Bugyotsuji

Ohmi Daijo Fujiwara Yukimitsu By the way, why would you get shot down in flames?

Just a quick word of warning to anyone out there who might not be aware. Recently I was admiring some 'copper' tsuba in the magnificent tsuba exhibition at Osafune Sword Museum. "Those are shinchu" (a kind of brass), the guide said. "Over the centuries they turn to a reddish copper colo(u)r, but that is the resultant patina, irreplaceable."

Yes, they use a snaphaunce lock and flint mechanism. A collector friend has nearly 50 of those, Colin. I reckon he must have cornered the market! I’ll post a photo of one after matins tomorrow.

Right, blowing out the last candle, now! Many thanks to those taking part in the quiz, or simply watching.

Yes, essential part of your kit for lighting match cord for your matchlock(s). The Netsuké also act as bowls for protecting the lighting process. Yesterday on the main steps of Tsuyama Castle.

You’re very close now. Visual clue it is! 蒲の穂入れ Gama no ho iré (2 types of containers) Soft, velvety, fluffy.

Snap! Part One correct. Part Two So what would they have been useful for, or as Winston might have put it, for what would they have been useful? Hint. The answer is buried in this Japanese page. https://greensnap.jp/article/10374#ガマの穂の使い方 *And I can provide a visual hint if needed.

Ray, no it’s not, but you have taken this a step closer than skewered Easter bunnies. If I don’t reply for the next few hours, candles out is fast approaching in the monastery. PS But I did coincidentally do a big gun clean this morning after yesterday’s display.

I think this links into the present 2024 NHK Taiga Drama every Sunday evening. What a lovely thing, Colin. Congratulations! https://www.japanesewiki.com/person/FUJIWARA no Yasumasa.html

Or coney kebabs as they used to call them in Norfolk…(?)

What are we looking at?

Anyone know if the JAS site is working? (Also Netsuke and Sagemono Lounge!)

(The NAKAGO - "with tip pointing upwards" means tip of the blade, not tip of the nakago, by the way!)

So if this is a Showa blade, that narrows it down a bit for you.

Hoping it harmonizes into the display.

Then you'd have to add a PS. PS "But if it really is Gold Standard legit Kosher Shoami McCoy, i.e. something to be confident in and proud of, please state this clearly!"

Tell the musum staff to lick them and see if the white stuff tastes sweet.

Got about 10 of these chests, 'LOVE EM!

Maybe when you send tsuba etc., away for Shinsa, you could include a note at the bottom, "Anything but 'Shoami', please. We have figured out that when your team's opinions are divided you choose Shoami. So rather than just writing Shoami, please send me my money back. Thank you."

'Bottle gourd' is a generic and recognizable shape. For example the iron ingots which came in on Namban ships, susequently used in Japanese swords and guns for a while at the beginning of Edo, were described as gourd-shaped.　南蛮鉄　瓢箪形 Also, many priming powder flasks take that shape, and today you can find containers of Shichimi (red peppers) made of wood but in 'bottle gourd' shape. Actually, just to take a moment here, I have a problem with the expression 'drawer handle' shape, as the handles themselves (and other common objects) are and were describing older traditional shapes. Otherwise a drawer handle is a drawer handle is a drawer handle, shades of Ikea. They need to look a little fancy. For example, opposed fern heads, or warabite design 蕨手模様

On another topic, I mentioned earlier a little mid-Edo Nami-no-Hira blade that I purchased last year. The togishi was unwilling to work on it as it was a little loose in the saya, so it went to the shiroganeshi who inserted some 'koppa' shavings to grip the habaki better. Finally it went off last week to the now-satisfied togishi for a 'light polish'. (Something to look forward to in the background!)

In case anyone is tempted to play with the stuff, I was reading yesterday about someone who blew the top joint of their thumb off, when loading an old toy cannon. Jean, normally I would just just flush it away in water, but I was curious to know what it was, so I took care to burn it on a flat rock in the garden, and not under any compression.

Well, he said he makes all his own lacquer tools so he didn't need the spatulae. (My other friend who was also there however, did want them.) As he handed the 'finished' article back to me, he added a final word. "I still do not like this. You should strip it all back and start again." "The cannon is probably just an old casting reject," I said, "so I am not too bothered about getting everything 100% correct. Besides, I do not have your patience." Footnote. While I was preparing the guns for Sunday's live event, I gave the barrel of the little cannon a quick clean-out. Imagine my surprise to see how much blackpowder came wafting out of it. I wrapped up the pile in a tissue and burnt it outside. Gunpowder indeed! The pungent smoke gave off that familiar burning blackpowder smell which we get at every event. The inner walls must have been caked with it. Perhaps it had once functioned as a powder tester after all.

With those Mon patterns, it could be Christian.

That's great. Thanks Mark. I think Ray nailed it, but that was a TOUGH one!