700th Anniversary inscription

[Ron STL]

I am finishing an article for the JSS/US on gendai smith Koyama Nobumitsu. In Shinshinto Taikan there is an example of his work. The nakago includes a long inscription pertaining to the sword being exhibited in Showa 14 celebrating the 700th anniversary of Emperor Gotoba...something like that. I was surprised to not find this inscription already translated somewhere. To that end, it would be helpful I would think, to include a full translation (and some comments) for this inscription. (Another smith's sword on the same page also carries the same inscription).

 

Would somebody give a full translation of this specific inscription and also the kanji used in it? What I would do is to include this in the article for future reference. Thanks!

 

Ron STL

[John A Stuart]

後鳥羽天皇七百年登寿質新作刀寿納會

Gotoba Tenno shichi hyaku nen shoshu shitsu shinsakuto (寿納會) ??

Emperor Gotoba 700 years, best made new sword (some association)?

 

 

A start. John

[cabowen]

神前　　後鳥羽天皇七百年祭奉質新作刀奉納会

 

Shinzen Gotoba Tenno Nanahyaku Nen Sai Ho Shitsu Shinsakuto Hono Kai

 

Before God/ In commemoration of the 700th anniversary of Emperor Gotoba / Shinsakuto Dedication Association

 

As I think I mentioned to you in an email, this group sponsored an exhibit of swords from 20-30 of the top smiths of the day to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the emperor Gotoba, as the inscription indicates. As I recall, many of these blades are in the Shinshinto Taikan. There were two groups, East and West. I have been told that these swords ended up in two different Shrines. One is in Shimane and they still have about 10 or so of them. I had a trip arranged at one time to go there and see them but I had to cancel for some reason I don't recall now.

[Ron STL]

Thanks guys I was trying not to bother you again Chris, but you always come through. I'll get this info into the article and hopefully it will be useful to people.

 

Ron STL

[k morita]

神前　　後鳥羽天皇七百年祭奉賛新作刀奉納会

 

Shinzen/ Gotoba-Tenno Nanahyaku-Nen-Sai Hosan Shinsakuto Hono Kai.

奉賛 Hosan means "support given to a shrine".

Support given to a shrine for The 700th anniversary of a death of Emperor Godaigo,by Shinsakuto Dedication Association.

 

 

These swords were dedicated to two shrines by Shinsakuto Dedication Association.

15 swords for Minase shrine:

Kajiyama Yasunori(靖徳)

Watanabe Kanenaga(兼永)

Takahashi Sadatsugu(貞次)

Akimoto Akitomo(昭友)

Kotani Yasunori(靖憲)

Murakami Yasunobu(靖延)

Koyama Nobumitsu(信光)

Fujita Tadamitsu(忠光)

Shibata Ka(果)

Miyaguchi Toshihiro(寿廣)

Inoue Sadakane(貞包)

Ishii Akifusa(昭房)

Endo Mitsuoki(光起)

Ki no Masatsugu(政次)

Katsumura Masakatsu(正勝)

 

10 swords for Oki shrine.

Horii Toshihide(俊秀)

Ikeda Yasumitsu(靖光)

Kajiyama Yasutoshi(靖利)

Nakao Tadatsugu(忠次)

Moritsugu Norisada(則定)

Imai Sadashige(貞重)

Takahashi Yoshimune(義宗)

Gassan Sadamitsu(貞光)

Yoshihara Kuniie(国家)

Sato Akinori(昭則)

--------------------------

Oshgata of these dedicated swords was published on [showa no Gobankaji sakuto] pub 1941. 昭和の御番鍛冶作刀

Beautiful tang Oshigata also appears in this book. Oshigata of the same sword tang of Nobumitsu also appears.

[k morita]

Oshigata of same sword of Nobumitsu on the book.

[k morita]

Horii Toshihide

[k morita]

Gassan Sadamitsu

[cabowen]

That jogs my memory-I have a copy of that report as well. The Shrine I was suppose to go was the Ogi Jinja. It is on a remote island with limited ferry service. Thank you for posting this Morita san, it brings back some memories!

 

By　the way, here is a photo of the Ogi Jinja swords on display:

 

[Ron STL]

Chris, Morita san -

 

This is exciting to see! This catalogue is all new to me. The oshigata are beautiful and I'll copy these to my files for future study. Thanks so much for correcting/explaining the inscription, too. I've changed this in the article which will likely be in the next issue of the JSS/US newsletter or the one after. I've gained even more apprication of my two Sa Nobumitsu works!

 

Ron STL