hada.

[Jussi Ekholm]

The part I didn't understand was between hada description and hamon separated by ,, Also subdued is better English word than sinking for nioiguchi.

 

I think hadatachi is common trademark of Hōju school. The above mentioned book is great source for Hōju blades as it has 10 of them. And it just happens to be one of my favorite books. :D

[Fuuten]

The part I didn't understand was between hada description and hamon separated by ,, Also subdued is better English word than sinking for nioiguchi.

 

I think hadatachi is common trademark of Hōju school. The above mentioned book is great source for Hōju blades as it has 10 of them. And it just happens to be one of my favorite books. :D

What did you think of nr. 20? Sure the whole book is full of gems, but plate 20 really spoke to me. The softness of the hamon and hada, really perfect in my view:)

[Ron STL]

I wanted to share photos of a naginata-naoshi daito that was briefly on Danny Massey's nihontocraft.com site several years back. It is an amazing sword with a dramatic sugata plus history. Danny gave me a disc of photos that show the hada better than what I'm posting here, but at the moment that file is lost somewhere in my "organized" filing system. I'll add jigane/hada descriptions and a few photos taken from my record sheet description for the Hoju. Some of you may recall seeing this on Danny's site. It is one of my favorite swords in my collection. This topic on Hoju has been quite interesting and have given me more great information on Hoju works. Ron STL

 

HAMON: Ko gunome midare based on suguha. The hamon is ko-nie deki with a soft nioi guchi. There are many ko ashi and some saka ashi. Lively inazuma and kinsuji are present. For example: one bright strand of inazuma in the omote monouchi is over six inches long. There is also sunagashi, which becomes most conspicuous in the monouchi and upper portion of the blade. (Danny Massey’s description)

KITAE: Itame with abundant ji-nie. This ji-nie is made up of ko-nie and looks like a wet mist on the surface of the blade. There are many chikei in the ji. O-mokume and o-itame in the hada mono stye is mixed in. Some flowing ayasuji hada can be seen near the cutting edge. Thick bright strands of chikei are abundant in these areas. Overall the jigane pattern is very clear. There is jifu and shirake utsuri that can be seen. (Danny Massey’s description)

Hairyo Sword (gift from a Superior) and the Edo period sayagaki   There are paper labels that are shown in the "as found" photos of this sword. These are now stored separately for the purpose of preservation. These labels state that: "Hairyo Kunimitsu Abura Saya". Hairyo means to be given as a gift from your Superior. As seen on the sayagaki, this blade was appraised in olden times as a Rai Kunimitsu. The sayagaki states: "Jo Shu Rai Kunimitsu." An attribution like this should not simply be dismissed nowadays. It is a reflection of how this was adored in the past and important in the context of a gift. This naginata naoshi katana was bestowed from a high ranking Samurai or Daiymo to a middle class samurai as a reward. This would have occurred in the Edo period. Knowledge of this adds a wonderful layer of interest ot history to our appreciation of the blade. One can’t help but wonder what feat had been accomplished to earn this giant blade as a reward! This old sayagaki were carefully preserved along with the original paper labels by the Edo perios owner, and then continued to be preserved by the Honma family after the Meji restoration. Today, we are so fortunate to have this information intact so that we know something of this wonderful sword's history.

 

[Fuuten]

Ron

[Ron STL]

Found my CD of photos on the Hoju. Attached are a few shots (Danny's photography) showing the jigane and hataraki. Ron STL

[Brian Brooke]

The old Hoju tachi that was listed on Sanmei is wonderful! Do Hoju school blades come up often?

 

Thanks

 

Brian

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

I think i got all the ways its spelled in English. My story for now starts about a year ago when i bought a book called; the origin of the curve. In the book there is one blade that speaks to me in particular, which is a signed tachi by Hoju, (plate 20, plus some extra information but i don't have the book with me right now). I was trying to find a photo or scan of the entire sword online, but failed to do so, so far, tried all my online resources but closest was this blade which is mumei which kind of represents the blade from the book: http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/O111235_S1300_PUP_E.html

 

Anyway i'm quite interested in the school so i was wondering if there are certain books about that particular place. If anyone can give some recommendations i'de be very grateful.

 

 

Thank you in advance,

 

Axel