Osafune Sword Museum, ~6/28

[Bugyotsuji]

Yesterday I had a chance to visit the museum for the first time since the soft lockdown and subsequent easing process.

The parking area was only half full and few people were around, despite it being Sunday afternoon.

At the entrance was a large warning sign emphasizing they would not welcome visitors from outside Okayama Prefecture, or anyone with a temperature of over 37.5 degrees, or anyone not wearing a face mask either.

Inside the reception area, there was a small table with hand sanitizer, and the counter was hung with plastic sheeting. The lady, wearing a mask, smiled at me in my Wakisaka Mon fashion mask. For free entry, I showed my NBTHK card under the plastic curtain, and as a member received a one coffee free card for the coffee shop.

From there I could wander around the ground floor exhibition room, showing objects owned by our area NBTHK members. In the glass cases in the middle of the room were some nice examples of Tosogu, i.e. Tsuba, Fuchi/gashira, Menuki, Habaki, etc. The swords were not limited to Bizen work, but included all areas and ages, including Musashi and Hizen Tadahiro, and more modern smiths such as Toshimitsu (Imaizumi).

On the second floor was a display of Bizen area swords, organized into the famous smithing communities of the 吉井 Yoshii, 大宮 Omiya, 長船 Osafune, 福岡一文字 Fukuoka Ichimonji, 畠田Hatakeda, and Morishige Schools... etc.

Here is a map showing where the main schools were located in relation to each other. Although the 吉井川 Yoshii River today flows diagonally NE to SW through the area, before washing away the heart of Fukuoka Castle in the mid 1500s it used to run more NE-SE, so that Yoshii and Osafune were once on the same side of the river, connected by land.

You've probably all seen the video.
https://visitsetouchi.com/en/osafune/

[Bugyotsuji]

This rustic little Tanto tsuba appeared to have some age to it. The Menuki are described as turtles and flowing water, by the Ōtsuki school.

 

Although at Meiji 33, so late in date, this ‘Tomonari 61’ Sukésada Tanto package was beautifully executed.

[Bugyotsuji]

This post is for Ken. ‘剣’!!!

 

A modern creation by Andō Yūsuké (Hiroyasu)

[Bugyotsuji]

Hoping it might brighten up your day.

 

Long-distance highway buses, Shinkansen bullet trains and domestic flights are just beginning to start moving again, so flights to and from Japan also may become a realistic proposition in the not-too-distant future.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Did a bang-up job, Piers - thanks! Wife & I are looking forward to coming back to visit.

[Bugyotsuji]

Bring it on, 剣 (釼)!

 

Imaizumi Toshimitsu really kickstarted Bizen sword creation following WW2.

 

This Mei is so well cut that I just had to get a shot of it.