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I'm proud to announce that my Kirishitan tsuba got awarded the 4th Effort Award in this year's NBTHK contest! This is an incredible reward for my hard work on improving my skills. To my knowledge i'm the only foreigner to win an award in this category for NBTHK competitions ( Ford Hallam only achieved Nyusen before moving to NBSK). My work will be featured in the catalogue and the exhibition, so please take a look if you have the chance. Following there are the pictures and a link to a video that shows the special feature of the mimi Link to the video https://drive.google.com/file/d/15HyBoEufhpyEx98n4Y9BETWOtrMtt5o6/view?usp=drive_link

Japan ART FAIR 2025 Enjoi the pictures. Tom

Japan ART FAIR 2025

Japan ART FAIR 2025

The paperwork says ‘Daigoro-utsushi’, which does suggest late Edo. The Yodo River ran through Arashiyama (south Kyoto) and Osaka but changed names at least three times according to which section, the ‘Yodogawa’ at its lower end. (The Yodo waterwheel and sometimes riverbank stakes often symbolized Osaka.)

Visited for the first time, beautiful event in an equally beautiful and exclusive location, very helpful and friendly dealers, I sincerely hope that this event will be maintained because we desperately need it in Europe, hope that the dealers have also done good business because in the end a lot also depends on this. I see the format itself as centered but in a growth perspective it would be interesting to integrate more laboratories / lectures also in general on Japanese culture that can attract a more varied audience. The blade posted by Luc is a Gassan Sadanobu was exhibited together with 3 other Gassan including an Sadakazu Odachi for the very interesting lecture held by Simone di Franco on the Gassan school, obviously magnificent horimono as per Gassan tradition. Regarding possible purchases the offer was varied with both entry level and high level pieces, especially for entry level I saw several interesting pieces compared to the asking price so I strongly suggest to those who are thinking about their first purchase to come to the next edition. @Jussi Ekholm I thought of you when I saw this , never seen so many ana.. PS: sorry for the low quality photos but I didn't want to be too annoying towards the dealers... Giordy

some more pics

There is a gofundme set up for the repatriation of his ashes - please consider a donation https://gofund.me/ae445a37

Japan ART FAIR 2025

The other way round - Daigoro is the successor of Kyo Sukashi in middle/late Edo period Daigoro is well known for an elaborate lattice-like design like these: Sometimes the waterwheel-bridge-motif in question is assigned to Daigoro but I think because of a lack of refinement it is earlier, thus Kyo-sukashi.

Well said. Kazuuchi that are meant for a single battle, being preciously kept and making it through multiple eras and being polished without the polisher telling them the sword is crap, is a pretty half-baked theory. I am sure there might be some instances as most things have outliers, but what you're saying makes total sense to me. It doesn't help that many seemingly reputable websites seem to push this theory: https://www.mandarinmansion.com/glossary/bizen-sukesada Luckily they do quote from Darcy's website: "So generally, the longer the signature and the more information it contains, the better. But it's not always that simple. and shorter signatures do not always indicate lesser work. A case in point is a Juyo Token ranked katana, attributed to Hikobei no Jō Sukesada that is signed only Bishū Osafune Sukesada"

Not sure where or when it was started but people have a very twisted view when it comes to Bizen Koku / Bishu mei and Kazuuchi. There were a lot of Sukesada smiths ( 30+ ) producing a lot of blades of varying quality in the 1500s ( esp starting in the Tenbun era coinciding with larger sengoku armies ). At some point people decided to associate mei with quality and I think this is wrong. Based on availability , I do believe a lot more swords were signed Bishu instead of Bizen Koku so naturally there are a lot of lower quality swords bearing the Bishu mei and this warped peoples preception of the mei. I have seen many TokuHo Sukesada with Bishu and low quality blades with Bizen Koku. To make things more confusing , many Bizen smiths also strictly used the Bishu mei in the 1400s and early 1500s adding to the confusion People are also quick to label them Kazuuchi which I believe are a whole separate thing ( mumei/nijimei with rough masame hada ). Ironically these true Kazuuchi would be unlikely to be found 500 years later since it would mean someone took care of them through the muromachi, through the entire edo period , the sword ban , and then somehow be recovered and deemed worthy to preserve after WWII. I may be biased because of my love of sue bizen but I wish more research and literature was readily available to clear up the many misconceptions around

I think everyone was smitten by at least one blade in the show (probably several). For me the highlight was the Sa Kunihiro tanto, unfortunately sold prior to the show. Its koshirae was equally as impressive. Quality of the polish was next level. The Tametsugu was also a nice example of his work. However it was a little short at 66cm and the gawdy gold urushi tachi koshirae was not to my preference.

My thoughts on these questions: Luc's talk on the evolution of the kabuto was an excellent concise and reasoned overview in the time allowed. The same goes for Simone's talk on the history of the Gassan school, both excellent and very interesting talks. As for the positioning of the blade, a picture says it all: All in all, a fantastic and very enjoyable happening, with a Tokubetsu Iga no Kami Fujiwara Sadatsugu keeping me company on the way home! Pierre

Dear All. So a birthday road trip with my lovely wife and she starts asking me about swords. Out of nowhere the question, 'When did shirasaya start being used?' Looong silence.......until I realised I had no idea and had never read anything about this. Any ideas folks? All the best.

Chiddingstone castle visit

Some more photos from the man cave 😆 Currently just adding detail to my replica armour but itching to start some restoration on older stuff. I have some “Edo Period” kote in not too bad shape and looking to replace areas of the kusari loss and Kotezuke no takahimo. I’ll post some photos before I start and hopefully get advice 👍🏼

Well now we know! An old Tanto blade repurposed. Interesting and it has its own place in history. Possibly used as a multi-purpose tool rather than a gardening tool (wrong shape for that). Also, the saya is far too long and too curved to have been made for this blade so maybe it’s a marriage between an old blade and an existing mounting.

Originated as a genuine tanto, maybe repurposed by someone or some group. I still suspect some or other more primitive group.

Chemical trails, aliens at area 51, flat hearth, cast tsuba everywhere and now the dealers conspiracy... They sound the same to me.

Proving that some incredible swords can carry just the Bishu Osafune Sukesada signature. Here is mine in the same signature + date 1567 - some incredible utsuri in sashikomi polish Length: 71.5cm Curve: 2.5cm Width moto-haba: 3.22cm Thickness moto-kasane: 0.77cm Width saki-haba: 2.55cm Thickness saki-kasane: 0.60cm

Thank you for the reports everyone. For us who couldn't attend it is great fun to read them. I am also happy that several people have nudged me towards the Ayanokōji ōdachi. Now for the shock of many I might actually prefer the Gassan Sadakazu ōdachi just based on the few pics... 🫣 that is just the feeling by looking at few pics. And feeling is for me the most important thing. The Ayanokōji blade is of course very interesting too. Seeing it got appraised by Tanobe and what he wrote about it, would be amazing to sit down and pick his brain about the sword, as his knowledge is superior. Would have loved to see it in person and make my own idea of the item 😊

I add also had a great experience at Japan Art Fair, the three days wasn't too much to enjoy blades and people. I regret not having met our german fellows but I was caught up by time. I want to especially thanks the sellers for their kindness and availability, always ready to present theirs items. And of course a great thanks to the organizers. Giordy, I dreamed of this giant Ayanakoji friday night, very impressive and beautiful blade. By the way I didn't Shinsa'ed anything so can't express. I will come back next year. Can't say it better

Another great event and certainly exceeded last years, both in terms of number of dealers (several new faces in the booths from Japan and Australia) and range of blades, with a little more emphasis on Koto. Many Juyo papered blades were available for sale too. There was a booth demonstrating urushi polishing and a separate room featuring the work of a calligrapher. Yes, I would agree a few more lectures covering a wider variety of Japanese culture would encourage greater attendance by the lay person. Maybe a tea ceremony demo would be a nice idea. Its a shame the event is poorly attended by the NBTHK-EB members. The more support it gets the more likely it is to continue. Europe sorely needs the Japan Art Fair. Congrats to Henk and Daisuke san for organizing this annual 3 day expo which seems to grow in strength with increasing years. I plan to be there next year too. Did anyone get their blade(s) shinsa'ed on the Sunday? How did that go?

It was a very nice edition, maybe the best till now! I met a lot of new JAS-members, and it was an honour to give a lecture for you all.

The Yamagami brother’s matsu stamp mystery. I have come across several references to traditional Japanese sword smithing where materials are mentioned. There is the obvious tamahagane, but they also mention pine charcoal as essential in nihonto production. This pine charcoal is called matsu-zumi Articles state that in ww2 the army supplied tamahagane to rjt smiths while the province was required to supply matsu-zumi. Articles also state that tamahagane was in short supply and strictly controlled. One would expect that matsu-zumi would also be scarce. Perhaps, in the mix of materials and methods used in war production, identifying pine charcoal as a material was important. Perhaps, like the military star-stamp, the matsu stamp is the A seal of traditional materials/methods.

Some “enhancements” of my replica armour and learning how to recognise genuine historical armour.

The glue left me no choice. It was everywhere: on surfaces and in crevices. This annoyed me greatly. I had to clean it. I made some wooden scrapers to remove glue. I used all kinds of soft brushes to work on brass parts. I used small brushes from the set for paint gun cleaning to clean dust from inside of saya. It looked similar to this "special tool" I made to clean the insides of tsuke, but I used some piece of wire instead of a wooden stick. I couldn't say that I was satisfied with the results of cleaning, but I believe it had to be done.

So, made in 1940.

@george trotter Got a new smith to add to our Matsu survey! Masakane from Ibaraki prefecture. Posted by Geoff - @Foletta - HERE. That makes 6 smiths in 4 adjoining prefectures - Niigata, Nagano, Gunma, and Ibaraki

Transitions periods are very interesting to study: for example, I have a Mihara sword from Momoyama tensho wich shows all the caracteristics of Kanbun Shinto and even integrating mino influence in hamon... Mihara is usualy very conservative yamato-den... and disapered in shinto. Best, Eric

Well, I obviously made a mistake. I didn't want to start a fundamental discussion about the Mino tradition here. I just wanted to show that there are important reasons for the emergence of certain traditions (or renaissances), which need to be examined. It should have decisive (also distinguishing) characteristics, as well as a fundamental influence on a craft, so that specific characteristics and peculiarities are passed down through generations. In all traditions and renaissances, there are certain schools that have periods of prosperity, which often only maintain a certain level of quality for a few generations and then disappear into insignificance. This can be mirrored in a renaissance such as Shinto. And as others have already written here, it would make sense to divide Shinto into several phases, as each phase is subject to certain conditions and characteristics. Everyone can decide for themselves how they want to divide them up. It may be legitimate to date the beginning of Shinto in textbooks to around 1600. However, if you take a closer look, you cannot avoid including the Momoyama as the actual foundation of Shinto. And that brings us back to the topic. So when it comes to the transition from Koto to Shinto, we should look at the Momoyama period. The consolidation of Shinto is certainly from the Keicho via the Kanei to Meireki/Manji. If you are more fascinated by High Shinto, you should look at Kanbun to Enpo. And if you want to know why Shinto loses its power, you need to look at the period from Genroku and onwards. That's my opinion.

If memory serves me right it may have originated from larger Daimyo collections.

I decided I was happy with the Chiyozuru blade at Aoi and have made the purchase. Thank you for your comments in this thread.

wait it already went. I was busy with my finals

R.P. You have and present an interesting sword that appears to reflect - at least - some recent history of sword assessment and kantei. On the surface it appears certainly to be a well made, highly regarded blade with formal attribution to a serious early Shinto smith. Nidai Kunikane was the son of the Shodai master and he made very good blades. I'll dig out some specific later, but for now all we need to know is that he learned, mastered, and presented the techniques his father resurrected of the Yamato tradition, good masame, no turnback on the kissaki, and nice full niku . But, those techniques were subsequently past on the the following 12 generations so the picture gets complex. And somebody(???) put his name on lots of those swords. Thus, getting paper for his signed swords is tough... trust me ! Add to all of that, this sword carries an old "green paper" that also has a complex history. Bottom line, this probably is a VERY good sword that deserves appreciation. I'd like to see the saya-gaki, too, please. Peter

Hello everybody, New to the forum, allow me to introduce myself. Born in 1953, a Year of the Snake, I studied in Japan from 1985 till 1987, while practising kendō. A lifelong interest in Nihonshi and classic Japanese is the result, with a special interest in nihontō and katchū. After retiring from civil service in 2013, time has come to extend my modest collection and knowledge of nihontō. Glad to be here, Pierre

Anyone get this one: I'm hoping one of our members did. I've got other fish to fry at the moment, but I probably should have picked this one up for study. I understand why it went for so low, yet think it is probably a good tsuba. What some might see as defects might be something else.

Here are some examples posted by @Stegel on this thread - Gold Painted Gunto I repainted a 95 years ago that had been completely stirpped and spray-painted gold, even the blade. I used an Army Green mixed with a brown. It was difficult (for me) to get the right mix to match the other 95s I own. Never got that close, so I finally stopped and let it be. Second one from the top: and from the left, here: There seems to be more brown in them that meets the eye at first.

I understand you very well Benjamin , I was amazed thinking about how much effort is needed to create a blade of such magnitude. Also it would be nice to be able to organize a meeting/lunch/dinner with NMB members next year by organizing it in advance.

Dear Nihonto Enthusiasts, I am incredibly fortunate and thrilled to share some exciting news with you all. After years of dedicated passion for Japanese swords and antiques, I have partnered with a licensed Japanese antique dealer in Japan to bring a curated selection of authentic nihonto and related artifacts directly to collectors worldwide. It is with great excitement that I introduce our new website: www.toukentakarado.com. Who We Are: Tōken Takaradō (刀剣宝堂) is the culmination of a shared dedication to preserving and sharing the cultural and historical significance of Japanese swords. Our team consists of knowledgeable professionals, both in Japan and internationally, who are committed to offering genuine pieces, clear provenance, and exceptional service to collectors of all levels. What We Offer: A selection of high-quality nihonto, including katanas, wakizashis, and tanto, each carefully sourced and authenticated. Various sword fittings (koshirae, tsuba, menuki, etc.) and related antiques that embody the artistry and craftsmanship of Japan’s rich history. Our goal is to create a reliable and approachable platform for collectors to access authentic items while fostering an appreciation for the art and history of Japanese swords. Whether you are a seasoned collector or new to the world of nihonto, we are here to guide and assist you. We invite you to explore our website, and we would be delighted to hear your thoughts and feedback. Thank you for your support as we embark on this exciting journey. Please feel free to reach out with any inquiries or questions—we’re always happy to connect with fellow enthusiasts. Warm regards, Nicholas Fu www.toukentakarado.com

Dan, you are being dishonest here, and I am being polite. The very first photo in the "Silver ring in tsubas" (https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/52786-silver-ring-in-tsubas/#comment-551308) is taken at an angle, and there is nothing in the surface roughness indicating casting, rather it is a look one could easily obtain during forging. My opinion is corroborated with more than 10 years working in research in mechanical and metallurgical engineering, reading actual academic research on the topic of tsuba (as well as period documents, when possible), and trying my hand at the different DOCUMENTED techniques of tsuba making. And if you are looking through my commenting history, you would see the links or references I have posted (I am even the one who posted the research report for the archeological find of cast soft metal tsuba in Nara). If anything, I always try to give a reference to support my opinion. Do it then. Find one of these supposed antique cast iron tsuba, and have the tests made. Or send them to me to do it. I have access to X-ray, electronic microscope with chemical analysis, and micro-hardness (not quite non-invasive, but still considered relatively non-destructive, if you can bear a barely visible indent). Put your money where your mouth is and do the analysis, instead of telling others that they are close-minded and scared, then taking offense at being called out. I am doing it. I had an idea about tsuba research, and my students and I are doing the calculations and experiments to see it through. It's not cutting edge, it's probably not very noteworthy, but we are doing what's necessary to find out if we are right or not.

Steve, it is not that there are no deals but rather that it takes a lot of study to identify them. I am glad to hear that you were able to return the tachi. My suggestion is to focus in a serious way on reading good references, and develop a more specific goal for what you would like to purchase. Then research the candidates that fit your goals. Looking for a "navy cheap enough to get it polished" is fairly vague and open-ended. Are you looking for a gendaito in kai-gunto koshirae, or an older sword in the same type of mountings? I would suggest not rushing, take your time to think about what you would like to collect and study legitimate examples (in books, and in-person if possible). You may find that what you thought you wanted in the beginning is not where your collecting goals end up.

I don't like to generalize, but these blue-background, cheap auction swords are very, very unlikely to provide you with a sword that is worthwhile to invest in restoration. Cheap swords like this are being sold at auction by dealers on eBay who know what they are selling, and are selling pieces cheaply for a reason. Like the "Original Old BIG Japanese Tachi Sword Signed Hamon Horimono" we discussed earlier, these are items which may look cheap on the surface, but if you look closely the underlying mess of issues makes it clear why the price is what it is and that these are not good candidates to invest in. You are much better off waiting and buying a kai-gunto which already has a blade in good quality Japanese restoration, and if you are patient you are likely to find one for less than it would cost to have a katana polished (along with new shirasaya and all the other restoration-related expenses).

I think in Sesko's history of the Shito era, he suggests a later start date (from c. 1624) before what he cited as a noticeable change in the jigane and sugata. There's lots of talk about whether the koto/shinto dividing line was chosen to align to political eras. Whatever the original thinking, I think it's healthier to think of the transition as less Boolean.

Japanese yes, late muromachi period.

You’re totally right, and it’s a common problem. Sometimes they can be really stuck, and especially if any adhesive was used. Hard to know without inspecting it in person. Typically the peg will be tapered, or slightly conical shaped. It should come out one way more easily, and not the other. Inspect both sides, and push on the smaller end. If all else fails, you may need to gently tap with a block of wood. Tough to say without having it in hand. I’ve struggled many times to release a tsuka from the nakago, and it’s not always an easy or simple task. Overall, the value of the bone peg pales in comparison to the information it hides; but no need to break anything if you’re careful. Best of luck, proceed gently and with caution, and remember “time is on your side” so don’t rush it. -Sam

CLUB UPDATE: We've got 16 members (and counting!) in the PNW that have signed up to join the club. That's more than I anticipated, which is great! I think that's plenty of people to justify the club, and plan annual meetups. I hope to have a flier on a club members table at the SF swordshow. Hopefully to scrounge up some more local membership. After the SF show, I will be booking a meeting space, and scheduling our first meeting hopefully in the fall or winter. Stay tuned in AUGUST for meeting dates and details. Thanks again everyone, -Sam

Richard, you spelt/spelled 'Sukesada' wrong. Was that a slip of the keyboard, or are you totally new to Nihonto? In the meantime, 75 cm is a relatively long blade. Will you be OK with shipping? Also, are they both in shirasaya or does either of them have full koshirae available? Ultimately, it will be a question of how you feel as you gaze at the blade. Which one might you get tired of, and which one bears looking at repeatedly with pleasure and satisfaction?