Nukitsuke

Hi Bruce, This is pretty intriguing, and I'm curious about it... When you mentioned that the Japanese were wounded by their own leaders, were you more referring to the consequences of leadership, trauma and stigma of loss, rebranding cultural identity and the influence of foreign pressures, or maybe even the lack of choice in the matter entirely? lol I guess it could be all of it too, right? Anyway, I was interested in hearing more of your thoughts on this if you care to share! -Mitchell

This is a fascinating series of questions and thoughts... In the limited time I thought about it, this is what I'd say (as a disclaimer I reserve the right to change my mind as I'm thinking and marinating on it lol): I actually think this might deserve a bit more than a binary option set of "spoils of war versus war loot" argument. Personally, I’ve never seen the swords taken by Western troops as either. To me, their confiscation and destruction has always represented more of a dismantling of the spirit or cultural identity... It always read like an intentional cultural attack rather than a simple claim of victory or trophy, or form of theft (this is actuall a little dismissive of the power dynamics regarding how occupying forces needed to maintain a sense of presence)... In short I always kind of thought this was more subjugation than, "look at my souvenir" type of a deal. I don't believe that every soldier that grabbed a wakizashi had this intent, but I do believe that leadership likely had an understanding of what this represented from a much more holistic perspective. Under this context and with these observations I think it's perfectly acceptable for descendants or families to want their heirloom(s) back. I think this is fair as uncomfortable as it may feel. But for the sake of finding my own meaning in the questions, and also saying something of substance that doesn't sound overly contradictory, I’d probably argue for a third category of options to classify what happened historically. I'd lean closer to an option that acknowledges the deeper meaning behind the removal and destruction of these artifacts. It wasn’t just about possession or trophies as much as I feel it was about erasing a symbol of continuity, lineage, and identity... Also, I guess erasing the attitudes associated with the aforementioned. Think something like "Shang Tsung" from Mortal Kombat... The whole "Your soul is mine," type deal... I do also believe that swords choose their owners. Their lifespan often exceeds that of the people who hold them, and in that way, they embody a kind of strategic patience... Much like what we see in another thread regarding the letter discovered between Ieyasu and Hideyoshi. Like Ieyasu, the sword endures, adapts, and survives, waiting for its next opportunity...Or more specifically its rightful bearer. As Scogg insightfully said: That perspective captures it perfectly, we are custodians, not conquerors of the sword. The sword’s journey usually continues long after we end ours... I'm going to think about this some more, but I think this is the stance I would take. I look forward to reading more responses on this! -Mitchell

Such a strategic flex... Reading into situations where hostages were offered during feudal Japan, there's this entire element of "distrust" that is symbolically displayed when hitojichi are accepted. Almost like a "I don't trust this person, so I'm going to take their son so they don't try me in the future" kind of vibe. So Hideyoshi saying "No" or refusing hostages at the initial offering hits so deep in a way that says so many things here... A) I'm in control, B) I need you, C) You're gonna do what I say... which is similar to A, but a bit more nuanced in the public eye to show supremacy... It's just a slightly more humble way of saying it from my perspective... This is exciting stuff! I definitely think that the art of the strategic flex has been lost over the years lol -Mitchell

There goes that standout workmanship, the hallmark of the early Hizen tradition... I see blades like this and its a reminder of how I could so easily fall into collecting only hizento. The presence here is balanced and ultra-commanding... A beautiful wakizashi to say the least.

Duly noted! Best of luck to you! -Mitchell

Additionally, if I see anything here through my local dealer circles here I'll let you know (even though it sounds like avoiding importation might be what's best for you). Is there any aspect of this that is negotiable...? For example, what if I saw an Edo period o-wakizashi (59.5 cm nagasa) with limited kizu, healthy proportions, fuji-ba (mount fuji style hamon), no koshirae, but has Hozon papers priced under your budget... Would that work, or is the no koshirae aspect a deal breaker for you?

Cool, so Giordy was right! That settles it! Enjoy your sword!

LOL No worries, Yes I figured. it was an opportunity for me to grow my post count... All the best! -Mitchell

Outside of a "hozon" rating, what are you looking for out of curiousity?

Hi Giordy, I'm not sure of the measurements at all, as this is Andrea's blade. But you are correct that a nagasa of the length mentioned would be classified as an ōdachi. We can wait for Andrea to confirm the nagasa, and now that you've pointed it out, using the tsuba as a reference, it does kind of look to be shorter than 101... but, lol looks can be deceiving from time to time in photos. So Andrea would know best, and I guess we'll wait for confirmation! Hopefully whoever sold Andrea the sword didn't mix up the measurements and accidentally misrepresent the blade. -Mitchell

Yeah, that sounds about right! A 101.5 cm is kind of wild! Usually I assume anything like that might have been a talisman sword or something dedicated to a shrine, but since I didn't see a mei, and due to the wear on the tsuka based on where the left hand should be... Also, the hi originating from the nakago, I assume this belonged to a very serious martial arts practicioner. Something of this length probably has an awesome sounding tachi-kaze... lol You should test it out and report back lol, it looks like it would be really loud!

Hi, it's a little hard to see from the photos, but I think I'm noticing some mokume patches along with areas of masame activities as well. The ji looks quite luminous and sparkly... It would be nice to see clearer pictures of the Jigane to get a better sense of this work. If this is a recent purchase, congratulations, every acquisition teaches something and I hope this one teaches you a lot! -Mitchell

Oh wow, I hadn't considered that I might have a valuable perspective to add here but I'll do my best to live up to it! Thanks for the warm welcome, I too am looking forward to future interactions and learning opportunities!

Oh cool, that's actually helpful! So at that price point I would probably recommend a dealer like Aoi-Japan (there are several others mentioned here that have decent reputations as well, e-sword, toukenkomachi, toukenhataya, etc...). Brian is right, 2k doesn't go far, but with the conversion rates you may be able to stretch it to get a fairly healthy lesser smith or a mumei suriage blade (I can't speak to the additional fees). Just based on the budget, I'd probably suggest things like Mino, mass produced sukesada, perhaps takada or shimohara blades as a great place to start... There are other options so this isn't necessarily an exhaustive list, but I normally see lesser works associated with these schools/smiths around this price point. Something worth thinking about though, you may reach a point within you studies, that you no longer want to hold on to a sword from one of these smiths/schools, so just be mindful it may be difficult to get rid of without losing some of what you paid initially as most people generally want what some would consider to be "better" swords. Some things worth considering, and I know everyone has opinions, but the utility of my experience would lead me to tell you that the 2k you're thinking about spending might be better spent on reference materials if you can find them... I might buy books make the research process a bit easier (books have a tendency to be a bit easier to flip if/when you need to in my experience as well). Additionally, you might be able to stretch that 2k further simply connecting with members on the forum (not that I want to speak for everyone), or collectors in your community to get something affordable that you can grow into and learn from. In my experience, relationships are really important to make better acquisitions, so always keep this in mind. For a starter sword, coming from a student of nihonto, getting something you can grow into and learn from is a great thing to aim for! Lastly, one of my mentors used to tell me that swords have a tendency to find their owners... As much as we go out of the way to help ourselves or prompt a purchase, I think he's right... May luck be on your side so that you can get something that you want! -Mitchell

Hello, My interest in Japanese swords began with a blade that has a historical connection to the area where I live here in Japan. It’s not a famous piece, but it’s been a great teacher; a functional sword with a martial sugata and a striking example of uzumaki‑hada. That first experience set me on a path of study that’s continued for over fifteen years. I’m interested in many different schools, though I’ve spent several years focusing on Hizen work. My current favorites include a robust Keichō‑era Tadayoshi, a Kanei‑era gunome‑chōji midare Omi Daijō, and a particularly strong Kawachi no Kami Masahiro with a flamboyant hamon and jigane that I feel could reach jūyō if the mihaba were jusssssssst a little wider (I'm basing this on what I usually see pass Juyo for shinto works, which is super hard to achieve on its own). Each of these blades has taught me something different; aesthetics, spirit, and the value of careful study guided by my mentors and our collective experience. My philosophy toward nihontō blends craftsmanship, history, martial purpose, and aesthetics, which often leads me to appreciate swords that others might overlook. I’m especially drawn to jigane and sugata, with hamon close behind. I’m a NBTHK member and I have completed university studies in Japanese and East Asian history, which helps me contextualize the blades within the lives, politics, and culture of both feudal and peaceful eras. If I had to choose a favorite blade out of the 16 or so that I own, it might be my Omi Daijō... It's wide, thick‑kasane, and beautifully executed, though my Junin Tadayoshi and Kawachi no Kami Masahiro each hold their own place in my collection for different reasons. The Omi Daijō was pure aesthetic desire, and a continuation of conversations with one of my mentors that passed away earlier this year. The Masahiro taught me about the energy and spirit of peak Hizen work, and the Junin Tadayoshi represents the culmination of study and guidance that helped me recognize its quality with confidence while also being the point of origin for the tradition (although junin examples are relatively rare in comparison to some of the later signatures, this example is one of the best I've seen with comparisons made between what exists in the collections of my peers, I think it's one of the best existing works of this mei... Time and new connections will tell though! The Jigane doesn't look to be shinto at all, it looks more koto-esque and you can certainly see the pre Hizen feel before it was totally established from this work... The uniformity of the jigane is very impressive to me as a keicho shodai work, as many of the other examples I've seen have less uniformity, or are very worn). Let me stop nerding out about this... **Ahem...My goal is to continue deepening my knowledge, engage meaningfully with other collectors, and grow a collection that reflects both study and authenticity. My relationship with nihontō is built on respect for the steel, the history behind it, and the craftsmen who shaped it. I look forward to learning from the community and contributing where I can. - Mitchell

As a general answer, I'd say purchasing from Japanese dealers is pretty easy despite some of the language barriers if your Japanese isn't strong. Out of curiosity, are you looking into a specific dealer site? If so which one? -Mitchell