Show us Your Commemoration/Presentation Swords

[Bruce Pennington]

Thought it might be useful to track blades made for commemorative events and as presentation swords. I expect it will be a short thread (like the Railway Swords thread) simply because these things are farely rare. But at least what we know of them can be found in a single location.

 

I'll start with 2 I know of:

 

Inscription: 謹大華鑛株式会社作之

Respectfully made at the Daika Ore Co. LTD

 

満州国建国十同年記念

10th anniversary of the foundation of Manshuko

 

As the Manchuoko govt was established in 1934, that should mean this was made in 1944. It came in navy fittings.

 

 

Found here: http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8552613#post8552613

[Bruce Pennington]

Second one was a Mantetsu blade presented to Railway Bureau in the area of the Mantetsu factory.

 

Inscription:

贈

吉林

哈爾浜

斉々哈爾

各鉄道局

 

Presented by the railway companies of

Jilin

Harbin

Qiqihar

 

 

Found here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28095-mantetsu-blade-with-long-inscription/

[Bryce]

G'day Bruce,

 

Here is my Kanemichi gunto made for Mr Minoru Nokura, to commemorate the 2nd year of the Pacific War, December 8 1942.

 

This sword was discussed here:

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/26068-kanemichi-gunto/?hl=kanemichi

 

Cheers,

Bryce

[IJASWORDS]

A Kato Jumyo Saku. Saying, Shindei mo mata koku'on. "Even if in the deepest swamp you are obliged to your country". From a poem by Rai San'yo I believe. 

Can any of our Japanese speakers confirm this please. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks guys, both unique! I think this will be an interesting journey!

 

I've filed Neil's under "Slogans" as I think we will find several of this type, apart from dedications and commemorations.

 

Bryce, I remember yours! Haven’t seen another one like it!

[IJASWORDS]

Bruce, is this a slogan, dedication, or commemoration? 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Bruce, is this a slogan, dedication, or commemoration? 

It says 伊賀大明神 Iga Daimyojin。大明神 is one of god's name of Japanese 神教 Shinto.

[Bruce Pennington]

It says 伊賀大明神 Iga Daimyojin。大明神 is one of god's name of Japanese 神教 Shinto.

Trystan,

Could we get more on that translation? What's the "Iga" part mean? Is it a prayer, or something else?

[Stephen]

Is this for WW2 only?

[Bruce Pennington]

Stephen, I hadn't thought of that, but we might as well open it up, right?

[Stephen]

Your call buddy. If others disagree we can remove.

[Bruce Pennington]

Your call buddy. If others disagree we can remove.

20190328_095907~3.jpg

Nice one Stephen, can we get a translation? And is that a kyugunto blade?

[BANGBANGSAN]

Trystan,

Could we get more on that translation? What's the "Iga" part mean? Is it a prayer, or something else?

Iga 伊賀 is the name of city .

[Kiipu]

Trystan,

Could we get more on that translation? What's the "Iga" part mean? Is it a prayer, or something else?

 

夛賀大明神

Taga Daimyōjin

夛 = 多

Use this for Internet searching 多賀大明神.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/多賀大社

Edited October 14, 2019 by Thomas

[BANGBANGSAN]

夛賀大明神

Taga Daimyōjin

夛 = 多

Use this for Internet searching 多賀大明神.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/多賀大社

Thomas

Thank for your correction!

[Stephen]

Searching my friend in mean time waiting for full via Markus.

Basically commemoration for the peace between Japan and the United States in 1952 coincides when they were allowed to start forging swords again. A tanto.

[Bruce Pennington]

Come on, you guys are killin' me! Is this "Daimyojin Shrine"?

[Bruce Pennington]

Searching my friend in mean time waiting for full via Markus.

Basically commemoration for the peace between Japan and the United States in 1952 coincides when they were allowed to start forging swords again. A tanto.

That's cool, Stephen. I'm filing it and will add full translation as you pass it along to us. Thanks!

[BANGBANGSAN]

Your call buddy. If others disagree we can remove.

20190328_095907~3.jpg

Its says: 講和紀念（Peace Agreement Commemoration)

豫州北條住（Yoshu (Iyo Province)Hojo live ）

登龍博正作（Touryu HiroMasa Made)

昭和廿(二十)七年八月日（Showa 27  Year(1952) August）

[Stephen]

Thanks Trystan...did you get images off website where i got it.

[BANGBANGSAN]

Thanks Trystan...did you get images off website where i got it.

I got the photos from Nipponto website

[Kiipu]

 多賀大明神   Taga Daimyōjin    (Japanese deity)

 

The above quote is from http://jtweymo.angelfire.com/KIRAKURYU_MOKUROKU.html.

Daimyōjin 大明神 is a title for a Shinto god and not a location.

 

Below are some English language links to get you started.

多賀

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taga-taisha

 

大明神

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myōjin

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Thomas, that last link did the trick! So this can be taken to say "The shining/apparent deity of Taga" or a reference to the "Taga Grand Shrine."

 

"Up until the early modern period, use of titles such as myōjin or gongen for many deities and their shrines were so widespread that these gods were rarely referred to by their proper names.[10] For instance, both the god of Kashima Shrine and the shrine itself were known as 'Kashima Daimyōjin' (鹿島大明神); the deity enshrined in Suwa Grand Shrine was called 'Suwa Daimyōjin' (諏訪(大)明神), and so on. (cf. Hachiman-daibosatsu (八幡大菩薩) or Kumano Gongen (熊野権現)). After his death, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was deified under the name 'Toyokuni Daimyōjin' (豊国大明神).[15][16]"

 

It is interesting that the "Dai" part was outlawed by the Meiji govt: "When the Meiji government officially separated Shinto from Buddhism, official use of titles and terminology perceived as having Buddhist connotations such as (dai)myōjin, (dai)gongen or daibosatsu by shrines were legally abolished and discouraged. However, a few deities/shrines are still often referred to as (dai)myōjin in popular usage even today. (E.g. Kanda Myōjin in Chiyoda, Tokyo, enshrining the deified vengeful spirit of Taira no Masakado).[citation needed]"

 

Neil, is there a date on this blade?

[Bruce Pennington]

Bruce, is this a slogan, dedication, or commemoration?

 

So, I would liken this to a guy tatoo-ing a cross on his arm, or a guy that goes to war wearing a St Christopher medalion. In a sense, he's saying "I'm dedicated to my God" (therefore, please GOD keep me safe!!!). So, I'll list this in the Dedications category.

[David Flynn]

As far as I know, it's a dedication to the Shrine, by the smith, not the owner.

[raaay]

Does this count ,  a sword made by Naotsugu in the grounds of the Hachiman Shrine

[Bruce Pennington]

Does this count ,  a sword made by Naotsugu in the grounds of the Hachiman Shrine

Ray,

I'm thinking this might require a new tracking folder for "Made In ..." as there are a number of swords out there with inscriptions like that. There are "shrine swords" too, but that normally refers to Yasukuni and Minatogawa Shrine swords. Do you know if the Hachiman Shrine was making swords on a regular basis?

[David Flynn]

Most "Shrine Swords",  weren't made at the particular shrine,  rather they are dedications, even if this isn't stated.

[raaay]

Bruce / Dave,   If you go to  and old posting called , show me your High Class Gunto topic ,  you will see the whole sword and the previous translation ,  I think on page 3

 

 

NB_ you are correct it most likely means made in the vicinity of the Hachi-man shrine .

 

 

 

 

Dave,   we did  meet a few years back at the  DTI in 2016 , when you were with Paul Martin , . I was the tallest of the three Scotsman that day !!  

[Bruce Pennington]

Most "Shrine Swords",  weren't made at the particular shrine,  rather they are dedications, even if this isn't stated.

David, were there swords donated to shrines? I read a post-war document talking about shrine swords that were pilfered after the war, so I assumed that meant the blades were located in the shrine?