Bugyotsuji

Today a bunch of us went to see the Masamune exhibition at the Fukuyama Museum of Art. It was a collection of swords in three general sections, those who influenced him, those swords that Masamune made, and those swords made by his disciples or by smiths strongly influenced by him. And unveiled in the castle museum park today!

Well, Jussi, you cleverly side-stepped the question, but

Are you sitting comfortably? “Saaaa……….. ikimashō!!!!” Question! If the left (hidari) is 左 sa, …. drumroll, … what is the right (migi)?

If you look at the tsuba upright, the illusion vanishes!

Henry I think it is an Ebira (old word Yebira) quiver of arrows.

Makes sense, but I don't think I've ever seen 作 written twice before! Thank you, Moriyama San! I couldn't find any Kazan Kinko, but I looked under 茄山!

九十三才作之? Made this at 93 years old? (Can't figure out the top kanji. I would like it to be 加山+ 花王　(with kao), but is that a 七 above 加?) Is this a tachi tsuba? What's it made of?

盡忠報国 Jinchu Hokoku Loyalty & Patriotism Nice!

Here you can just see the tents where artefacts are sorted. From partway up the shrine steps.

View over Sakazu and Kurashiki looking east from the Hachiman Jinja. The Takahashi River in the foreground. Aoe swords were once fashioned in this area and in the foothills to the left.

On Wednesday the phone rang and a friend said that there was an archaelogical dig in the riverbed in Sakatsu, Kurashiki, at the foot of the hill at the top of which is the old Hachiman Shrine, built in AD 947. "Sakazu" as it is pronounced locally, is where Aoe swords were produced. He'd heard rumors that they might have found remains of Aoe sword workings, but that the public was not allowed to get anywhere close. Well, we drove to the site, and took photographs from across the river. We spent the next hour driving around figuring out how to get closer, and in the meantine climbed hundreds of steps up to the Hachiman Shrine. Eventually we parked the car, grabbed some meishi cards, and walked somewhat nervously past the 'No Entry' signs to the site where they were just finishing up for the day. The leader, initially a little hostile, proved to be quite friendly and told us about what they had found. It had once been a community in antiquity, but apart from the tachi in a stone-lined kofun tomb/grave, they had sadly not yet found any evidence of sword smithing. The river is low at this time of year, permitting such digs. Their plan is to continue their work next year beyond this season. Our next adventure will be to go find where Unji, Unju etc., i.e. the 雲類 Unrui lived. We have found the spot on the map, where there is a house with some kind of an explanatory sign, apparently. Watch this space.

Distinctively characteristic writing, especially the small 'arms' and wide 'legs' of 光

Well, if NBTHK cannot narrow it down to any particular region... Here is a Muromachi Yasumitsu tanto from Satsuma. I can't see the Kanji in that angled nakago shot, but are you sure it's 安光? That would narrow Dan's list to three. 日本刀 短刀 安光（波平・時代室町）｜日本刀 刀剣販売 e-sword *PS But the writing stye is quite different.

Actually I really like it, and the oft-dropped 'rin' bowl can probably be tapped out somewhat.

And is that a long-barrel Luger in his left hand?　

Strictly speaking, the mythical sage Gama Sen-nin's frogs had three legs.

Takuji, yay!!!!! Many thanks, Moriyama Sama!

登録　平安 Toroku (Registered) Heian (on this side of the bird) 龍 dragon something beyond.. (What kind of okimono?)

Iwakuni Shi, Ushi no Tani...　千円Sen en Okihiro Takuchaku? 卓嫡？　(just double-checking that last character!)

Iron with lacquer, gold, silver, brass and copper zogan. One hitsu ana surrounded in silver. What thoughts does this tsuba trigger? Three birds and three sea creatures on obverse, two birds and two sea creatures on reverse. (Two friends said they felt influence from Kyushu, possibly Nagasaki... from shape of the netted sidepods?)

Very nice. There is an exhibition in Tsuyama right now showing works by Kanenaga, etc., these Tsuyama Han smiths. The yellow page http://www.tsu-haku.jp/

Hitsu. There are various types of Hitsu, and the ‘h’ changes to ‘b’ when following the type. So when you search for a Hitsu, for example: Useful vocabulary Yoroi-bitsu is a single armor storage box. Ikka-bitsu is a matching pair of the above. Naga-bitsu is a longer box for clothes etc.

Wakizashi Mumei (Takada) 52.4 cm. (Shōwa 44) According to the old style of papers. So the swordsmith was thought to be one of the Takada.

For reference here is a signed iron Umetada with dragon and umé flowering branch.

Tsuba #3, usually these are quail and millet. Depiction of millet heads was considered to be a challenge for Kinko artisans.