71st Newly Designated Juyo Exhibition

[eternal_newbie]

Just a heads up for anyone who's in Japan over the next few weeks that the New Juyo exhibition is running until the 1st of March in the Tokyo Sword Museum. 36 blades from the most recent Juyo shinsa and several koshirae and tosogu are on display.

 

You can see the details as well as download an English list of exhibits here: https://www.touken.or.jp/museum/exhibition/exhibition.html

 

And here is a link to @Jussi Ekholm's translation of the full results from the 71st Juyo Session: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/54363-jūyō-71-results

[Lewis B]

Shame photography isn't allowed but understandable since the swords are privately owned. I would like to have seen the Go, Yukimitsu and Sadamune tanto and the Fukuoka Ichimonji katana in particular.

Only 3 non-Japanese owners are represented including Bob Benson and Paul Kremers (congratulations to those gentlemen). 

 

[eternal_newbie]

37 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

I would like to have seen the Go, Yukimitsu and Sadamune tanto and the Fukuoka Ichimonji katana in particular.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Andrew Ickeringill has photographs of the Go on his Facebook page as he's the one who polished it (well done, by the way).

 

https://www.facebook.com/toukentogishi

[Lewis B]

16 minutes ago, eternal_newbie said:

 

If I'm not mistaken, Andrew Ickeringill has photographs of the Go on his Facebook page as he's the one who polished it (well done, by the way).

 

https://www.facebook.com/toukentogishi

Yes, you correct. I didn't recognize the name of the owner. I thought it was owned by a Chinese Singaporean. 

[eternal_newbie]

2 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

I thought it was owned by a Chinese Singaporean. 

For various reasons, many owners of Juyo candidates will instead appoint their agent (often the dealer they bought it from) as the blade's owner while in Japan. Makes things easier if the contact person is there and speaks Japanese (plus the shinsa fees are lower if submitted by a local NBTHK member).

[eternal_newbie]

Update: For those who can't make it there, a page with an English writeup of all the exhibits is on the NBTHK's website (sadly, still no photographs):

 

https://www.touken.or.jp/english/explanation/thefrontsndbackside.html

 

Of particular interest - a Yukimitsu which is the only hitatsura blade by this smith to feature a zai-mei, a Kotetsu with a cutting test mei, and an absolutely massive (nearly 95cm) Hizen Masahiro which was likely a shrine dedication.

[Lewis B]

The Yukimitsu tanto, with a unique hitatsura hamon, zaimai placing him still in Kamakura in 1322. This one really needs a photographic record. 

[myochin]

5 hours ago, eternal_newbie said:

Update: For those who can't make it there, a page with an English writeup of all the exhibits is on the NBTHK's website (sadly, still no photographs):

 

https://www.touken.or.jp/english/explanation/thefrontsndbackside.html

 

Of particular interest - a Yukimitsu which is the only hitatsura blade by this smith to feature a zai-mei, a Kotetsu with a cutting test mei, and an absolutely massive (> 91cm) Hizen Masahiro which was likely a shrine dedication.

Rohan,

Thanks for this link. Could you please explain how you got to this link as I can't find it via their website (is this only for members ?)

Thanks.

[Lewis B]

4 minutes ago, myochin said:

Rohan,

Thanks for this link. Could you please explain how you got to this link as I can't find it via their website (is this only for members ?)

Thanks.

Use the QR code and it takes you to the individual descriptions in English. 

[myochin]

Thanks HB. 

I am guessing that you are referring to the QR codes available at the exhibition itself ? This is not available online anywhere ?

[myochin]

Found it !! Its available on the PDF list of items.

Thanks again. Always something to learn on this great Forum :-)

[eternal_newbie]

31 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

Use the QR code and it takes you to the individual descriptions in English. 

 

That does seem to be the official way to reach the page, although in my case I happened upon it by coincidence in a list of Google search results while doing research on another topic.

[eternal_newbie]

2 hours ago, Lewis B said:

The Yukimitsu tanto, with a unique hitatsura hamon, zaimai placing him still in Kamakura in 1322. This one really needs a photographic record. 

 

Agreed. I know they don't allow photography for the Juyo exhibitions since these are all private collectors' blades, but hopefully someone convinces the owner to lend it out for some upcoming exhibition about Soshu or old Koto blades, and then we'll be able to view it in visitor photography and the museum catalog.

[Jussi Ekholm]

That large Masahiro blade would be a nice one to see.

 

The Yukimitsu tantō was featured in NBTHK 2024 exhibition. I have the book and I recall seeing some images of it in private. It is historically very important item, just that personally I don't have huge love for late Kamakura Sōshū. I personally prefer Nanbokuchō Sōshū with Sadamune, Hiromitsu and Akihiro. Very controversial opinion perhaps but I like what I like

 

 

[eternal_newbie]

37 minutes ago, Jussi Ekholm said:

Very controversial opinion perhaps but I like what I like

 

While there's always a market for the great masters, what's "in vogue" in the nihonto appreciation world does seem to oscillate between the refined jigane and elegant sugata of Kamakura and the vibrant hada and heroic (I've seen someone describe it as "masculine") sugata of Nanbokucho. And Masamune vs. Sadamune is really a question of whether you prefer a beautiful hamon or a beautiful jigane (Sadamune's is often described as the best in history, even surpassing his Awataguchi predecessors).