Bugyotsuji

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Haha Bazza, with pleasure! This type of Hamon sometimes used for shrines is referred to as 神心乱れ Shinshin Midare, said to show a gradual quelling or pacification of the troubled heart in the presence of the gods...(?). (Actually my understanding of the explanation they offered me!) Unless the offering is made to quell the anger of the gods and bring peace to the land? Hmmm... Comparative photos of Ebudachi (upper) and Hosodachi (lower) koshirae:

In due course I will post the answer to the quiz above, plus a photo of an 'Ebudachi' koshirae side-by-side with a 'Hosodachi' koshirae if the members are interested. (Not mine, but both really first class.)

Roy, when Jean said 'Mei' of the habaki maker Shirogane-Shi, what he meant was incised mark, quite possibly a secret sign. If you turn that sideways, you can sort of see 小, and to the left of that 八, but then there is a clear stroke on top again that confuses the picture. My friend is a traditional Shirogane-Shi and he might or might not wish to add something. Please do not hold out any hope in this regard. On an unrelated topic I was at a sword meeting in Takamatsu yesterday where one member was spouting off about this and that. I listened respectfully. One of his comments was interesting. He was telling me that Shikoku was awash with rusty swords, and assuring me that Tanegashima guns are easy to collect because you never find a faked signature, 'except for Hankei', he noted. Oh and in the car on the way back I mentioned this fountain of old swords in Shikoku and my sword sensei laughed. "Nothing of quality bubbles up here nowadays", he said quietly.

PS Just had a flash of inspiration! That could be 摂泉住 at the very top, which is how one or two of these 'Sa' smiths signed. 泉 Izumi indicated the south of Osaka. That could just narrow it down to Settsu Izumi Ju Enamiya Sahyoei/Sabei/Sahei Saku, either 佐兵衛 or　佐平 because the other candidates names are too long to fit in there! Possibly even the same smith as they sometimes kept the same sound but changed their kanji. 摂泉住榎並屋佐兵衛作...?

Just got home, but making little progress. 榎並屋 Is just about readable. Even my sword teacher had difficulties when I showed him your post over a bowl of Takamatsu Sanuki udon. (Sword meet today.) Above the mekugi ana, and to the right. The top three characters above the mekugi ana are problematical. Is the last one 作 and if so, why? He agreed on Makibari to the right, the method of barrel forging. Below the mekugi ana. There were about 180 榎並屋 Enamiya gunsmiths, but narrowing down the field is especially tough when starting with that next kanji. What is it? Looking for 辻　汁　or something, but none of the names start like that, except maybe 佐... ? If so, then there were 19 smiths with lower names starting with 佐 Sa. The next question is what follows Sa, and comes before 作 at the end, are there two kanji, or three kanji? They are pretty corroded. I could send you a photo of the listed candidates and let you find one that fits? Be prepared for the worst. None of the 'Enamiya Sa...' smiths made a known/listed gun with a date on it, even if you do find the individual smith name.

For me this will take a little time with the books, Bob. My first line of attack would be Settsu, (Osaka) one of the Enamiya family smiths, but I am away till this evening. On the right facet it should say 巻張 makibari.

Correction. The Ani Jinja short Kogarasamaru blade was their fourth fruition. This long one at Kibitsu Hiko Jinja is the fifth. Last night someone showed me another kogarasumaru blade by the same Sukekane II smith, dated Meiji 12. It was for a 'Hosodachi' court sword koshirae, not to be confused with an 'Ebudachi', similar but different. PPS I learned some new words yesterday, one of which was for the hamon on this blade. 'Shin Shin MIdare', (often found on shrine blades, but possibly not listed in the literature). It starts with choji, changes to notare, and ends at the top in suguha. Anyone who wishes to guess at the Kanji, and if you know them, the reasons, go for it!

Stephen, no need to be so hard on yourself. That Mei is not for the beginner, and the top of the last kanji is actually written too 'narrowly', making it difficult to grasp too close up! In this case it looks better seen intuitively from a distance. You are doing just fine.

As promised I took quite a few photographs of this blade today during the service in the inner sanctum. The building is wonderful inside, all wooden pillars with massive brass fittings, with a strong aroma of Sugi. The floor was unusually flagstoned, so we were allowed to keep our shoes on. Total length 152.3 cm, blade length 120.3 cm., originally dedicated here by the Osafune smith Sukesada in Kanbun 6, 1666, the year of the great fire of London. This is two years after he took the title Kozuke Daijo at the Lord of Okayama's request, so the blade was also probably offered in light of that title. The nakago also carries the place of dedication. This shrine is right on the western edge of Bizen; the next shrine, Kibitsu Jinja, just round the same Nakayama mountain from here is on the eastern edge of Bitchu. There is a little stream and a small bridge marking the delineation between Bizen and Bitchu. The priest came up to me and requested I stop photographing during the prayers. That damn click of the shutter again! Later we were all asked not to post any photographs on the internet without prior clearance from the shrine priests. All I can post now are shots of the outside of the shrine, which also is wonderful, but permission for certain indoors shots may filter down in due course. The Togishi Mr K from Kurashiki was telling me that his friend is a Michael Hicks from the UK, possibly Scotland as he mentioned a kilt. Feeling thrice blessed, with Ohnusa cut paper wand, suzu and Kinpei. Rainy season. Heavy thunderstorms last night.

Yes, kubi-oke sounds right for the immediate inner bucket, but it is possible that the outer container for someone of higher status was called a kubibitsu. Needing to double-check this. Gruesome stuff. Kubi-oke, the functional head-bucket, (like Karaoke, empty bucket) is associated with watery places like the bathroom, which is why they normally have two horizontal legs underneath to help airflow dry any leakage roundabout.

Where to start in that photo? Hokai have either three or four legs, and were primarily used for keeping grain rice inside, I have heard. I have two very similar to yours there. There is a somewhat similar round container called a Kubibitsu, for placing the head of someone you have 'captured' on the battlefield. It has a sort of inner bucket with two geta slats to stand on; the external lacquered box has a domed top. Every castle would have at least one of these as a spare. Once used they were destroyed, so there are said to be very few extant.

Haha, no, I got it from our old friend Wiki!

菖蒲造り Shobu-dzukuri is forged into the shape of an Ayame Iris leaf. Inspirational word play. It also sounds like 勝負造り　Shobu-dzukuri 勝(Katsu/Sho) Victory, or 負 (Makeru/bu) Defeat! This is it! All or nothing! Do or Die! Great find, Bojan!

Wow, there is more to a Kuwa than you'd think! There were Hiraguwa flat-bladed ones, and pronged ones were called Bitchu-guwa...! Iron was valuable so many used as much wood as possible. There were cast ones which broke easily, and very expensive quenched forged ones. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%8D%AC

Someone cannot count legs! The museum's description does not seem to be 100% accurate, especially as I have often seen these described as upmarket armour boxes, especially for O-yoroi. A flat-bottomed box left for years on a wooden or tatami mat surface during the rainy season can develop mold or invite woodworm. Lacquered though, and on capped legs, they become almost impermeable sealed containers. A lovely box indeed for a period of political stability. Their drawback becomes apparent during transportation. They do not stack comfortably at all, and broken legs can soon appear. It could be that the constant struggles for supremacy between the clans during the Muromachi period began to favour stackable Yoroibitsu, ie flat-sided boxes with foldable metal carry handles, easy to carry from a shoulder pole or to manoeuvre onto carrying carts.

Whoah! You sure have...

And, by special order... Katsumitsu, Eisho 8 (and koshirae)

Love it. Sexy curve there, John. 'sori' even?

Phew John, your reply just renewed my faith in humanity! That box sounds great. Perhaps you could put it in the other thread, with the box in the Met for comparison? Not sure how many types of hitsu/ohitsu there were. I have heard of Yoroi-bitsu, ( x 2 set = Ikkabitsu), Meshibitsu, Nagamochi, etc., and now Karabitsu.

Two against one, so somewhat reluctantly I went and started one! If no-one else posts a box soon, I will add something. Tebako boxes like the one Urashima Taro opened? A little box with magic drawers that blow open with a puff of air? More black lacquer iron-bound sankin kotai boxes? A funadansu? A lacquer box for lamp-lighting tools? Ladies' cosmetics boxes and containers? Some lovely examples above. Any more? Roll up, roll up, ladies and gentlemen; show us your wares!

Matt, my sword teacher said that you often find kogarasumaru swords dedicated to shrines, or worn inside Ebudachi mounts etc., ie court swords. 4th blade, Kozuke Daijo Sukesada shrine rededication following recent polishing. On Friday the local NBTHK members will be visiting Kibitsu Hiko Jinja, hard by but not to be confused with the more famous Kibitsu Jinja. Again the blade in question will be taken from the shrine for 'permanent' safe-keeping at the Prefectural Museum. (If possible I will try and sneak some shots and post them here, but I still cannot figure out how to turn off the loud shutter 'click' with each shot.)

In the light of Guido's wise post above, I would like to soften the tone of my earlier post. Not everyone has a photographic memory!

If you contact the museum they might be able to send it directly to you, Paul. 開館五十周年記念 林原美術館名刀図譜 ISBN-978-4-904705-16-2 C0070

Derek. Good ideas. One way or another your appeal should surely reach their ears.