Jump to content

sabiji

Members
  • Posts

    220
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by sabiji

  1. Just based on the regular pattern of the lighter appearing yakiba and the alternation between tani and gunome elements would that be typical of the Sue Koto, specifically Bizen and Mino. Although a koshi no hiraita with kani no tsume elements had developed from swordsmiths like Morimitsu in Bizen, the popular hamon was quickly copied in Mino and can be found in variants well into the Shinto period. Along with the Taka no Ha Yasurime, I would certainly see the sword in the direction of the Mino tradition.
  2. Maybe the second and third kanji (Chu, Kuni) misled your friend into thinking that it had something to do with China...
  3. Hi Curran, I sincerely hope that you were, or still are, satisfied with my tsuba? I don't want to be one of the bad Germans!
  4. In some cases, even only hardwood. Historical hunting bows are very rare. This has several reasons. Firstly, the hunting of mammals and the consumption of their meat for religious reasons is not as common as in, for example, historical Europe. Only with the massive population growth did the meat of wild animals become increasingly interesting. Another very important point, however, is firearms. With their appearance, the bow was soon replaced for hunting purposes. What hardly anyone knows: although the peasants were systematically disarmed from the Momoyama onwards. Firearms for hunting purposes remained with the peasants in not insignificant numbers. The reason for this is the actual purpose of hunting, which was not primarily the procurement of food, but rather the protection of agricultural land. Securing the food supply of the population by protecting it from damage caused by wild animals was very important to the shogunate. Funnily enough, firearms were considered agricultural implements in this context. By the way, the importance of this point can also be seen in the various orders to disarm the civilian population after World War II - which we are particularly concerned about because of the swords. Hunting rifles were specifically excluded. When my daughter worked on a farm in southern Kyushu, the main problem had been monkeys, which could destroy entire peanut crops in no time at all. But the farmers usually used firecrackers or dogs. Long story short. Handling firearms requires less knowledge and skill, and is therefore more effective. The training of an archer is lengthy and requires much more practice, and played less and less of an important role even in the Edo period among the samurai. But at least in this area, the tradition persisted in the form of Kyudo or Kyujutsu and Yabusame. In many other areas, the importance of other types of bows in Japan disappeared, but they existed.
  5. In Japan, there are various types of bows in terms of asymmetry and bow length. In the Sengakuji, short hankyu are exhibited, which are said to have been used by the Ako-Ronin. Of course, they could not just walk through Edo with long yumi. Jap hunting bows are also shorter and often symmetrical. The typical long yumi only became established as a fighting weapon from the late Heian on. A yumi has recurve and decurve characteristics, but the bowstring does not rest on the bow arms as in true recurves. Defacto the yumi is a longbow (which has nothing to do with length), more precisely a hybrid bow. Bamboo has good tensile properties, but can withstand the compressive forces in the bow belly only moderately. However, many bow woods have this problem, which is why it is important to build limbs that are rather flat. Yew is one of the most pressure-stable woods, which is why English longbows have a D-shape. Ash also has good pressure stability, but it tires much faster in a D-shape. In any case, for this reason in bamboo yumi is always used other hardwood. Another reason why hardwood is used in the core and sides is the temperature sensitivity of bamboo. The higher the efficiency of a bow (in relation to the weight of the arrow), the more problematic the residual energy that remains in the bow. Anyone who has ever shot a poorly built longbow, even recurve bow, has the feeling of being kicked by a donkey. A yumi is also quite light, and therefore less able to absorb the energy. That's why the grip point is offset from the center of gravity of the swing. One must also remember the following: ancient Jap war bows had significantly more draw power than today's common kyudo bows. Although parallel to this, the arrows were also heavier, yet completely different energies occurred, which had to be dealt with. On my avatar I use a 20 kilogram (draw weight) bamboo yumi of a manufactory from Kyoto. This is actually too much for normal training. Here I use just 14 kilos.
  6. Correctly observed Ian. But, I can only speak for the Heki Ryu Insai Ha. With a correctly strung bow, the string should be to the right of the bow axis (Irikikata or Iriki no Yumi).
  7. I agree with you that the Archers Paradox plays a big role in modern and traditional bows. The actual weapon is the arrow, the bow only serves as a medium to throw it. Therefore, the stiffness of the arrow (spine) must be matched to the energy and the construction of the bow. The best bow is of no use if the arrow does not fit. However, if the spine is correct (also in coordination with the weight of the tip), the nocking point height fits and the release of the archer is very good, an arrow would not even need feathers. Especially in wet weather, natural feathers collapse and hardly fulfill their stabilizing function. That's why the spin has to fit. But all this plays no or an absolutely subordinate role in Jap archery, but also in the vast majority of the different Asian riding bows, because the technique of archery is completely different here. In Kyudo (I do Heki-Ryu) I have to guide the bowstring around my body by a special technique (I pull the yumi out much further than Western bows), otherwise the glasses fly away, it hurts like hell on the chest and bow arm. Apart from that, this whole discussion would not play a role with a Kabura Ya anyway. With such an arrow, you don't want to hit a target at all.
  8. I don't know if I understood you correctly, but in trad. jap. archery no arrow has to bend around the bow. With the draw hand I twist the string, and with the tenouchi I turn the bow out when I shoot. In principle, I do everything that I must not do under any circumstances in western archery ;-).
  9. I don't see anything worrisome regarding rust. Even if this has nothing to do with the topic: I find the Ura-Mei interesting. The (Kanei) dating seems to "collide" with the "Echizen ju". Tagane and ductus of the dating are also different. It seems that the dating was added.
  10. The character 笄 for the kogai means nothing else than hairpin, in the Japanese language as well as in the Chinese language. And as Arnaud already wrote in reference to Sasano's book, it seems to be an object of use, which was formerly rather common among the higher social classes, until it spread to the broad masses of warriors - until finally in the Edo period it became a possible component of a higher-grade complete Koshirae, whose main purpose was rather reduced as an ornamental component. Sure, it's great for scratching, and the opinion as an object for cleaning ears persists. But honestly, who wants to strut around with an ear awl, with which one has just picked his ear, best of all in front of higher-ups? Also, it would be simply too impractical, The pointed end is in itself too thick, And the "ear hook" is actually much too short to make sense. I think the meaning and the original use of the hairpin actually goes far back in history and is related to the hairstyles but also headdresses and caps of high society at the time.
  11. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/43725-when-did-the-kozukakogatana-appear-on-katana/
  12. In the holdings of the Kasuga Taisha Nara there are at least Koshigatana Koshirae with both slots, which are said to originate from the Nanbokucho.
  13. Since the kogai was usually placed in the side of the saya facing away from the body (in contrast to the kozuka/kogatana), the presence of this "full equipment" is more likely to be found in the civilian sector. According to the motto, look here, I can afford it, I have taste. Especially wakizashi koshirae (or Tanto-Koshirae in later Edo) have more often the slots for kogai and kogatana, the weapon that was always carried on the man during the Edo period - and thus became a special calling card of the wearer.
  14. Well, at least Shiho-san seems to point in that direction. The Kaji Cho in Kuwana was known as the source of bizen-gimei. It doesn't have to have been Koyama family smiths, there are plenty of other swordsmiths. Kuwana was considered a place to study the Bizen style. Here is an example of a Hatakeda copy attributed to Koyama Munehira. http://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2012/12128-2.jpg
  15. Well, I consider Tsukada Shiho-san to be experienced. I think the reference "to a swordsmith from the line of Koyama Munetsugu" is aimed at a Kuwana-Bizen "utsushi". Family members of Munetsugu also forged in Kuwana. To me, Touken Komachi's assessment sounds plausible.
  16. Well, I can also imagine an equivalent swap with Kyo-Shoami, Shoami (Ji-Sukashi), or Akasaka....
  17. Last chance: EUR 430 including shipping (Europe), EUR 450 (rest of the world).
  18. The tsuba is reserved, thank you very much!
  19. Kyo Sukashi Kikka Senmen Kari Hozon Tosogu from 2008 to Kyo Sukashi 61,5 gram, 7,5 x 7,6 x 0,4 cm customized box EUR 490,00 without shipping Location Germany
  20. Hayashi Tsuba Kikku-gata with kirimon and karigane, fine kebori Hozon Tosogu from 2015 to Hayashi 89 grams, 7,3 x 7,7 cm customized box EUR 770,00 without shipping Location Germany
  21. sabiji

    Really...?

    Chris, my point was this sentence: If you want to ask us to re-wrap the Tsuka-Ito and re-paint the Saya, the additional cost will be JPY15,000 for each. But never mind, let's drop the subject! It must be probably on me and my sensibilities. But I just can not imagine it, for the equivalent of about EUR 100.00 each to destroy the charm and the patina of this old ensemble. Especially since a high-quality result could hardly be expected for the price. As already written, let's leave the subject. Even if it has taught me a few things...
×
×
  • Create New...