Swords of the 47 Ronin

[Natichu]

9 minutes ago, Hokke said:

I seem to remember the same being mentioned in a documentary on Musashi. I believe it was mentioned he was also buried in the standing position. Who knows, legends and stories are vast with this one. 
As for his bokuto, there is one in a museum, but I believe it is labeled as a replica. Anyone with an oar length piece of wood could have claimed it was “the one”. Even if one does exist, can’t see anyway to definitively prove it. 

I believe there is one of his bokuto featured in Paul Martin's latest book, but will double check when I get home. There also a few fittings that the NBTHK have certified as having been made by the man himself (including at last one set of menuki). 

 

As to the original list, what seems odd to me is the length of quite a number of them. Several of the katana are listed at 2.8 shaku, 2.9 shaku, and 3 shaku, which seems out of keeping with most Shinto era pieces. Does anyone else feel like these measurements might have included the nakago? 

[Mikaveli]

1 hour ago, Natichu said:

As to the original list, what seems odd to me is the length of quite a number of them. Several of the katana are listed at 2.8 shaku, 2.9 shaku, and 3 shaku, which seems out of keeping with most Shinto era pieces. Does anyone else feel like these measurements might have included the nakago? 

 

As many long katana there are, there's an equal number of shorter daito - 2 shaku, 2.1, 2.2

 

2.3 -2.4 is often said to have been the average, but plenty of longer swords exist from that time period (2.5-3).

 

Looking at the wakizashi lengths, I don't these these would make sense with a nakago length removed.

[Tim Evans]

 

On 10/13/2025 at 9:57 AM, Lewis B said:

Forget those low ranked Samurai. I want to see Miyamoto Musashi's swords. Anyone know if they are still extant?

I pulled this off of a Japanese site years ago.

"Musashi has many talent. He made sword fittings. Terao-Nobuyuki, Musashi's best pupil received a Musashi self-made koshirae. Sword is 81.8cm Kaneshige.
Kashira is Hana-kukuri shape horn. kojiri is horn too. Fuchi is copper with hammer pattern. Tsuba is "Namako-sukashi" copper. Tsuka with horse leather Tsuka-ito".

 

 

This sword is also described is the book, Zukan Toso no Subete on pages 58 and 59. The swordsmith is Izumi no Kami Fujiwara Kaneshige of Echizen. Also, there are two swords, a katana and wakizashi by Kawachi no Kami Nagakuni that are documented as being used by Miyamoto. 

 

Bokuto

On the web page for the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu  https://www.hyohonitenichiryu.com/global/english/  a bokuto made by Miyamoto called the Jisso Enman no Bokuto is mentioned. A detailed description is here https://www.hyoho.com/embo.html  

 

     

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

OK, Lewis said to forget the 47 Ronin swords.

 

So could I have the ¥500 entrance fee back, and the cost of today’s gasoline, say ¥2,000 please!

 

BTW I need to eat some humble crow pie. The sword displays were far from perfect, but better than before. I spent an hour or so photographing them, and chopping out as many of the reflections as possible. But back to Musashi. There is a village not far from here where he was allegedly born, with a dedicated museum. I’ll need the travel costs and entrance fee in advance this time, though! 

[Guest When Necessary]

On 10/14/2025 at 4:34 AM, Natichu said:

I believe there is one of his bokuto featured in Paul Martin's latest book, but will double check when I get home. There also a few fittings that the NBTHK have certified as having been made by the man himself (including at last one set of menuki). 

 

As to the original list, what seems odd to me is the length of quite a number of them. Several of the katana are listed at 2.8 shaku, 2.9 shaku, and 3 shaku, which seems out of keeping with most Shinto era pieces. Does anyone else feel like these measurements might have included the nakago? 

Hi Nathanial,

 

I have a feeling that those stats were taken from a series of ukiyoe wood block prints which featured details of each of the 47. As this medium was catering to the kabuki crowd, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that they hyped up the dimensions to ridiculous 'superhero' lengths.

[Natichu]

42 minutes ago, When Necessary said:

Hi Nathanial,

 

I have a feeling that those stats were taken from a series of ukiyoe wood block prints which featured details of each of the 47. As this medium was catering to the kabuki crowd, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that they hyped up the dimensions to ridiculous 'superhero' lengths.

Many thanks for the thoughts there Dee! Just caught my eye as aside from some of the shinshinto kinnoto, I don't know that I've seen many measurements of quite those lengths for more standard shinto katana (not that they didn't exist I'm sure, and assuming the ronin weren't carrying long ubu koto tachi). 

[Bugyotsuji]

Just a teaser…

47 Ronin swords.

 

 

[Guest When Necessary]

12 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Just a teaser…

47 Ronin swords.

 

 

Many thanks for going to all that trouble Piers - it's greatly appreciated!

m(_ _)m

 

Again, I see nothing of bizarro, manga-esque proportions there.

 

Dee

[Bugyotsuji]

Katana said to be by Osafuné Kiyomitsu. The captions in the first case say the following:

 

And for the Tantō 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

With a bit of twister I got further shots. The Yasumitsu wakizashi was turned away and almost buried in the display cloth, so I could get no clear shots of it.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Moody shot of an egret on Ako Castle ruins.

 

 

[Natichu]

8 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

With a bit of twister I got further shots. The Yasumitsu wakizashi was turned away and almost buried in the display cloth, so I could get no clear shots of it.

 

Thanks so much for the photos. I can't quite tell from the photo, but was the boshi on the Kiyomitsu ichimai? Looks like it flares out at the yokote, but I can't quite tell if I see a maru and kaeri or if it's just all hardened. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Best I could get, Nathaniel.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

There was another katana, though.

 

and

 

2nd gen Hizen Munetsugu

 

[Bugyotsuji]

And a wakizashi koshiraé in a corner…

 

 

[Guest When Necessary]

Piers, you are amazing! The egret on the remains of Ako Castle was the cherry on the icing for me!!!

 

Thanks to your great photos (the best I have ever seen of those venerable objects) it is clear that they are fairly standard length blades, as suspected.

 

Dee

[2devnul]

@BugyotsujiThanks! I envy you so much for having possibility to be there. 

 

These are very nice blades, Bizen, Hizen, not a cheap Kaze-uchi-mono I would expect. Question is, are these the swords they took for final battle, or are these the ones they had with them during Seppuku ... 

[Bugyotsuji]

Adam, good questions, but one day you will be able to visit, I feel sure!

 

Remember to purify your hands by the entrance.

 

[Lewis B]

Is this a permanent display? Is there a connection between the 47 and the location?  I'd also like to visit the Shrine this time next year when I plan to travel to Japan for the DTI. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Lewis, this is the Oishi Kuranosuke Shrine (Oishi Jinja) inside the remains of Ako Castle, home of the Daimyo Asano Nagayoshi who was forced to commit seppuku for drawing his sword on Kira in Edo Castle.
The shrine is dedicated to the 47 ronin, who were retainers in Ako, and many original artefacts are on ‘permanent’ display. (Although some rearrangement seems to have taken place recently.) 

 

(They have an antiques fair in the grounds. Brian came to visit one time some years ago.)

 

Sengakuji Temple in Edo is where the 47 ronin headstones are, but their home is and was Ako in Harima.

[2devnul]

13 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Sengakuji Temple in Edo is where the 47 ronin headstones

They were buried in Edo (Tokyo), correct? 

14 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

drawing his sword

According to books/movies not only drawing, but also cutting/wounding Kira. That one Wakizashi out there which is more expensive than Katana  

[Brian]

Lovely little flea market there! Really enjoyed it. You'll find weird things at good prices.
Like an old rusted non-functional Type 99 heavy machinegun hidden under a table 

[Bugyotsuji]

Yesterday the 15th fell on a weekday, but I found various bits like tsuba, netsuke, inro, etc. A simple child’s black lacquer inro bears the Wakisaka ‘Wachigai’ Kamon on the side.

…Oh, and a black lacquer tray which I left with the dealer as I was walking around, and then totally forgot. (Just remembered while writing this!)

[Lewis B]

Just watched this informative documentary about the 47 Ronin

 

 

[Natichu]

On 10/13/2025 at 12:34 PM, Natichu said:

I believe there is one of his bokuto featured in Paul Martin's latest book, but will double check when I get home. There also a few fittings that the NBTHK have certified as having been made by the man himself (including at last one set of menuki). 

... 

Just to close this particular loop, on pages 154-56 of Paul Martin's Japanese Swords and Armor, the author has included photos of several pieces of tosogu attributed to Miyamoto Musashi, as well as a bokuto attributed to him.

 

With respect to the bokuto, Mr. Martin states the bokuto "was made by Miyamoto Musashi at the request of the lord of Matsui Castle, Matsui Yoriyuki. He asked Musashi to make a bokutō...to the same dimensions as he had used in his last duel on Ganryujima. The bokutō is of faulty standard dimensions ensuring its ease of use, just in an extended length ." (italics omitted)