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Tanto By Recent Smiths, Hayashibara Art Museum


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At the museum for another matter and was on the way out when Mr Ueda the young Gakugei-in suggested I see their exhibition. Well I had the time and the ¥800, so why not? Expecting nothing I walked into the gallery and was blown away by the quality of the exhibits. The walls were lined with beautiful short blades, many with commissioned koshirae, from all over Japan, Hokkaido to Kyushu. Each display gave the smith’s photo and comments as to what he was aiming for etc. and much was translated into English. On the walls behind were large colour mounted photos of beautiful young ladies in kimono, posed in old houses or gardens and demonstrating how they might have held their Tanto. Really tastefully done. The ladies alone I could have stared at for hours until the police came.

Halfway round, the room takes an L turn to the left, and they had wheeled out some really big name Kokuho tachi and Katana, maybe in case anyone was not satisfied with the wonderful modern works.

Bugyotsuji gives five stars to this one if anyone is nearby. *****

 

Photos were allowed, apart from the very last glass case holding a magnificent old Katana-kake.

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Pour mes amis Jean et Jean, I went back to the museum today for a turkey shoot. 41 shots enough? I realized half-way round that neither of you had expressed any focus of interest, so I was forced to take a little of everything going. You owe me 800 JPY for the second day's entry fee!

 

The English explanation of Mamori-gatana in the window above is getting updated very shortly, I was assured.

 

One interesting modern blade used to be in the collection of the late Prime Minister of Japan, Ryutaro Hashimoto. As I was admiring it, his son came over to me and said this was one object he secretly regretted donating. By Sumitani Masamine, who was officially designated as 'Nationally Important Intangible Culture'.

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Yes, for 1,600 yen. The exhibition has just started. You do not get the ladies in the catalog, though.

 

The horimono was done by Yanagimura Senju, who as he ages has become more and more famous. I had a sweet little Chiisa-gatana with a gold inlay by him in the blade, but stupidly I sold it... :(

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Fabulous blades, elegant mountings, beautiful ladies....a great day out and money well spent! The salmon colored sageo was a brilliant choice.  Very nice job with the pictures Peers.  BTW, do you have any pictures of the piece you mentioned selling (we all make mistakes, OUCH!) they would be interesting to see?

 

-Cheers,StevenK

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