Keichodo

Hi John, If you go back to the last katana koshirae I posted and click on the photo enlarge it, you will see a similar style. This is commonly referred to as "tsuishu" but the terminology varies in different localities. There are many different color combinations, but usually done in three distinct colors. e.g.. green, black, and gold. I will post a few more.... Best, Robert

Last wakizashi of the day.... this one has a brown gloss saya and a silk kincha wrap..... Best, Robert

Another wakizashi....just for contrast. The saya finish is a mottled dull red with black with a jabara maki tsuka with exposed menuki. Best, Robert

Here is a regal wakizashi for your viewing pleasure. The majestic color of the jabara maki is best described as Byzantine purple. While the saya is finished in black ishime which is reminiscent of the porous surface of a stone..... Best, Robert

Hi everyone, I have time to add a few more custom order koshirae projects for your viewing pleasure . I neglected to mention that the clients supplied their own period fittings for all these projects. The next koshirae is an attention seeker with exposed solid gold botan menuki set off with red samegawa and black ito. The saya finish is tsuishu with a red base and black and gold veins. Best, Robert

Greetings everyone! Thank you for the compliments. All the work to create these koshirae is done by trained Japanese artisan/tradespeople. I just handle the project from start to finish. I have been involved in such project work in Japan since 1986 when I needed to get my own blades set up in koshirae for training. Every year, I would help my sword acquaintances get several koshirae made but I didn't aggressively promote this business as I have been teaching in Japanese universities and colleges for over forty years. At 65, I will face mandatory retirement from my university, so I am now thinking about expanding this service as the next stage of my employment in Japan. Unfortunately, I didn't take photos of all the projects due to time limitations, but I have many that will serve as a kind of catalog. If you have a project, feel free to discuss it with me through my e-mail address: keichodo@yahoo.com... P.S. Axel....the sageo knot is a known variant in Japan.... not sure exactly what the name is..... keep checking sources and you will likely find it... it is too nice for me just to make it up myself.... I will post a few more koshirae when I have time but this week will be busy at university.... Best, Robert

Okay.....one more for today..... This koshirae has a white jabaramaki tsuka with a black lacquered samesaya.... It is not so easy to find such large ray skins these days.... but I have a few ready to go! Best, Robert

Just in case anyone is interested, here an itomaki tachigoshirae I did for a client about twenty years ago.... The ito was kincha jabaramaki... The lacquer was red with gold tsuishu...although it is hard to see the gold veins throughout the lacquer...in hand it was stunning especially the way the one well-placed high relief gold lacquer mitsudomoe mon.... sets it off....... This package was about yen 450,000 at that time...... Best, Robert

Hi John, Yes, I have set up a few.... Sadly, I didn't take photos of many of them... Check out the attached pictures. The lacquer is a gloss brown which doesn't come out very well under the lighting. The tsukamaki is in kincha jabaramaki style..... in hand it looked quite spectacular. Best, Robert

Keep up the compliments and I will keep up the flow of custom koshirae images... This next one is Higo style with a partial inryo kesami style saya done in red ishime finish... The tsuka has black and red lacquered ray skin and is wrapped in green suede leather..... All the fittings were antique pieces..... Best, Robert

Thanks for the above compliments guys! Here is another custom koshirae done in fuemaki style but this one alternates between flat black and gloss black rings on the saya which gives a little more contrast. Best, Robert Hughes

Greetings sword mavens, I just got back one my client's custom koshirae and thought I would share it with you. The client provided all the fittings and the koshirae was then created from scratch... The lacquer style for the saya is called fuemaki and consists of black rings. It is a nice visual alternative to the standard and conventional black gloss finish commonly seen. I have photographs of over thirty custom koshirae that I have coordinated for a variety of clients. I am putting together a catalog to entice interest. If you would like to see more....let me know! 1) wood foundation/tsuka and saya 2) antiqued ray skin 3) standard silk wrap 4) saya fuemaki lacquer work 5) tsunagi wooden dummy blade The price for this particular koshirae came to yen 222,000.... Best, Robert Hughes

Thanks Tom! You know how shy I am..... until the liquid courage kicks in.....

Hi Tom.... Thanks for bringing this to the attention of others ...... I didn't want to post it myself.....in the budo spirit of humility..... even though it would serve as powerful advertising... Many, many hours go into the preparatory and planning stages....then a day in on-site planning for story continuity... and then the big day filming which lasted from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. There were many retakes due to outside noise interference of general traffic and tourism in Kamakura. Actually, we shot around two hours of content that was whittled down to fifteen minutes. Lots of historical overview and some mistakes were edited out......and most of my humorous quips got a quick cutting test....... The final stage is the tedious editing done professionally by a talented professional in Kamakura, Mr. Oe who deserves credit for both his camera work and his editing skill. I hope NMB folks enjoy this.... It took a lot of work.... Can we move it so it starts an original thread as the Soshu tradition it might get overlooked attached to the bottom of Guido's ego....I mean thread....? Best, Robert

Tombo, All the times we have been drinking together and I never heard this anecdote before... or perhaps the tale was told and erased due to the volume of nihonshu.... I love it! Not just the act of the donation but the great story it became.... Yours in dudism, Another Lebowski, Robert

The author is quite a controversial figure in California where he resides...... Caveat emptor..... Best, Robert

Hi Ryan Could you explain how much it cost to ship by Fed. Ex. just for comparative study? Best, Robert

Hi everyone, There is good news! EMS shipping to the USA will resume on June 1st. This includes Japanese sword shipments! There is also bad news...the prices have risen. It seems EMS shipments are arranged by agreement between specific countries and contracted airline carriers. This complicated contractual arrangement accounts for why there are difficulties shipping EMS to certain countries especially regarding swords. It becomes especially difficult when packages require stopovers or transit transfers in a third country. Therefore, the basic situation is sword shipments by EMS must be carried on direct flights to the destination country. Some airline carriers refuse to carry swords but handle other EMS packages. Some countries are stuck in negotiations regarding the fees pertaining to EMS shipping. The US and Japan have concluded their agreement and with the price hike EMS shipments will be resumed. This long delay was being blamed on a reduced number of flights due to the Covid pandemic, and this initially was the case but it was further complicated by contractual dispute over the pricing of EMS services. Expect to see an increase of approximately 15 - 20 % ......Regardless of the increase it is still reasonable.... Best, Robert Hughes

Tom, I'll keep on the detective work but would like to join forces with you...so we can bask in the glory together! Or at least get a sunburn in front of one of the beach bars..... I do look forward to the day when we will clink our pint glasses.... Across the street from Yamamura's forge and tucked in the ground floor of a building right beside the tracks is a great little Izakaya....Is that the one? Best, Robert

Greetings thread followers...especially former Kamakura resident, Big Bad Tombo! So first off....Tom know his Japanese history and his Kamakura s**t! However, there seems to be an evolution in thought among Hongakuji administrators. This is the part that needs further research as pointed out by Guido...... So Tom, when flights and immigration matters get smooth I invite you to help me resolve the budding contradictions at Hongakuji.... Within the grounds of Hongaku-ji, there is a tall stone monument that was set up in the late Edo period, Tempo 1835. Inscribed: Myoho Goro Nyudo Masamune hi Tempo kinoto hitsujidoshi aki Kankarin shujin sho which translates into Lotus Sutra Monument of Goro Nyudo Masamune Fall in the year of the sheep Tempo (1835) by the donor Kankarin, a pseudonym of Matsudaira Naooki, a Mori fief Daimyo. On the backside is a reference stating that Masamune was ordained to priesthood by Nichiren, hence the "Nyudo" addition to the name. So we can say the Nichiren/Masamune connection is “carved in stone.” Inscribed in the base are the names of sword dealers who also contributed to this memorial. Moving into the cemetery about 15 meters from the tall momument, we find a stupa said to have been erected by an early generation Yamamura Tsunahiro to mourn his ancestor Masamune. The stupa pedestal inscription reads: Shinryu-haka tsuchinoe-ne shogatsu juichinichi zokumyo Masamune: translated as Grave of Shinryu, eleventh day of the first month of the of the earth rat which could correspond to 1348. Masamune’s posthumous Buddhist name is Shinryu Nikken. Taking into account the timeline between the death of Masamune and the working period of Yamamura Tsunahiro, there is quite a gap in time. Therefore it is illogical to conclude that this marker actually is Masamune's grave, unless it was erected over top of Masamune's original resting spot.... so where does Masamune actually rest? The big mystery..... Deeper in the cemetery grounds, there are two very ancient tomb markers, in very early form (Nambokucho style) with inscriptions weathered away. A month ago, when I visited Hongakuji, I went to the admin. office and made an inquiry to end this dilemma. Not being able to resolve this neatly was causing me stress and serious sleep loss. This may well account for my obesity......not knowing the truth: overeating and drinking for the past forty years. I am blaming my poor physical condition .... you guessed it.....on Guido...not Masamune. Guido makes me drink too much, but not for long as Guido will be moving back to Germany in July. Sorry for the digression..... A kind Hongakuji Temple administrative attendant explicitly stated that these two ancient tombs were those of Masamune and Sadamune, side by side resting for eternity. Next to these two tomb markers, is a large Yamamura family tomb and nearby are a series of at least ten individual markers for the remains of successive generations of Tsunahiro swordsmiths. As Tom has mentioned the current Yamamura Tsunahiro is the 24th generation successor.....so you see the Soshu school lives on in Kamakura. So friends, the truth hinges on whether the Temple administrator was pulling my leg or not..... Next time I will ask for supporting documentation..... Yours in serious investigative journalism, RRH

Inside these corpulent bodies are slim men of iron struggling to get out.....think metamorphosis!

Amazing.....Guido was paying attention to my long-winded explanations! We had wonderful weather for our little walking tour. It is enjoyable days like today that remind me why I chose to live here.... The euphoria lasted until I got home and opened the Bill for property taxes which comes every three months like clockwork.... Yes, the fifty-four temples and shrines that attract visitors....like Guido.... are all tax exempt! I think I will have to declare myself high priest and Guido as my first disciple....all our religious observances will involve rituals with lager, raw oysters, and possibly bratwurst...to keep Guido’s spiritual motivation high.... and get tax exemption! Stay tuned ....a detailed video production will be out soon with more detail regarding Masamune and Shizu Saburo Kaneuji.....

Hi Peter, I couldn't load up the fourth page at the same time but it seems I can do it here..... Best, Robert Juyo Exhibition 4.pdf

Here is the third page of newly designated Juyo items on display! It seems I can't load up the fourth page... I have maxed out (4.88 MB) Sadly, photographs of the exhibits are not allowed.... Matt will never have the pleasure of seeing his treasured blade in this exhibition! Pandemic fate..... Best, Robert Juyo Exhibition 3.pdf

Here are the first two pages of newly designated Juyo items on display! Enjoy! Robert Juyo Exhibition 2.pdf Juyo Exhibition 1.pdf