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carving and writing on blades


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Occasionally I see blades with carvings, they always seem to be the same form or designs, horimono?  is there any reason for them being there?  Just decorative? also I have seen funny squiggle like carvings, what are these ?   Do blades have actual writing on them ever? Kanji? and what do these say? are all these things tied to a specific date or school when they occur, or are consistent throughout.  Just thoughts

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post-3496-0-93605900-1585240365_thumb.jpg

 

⽊ wood

 

⼤ fire

 

⼠ earth

 

⾦ metal

 

⽔ water

 

Wǔxíng, the five elements

 

Latest opinion (from Darcy) is Yamato Senj’uin, maybe Uda.
Yamato Senjuin Koto period Kamakura ca. 1300-1326
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The squiggle-like carvings you mention are Sanskrit, I believe. It’s my understanding that horimono were sometimes used to conceal flaws—something to consider, especially if the horimono seems oddly placed. Despite how gorgeous and intricate some of the workmanship is, I have a hard time not thinking of the phrase “gilding the lily” (just my uncultured opinion).

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Dear Steff.

 

Another question with lots of answers.  The squiggles you refer to are probably bonji, carvings are usually called horimono, some schools do tend to use certain horimono but it's not always consistent, one school Kaifu, often sign on the hira ji of the blade.  Some smiths are well known for their horimono, one here for example by Tadatsuna who often signed with the addition of the phrase, "Hori do saku."  This basically means ,"and I carved the horimono too."

https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-awataguchi-ikkanshi-tadatsuna-hori-dosaku%E3%80%80/

 

All the best.

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So would these things be commissioned by a particular customer?  or would the smith just get creative suddenly, or see a blemish that he thought he could cover up with a nice carving suddenly?  or feel the blade required a little more power from the spirits? 

 

I guess another question I'm asking is were the better blades comissioned for specific purposes and customers, or smiths just made blades as they were, which would be bought or gifted to wealthy samurai etc?

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Dear Steffieeee,

 

The last few weeks, you have asked a number of very good beginner questions over several different posts.  Almost all of your questions would be answered by some of the basic books that are recommended here on the NMB.  I know it may seem easier being spoon fed answers, but it might be more rewarding for you to obtain some of the recommended books and do some reading (or at least try searching on this site for the answers - all of your questions have probably been answered on this site multiple times before).

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That's kind George. I have pretty much all of the books that were recommended. They don't answer the questions I've asked. And I like to have the input from the people who have various experiences and levels of knowledge on here. Opinions vary. Sorry if the questions irritate you

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 Hi Steffieeee, I'm not irritated - just amused that someone who has apparently been bitten by the nihonto and katchu bug would rather be coddled than using the great resources available here to find some of the easy answers herself.   ;-)

 

 BTW - here are links to past posts that have great info on horimono and each one has a good video too (not saying they will answer all your questions, but you can sit back and watch instead of having to read....)  :thumbsup:

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/29804-who-are-currently-the-best-horimono-carvers/?hl=horimono

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/9010-horimono-examples-on-blade/

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Sometimes you will see a single charactor, a "bonji" - BONJI (SANSCRIT)

Some blades with have a single kanji, written in sanscrit, that have meaning or significance in Buddhist beliefs. They were likely added at the request of the customer, either during manufacture, or some sometime after. These are “normally” found on the blade, but can be found on the nakago.

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The squiggle-like carvings you mention are Sanskrit, I believe. It’s my understanding that horimono were sometimes used to conceal flaws—something to consider, especially if the horimono seems oddly placed. Despite how gorgeous and intricate some of the workmanship is, I have a hard time not thinking of the phrase “gilding the lily” (just my uncultured opinion).

 

Being extremely direct - I heard this being stated hundreds of times and yet to see a single blade decisively proving the point. All horimono are placed exactly where they should be for the given image or fuller, and the given period or tradition. Quite a few of such decorate blades do have fukure or ware which sticks out in some other place.

Since the majority of really bad defects would be in the ha, one would expect some clever way to be devised to cover them up, but nothing short of very aggressive application of keisho does not come to mind.

I know quite a few collectors of koto who despise elaborate horimono since it conceals much of hada or could have been added later etc.

Still, placing horimono was quite expensive at the time.

 

Kirill R.

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Being extremely direct - I heard this being stated hundreds of times and yet to see a single blade decisively proving the point.

 

Kirill R.

Oh I have!!  Only one, but it was a horrormono.  I called it the Chicken Leg Dragon horrormono.  I showed it to a Japanese collector/dealer one day and he said "Oh, its not so bad!!"  I took this to mean that horimono were difficult to do at the best (worst?) of times.

 

BaZZa.

 

LATE EDIT: I forgot to add that there was indeed a dreadful kizu that ran through the dragon.

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I've seen quite a few online. Kazuuchimono style blades with crude bonji in the wrong place. Fairly obvious they were cut to hide big flaws. On a piece of no real quality, mediocre or poor horimono should always be distrusted.

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Here is an example of very rare thing, that is an added on writing on the blade itself. I believe it is usually called tōshin-kiritsukemei or at least that is what I personally call it now. I haven't found it listed in any of my glossaries but Japanese descriptions of specific swords usually state it as such as far as I can translate the text by myself.

 

This was a mystery for me for a long while and it might be for some others too so I thought I'd share it.

 

post-381-0-02919600-1585323046_thumb.jpg

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Yes I've got one of these hence my questions, wasn't sure if it was a legitimate thing or not, horimono seems to apply to any blade carving, bonji or actual writing. And they always seem to have Buddhist or zen reference? Seems pretty incredible talent to be able to carve into steel so easily. One wrong move and that's a lot of work down the drain..

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That appears to be an incredibly long nagako what on earth is that sword?

 

Here is an example of very rare thing, that is an added on writing on the blade itself. I believe it is usually called tōshin-kiritsukemei or at least that is what I personally call it now. I haven't found it listed in any of my glossaries but Japanese descriptions of specific swords usually state it as such as far as I can translate the text by myself.

 

This was a mystery for me for a long while and it might be for some others too so I thought I'd share it.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20200327_171455 (2).jpg

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Here is an example of very rare thing, that is an added on writing on the blade itself. I believe it is usually called tōshin-kiritsukemei or at least that is what I personally call it now. I haven't found it listed in any of my glossaries but Japanese descriptions of specific swords usually state it as such as far as I can translate the text by myself.

 

This was a mystery for me for a long while and it might be for some others too so I thought I'd share it.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20200327_171455 (2).jpg

 

Wow! That has to be an Ubu nakago right? That sword is amazing

 

But to the OPs question... There were many reasons to get horimono but I think as time went on it became more of an "art" or a way to show off your sword. In earlier times horimono represented certain beliefs in the symbols being carved into the blade adding power specific to each character or image. Kinda like Viking runes maybe?

 

And yes some horimono are meant to cover up flaws but most of the time you can still see what flaws were being covered.

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I posted that example above as it has writing (instead of horimono characters) on the blade which is very rare.

 

The sword is an ōdachi in the collection of Futarasan-jinja. It is mumei attributed to Sōshū Masahiro and Nanbokuchō period. The blade length is 117,8 cm and nakago is 53,1 cm.

 

Here is the writing on the blade. I do believe the main point of it is it was dedicated to the shrine 1474. Someone more proficient in Japanese language would be able to translate it.

 

奉施入中禅寺権現下州佐野庄舟越但馬守藤原高綱 / 文明六天四月日願主敬白

 

I believe pretty much all of the examples of tōshin-kiritsukemei I have seen have been on swords that are in the various shrines. In the masterpieces from Futarasan-jinja book 15 out of 34 swords featured have this type of writing on the blade.

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