MassiveMoonHeh Posted March 13 Report Posted March 13 Recently after my last post on the @Wah sent me a fantastic article on many of Emperor Meiji's swords from a special exhibition celebrating a century of the Meiji Restoration at the Matsuzakaya Department Store (Japan's first department store) from January 4-14, 1968, promoted by the Mainichi Shinsha Shrine & Kyoto Shimotsuke Shrine. I enjoyed it so much that decided I translated it and am sharing it here so that everyone else may enjoy it too. From Sword and History Issue 445 (September 1968) Emperor Meiji and Swords (Part 2) Author: Taiko Sasano The Emperor's Military Sword Earlier this year, at the start of the New Year, the "Modern Imperial Family Special Exhibition" opened at Matsuzakaya in Ginza. The number of exhibits was large, and the content was excellent. With such a fulfilling exhibition commemorating the Meiji era opening first, I couldn't help but worry about how difficult it would be for subsequent exhibitions—a concern for others, so to speak. Emperor Meiji's Military Sword, Bizen Province, by Nagayoshi (Chogi) (Tokyo National Museum Collection) In "Modern Imperial Family," two emperors, Komei and Meiji, were avid sword enthusiasts, so several swords belonging to them were on display. Among them were two military swords belonging to Emperor Meiji, exhibited from the Tokyo National Museum. During the sorting of the imperial sword collection immediately after the end of the war, it was initially decided to limit it to fifty swords (according to Mr. Tsunetsujiro Yoshikawa). Since many of the imperial swords have long and distinguished histories, relatively newer swords like Emperor Meiji's military sword were included in the sorting section. It was acquired and is currently housed in the Tokyo National Museum. The first of these gunto swords is a well-maintained large sword bearing the signature "Nagayoshi, Nagafune-ju, Bizen Province." It measures 2 shaku 3 sun and 4 bu in blade length, 8 bu and 8 rin for the curvature and a base width of 1 sun (see photo in black). The jigane (ground steel) has a distinct itame grain pattern and a pronounced shining effect. The hamon (hame) is a mixture of komabure (small swaths) and gonome (five-pointed patterns), with beautiful ashi (astitch) and sunagashi (sand-nagashi) patterns. Small spattered charcoal marks can be seen here and there. The ko (fine lines) have become irregular and have turned into komaru (small rounded patterns). The exterior is saber-style, with the area painted black lacquer in the usual style. As one of the Ten Great Masters of Masamune, this sword has a dignified Eastern appearance and is quite heavy. Therefore, while he favoured it in his prime, he apparently avoided it in his later years. The next sword is a work by Bizen Ichimonji Sukemune. It measures 2 shaku 3 sun 3 bu in length, 7 bu and 5 rin in curvature, and 8 bu in the base, making it appear gentler than the previous Nagagi. The jigane (ground steel) has a finely honed ko-itame (small grain) pattern a fine nie (crystal-like pattern). The hamon (blade pattern) begins with a small, irregular pattern, gradually becoming sparser toward the tip, becoming a straight sword with a slight ashi-iri (foot-like) pattern, but featuring abundant ha-mo (leaf) patterns. The tsuba (guard) is a small katsu (small buckle). The two characters "Sukemune" are vividly inscribed on the blade. The hilt of the saber-shaped sword is made of tortoiseshell, with striking black spots on a yellow background. Count Tanaka Mitsunori According to "Count Tanaka Aoyama" (edited by Sawamoto), this Sukemune was presented by Count Tanaka Mitsunori. The Sino-Japanese War, contrary to world expectations, saw Japan win battle after battle, ushering in the spring of 1928. A high-ranking official from the Imperial Household Ministry was sent congratulations on the victory which in turn resulted in an invite for a representative to visit the Imperial Headquarters in Hiroshima. The representative chosen for the mission was Tanaka Mitsunori, then president of Gakushuin University. A sword lover since his youth, he had a vast collection of famous swords. Among them was a sword by Ichimonji Sukemune, and he decided to use this opportunity to present it. Upon hearing of this, the wealthy Iwasaki Yanosuke requested, "I would also like to present an old Bizen Sukehira. Could you please take it for me?" The two were old friends from the same Tosa domain, and Tanaka readily agreed. Bearing the two swords, he reported to the Imperial Headquarters in Hiroshima on January 14th. Minister of the Imperial Household, Hijikata Hisamoto stood before and abruptly ordered him to bow to the Emperor. There, Tanaka offered his congratulations on the victory and then announced his intention to present the famous sword. Regarding the sword from the Iwasaki family, he said, "This is an old Bizen sword, 800 years old, but it is in excellent condition, as if it had just been made. It is like Minister of the Imperial Household Hijikata, sitting here, he may be old, but he has no grey hair, no hunched back, and is serving His Majesty well. This sword is just like that." He spoke with a touch of humour, and the Emperor burst out laughing, immediately approving the sword. The Emperor seemed to be very pleased with the sword given to him, and he soon used it as a backup. Because, as Tanaka Mitsugao had said, it was in such good condition and therefore it would stay on his waist. The weight was quite a burden though. So, in his later years, he used the Sukemune presented by Tanaka as his military sword instead. It was only 80% of the original habaki size, so it wasn't particularly heavy. Kuroda Kiyotaka Another military sword favoured by the Emperor, due to its lightness, was the Awataguchi Hisakuni presented by Kuroda Kiyotaka. Its blade was 2 shaku 2 sun long, had a 5 bu curvature, and a 8 bu base, making it about the same weight as his previous Sukemune. The jigane (ground steel) has the well-honed Ko-Itame-Hada (small grain) characteristic of the Awataguchi tradition, with a good amount of ji-nie (small crystals in the steel). The straight blade is interspersed with small irregularities, with beautiful foot and leaf markings, and gold lines can be seen here and there. The inscription is powerfully inscribed in the two characters "Hisakuni" at the centre. A typical Awataguchi sword, it truly deserves to be called a famous sword. This is no surprise, as it was originally handed down through the Yanagisawa family and bears a certificate of 3,000 kan from Bunsei 14 (1817). This was a gift from the Kuroda family to the Emperor during his visit to Kuroda when he visited the Capital in Meiji 18, November 1885. Incidentally, Emperor Meiji was well-built. The officer assigned to me during my middle school years graduated from the military academy at the end of the Meiji era. So the Emperor attended his graduation ceremony and said, "I bowed to the graduates, and I bowed to them with the same respect as General Oyama, who was standing behind them." Oyama Gen, a descendant of Saigo Nanshu, was also quite large, but the Emperor was about the same size. The Emperor was also very strong, and in his youth he enjoyed sumo wrestling and horseback riding. He even boasted about it. Consequently, until middle age, he preferred swords with a masculine appearance. For example, the "Kotegiri Masamune" presented by Maeda Sei (Lord of the Kaga Domain) was 2 shaku 2 sun 6 bu in length, which could be considered a standard size, but the blade was 1 sun at the base and 9 bu at the tip, making it quite heavy. There were 12 or 13 military swords, many of which were from the Soshu school, including: Aizu Masamune Aizu Masamune presented by Prince Arisugawa, Honjo Masamune presented by Tokugawa Iesato, (Translator's note: Unsure if there are two swords named Honjo Masamune? The author here is suggesting that a sword by this name was given to the Emperor Meiji by Tokugawa Iesato (1863-1940) and a sword by this name appeared in this special exhibition of Imperial Swords in 1968? Could it be a Hojo Masamune? The special exhibition's catalogue would confirm.) Soshu Masamune purchased from Ogawa Ikko, Samonji presented by Matsudaira Yoshisui, Noshu Kinyuki (unclear) presented by Adachi Masashige. Bizen swords included the aforementioned Ichimonji Sukemune and Nagafune Nagayoshi, Old Bizen Nobutomo presented from Takashima Shinnosuke Meiji 44 (Lieutenant General), Ichimonji Sukeshige presented by Matsudaira Yoshio, Kagemitsu and Kagemasa collaboration presented by Kawamura Sumiyoshi (Marshal). For more information on this sword, please refer to issue 423 of this magazine. The sword used by His Majesty when he supervised the large-scale exercises in Kyushu in the autumn of Meiji 44, 1911 was crafted by Ayanokōji Sadatoshi. It was a large sword with a blade length of over 2 feet and 6 inches, but because His Majesty was tall, it did not seem too long. In addition to the above swords, a naval dagger will also be on display at the "Modern Imperial Family Special Exhibition." It was on display. The exterior is standard, with a white handle and a black front, but the metal fittings feature a 16-petal chrysanthemum crest that shines brilliantly in gold. The blade is a 7 to 8 sun long tanto with an inward curve, and features a typical hamon (temper pattern) with large, irregular five-patterned lines. A favourite sword at his side Each of the Emperor's living rooms had a designated attendant sword. First, in the sleeping room (mikoshi) is the so-called Omakura sword. Its blade is Nagafune Nagamitsu, a 2-shaku 3-sun (approx. 1.5 m) long sword, with a thin golden plate covering the handle. All the other metal fittings were also made of gold, making it a luxurious piece that even the gods shone with golden light. Inner Throne Room Next, in the inner throne room is the so-called Hino-Omashi (sacred seat) sword. This sword was crafted by Kishin-no-taifu Yukihira, and also features a traditional tachi (long sword) design. The metal fittings are made of a quarter-grain alloy, said to have been formed by a mountain that erupted from the ground long ago. Several other swords were also present, but this Yukihira and the previous Nagamitsu were occasionally maintained by the Emperor himself. The Chrysanthemum Thone in the Main Throne room Next, in the main throne room, numerous famous swords were displayed on shelves in the nine-foot alcove and thr next room. Some of the more famous ones include: The one presented by Kuroda which was 2 shaku 3 sun long, and another from Motoda Nagazane, measuring 2 shaku 2 sun 5 bu. The Emperor seemed particularly fond of the latter, and had it fitted with a gold-plated tachi mounting. In the spring of 1893, the master craftsmen of the time, Kano Natsuo and Kagawa Hiroshi, were commissioned to create the koshirae. The gold base used for the sword was excavated from the Sado Gold Mine, with as much gold as possible refined at the Osaka Mint, making it literally pure gold. The mounting was first done by Natsuo, who presented a rough sketch to the Emperor, and the fittings were then approved after it was deemed suitable. Phoenixes are carved into the fittings while other parts are decorated with five-seven and grass motifs. The paulownia wood, in particular, is small, measuring just 2 shaku and 5 sun, so its construction was extremely challenging. Workers reported to the Imperial Household Ministry every day to work on it, but it is said that it took an astonishing 13 years to complete. Sanjo Munechika Odachi: The sword bears the inscription "Munechika," with a blade length of 2 shaku, 5 sun and 9 bu and a curvature of 9 bu and 2 rin. It was presented to the Crown Prince (later Emperor Taisho) by Sakai Tadamichi of the Obama Domain in Wakasa Province during a tour of the Hokuriku region in September 1909, and was subsequently presented by the Crown Prince to the Emperor. For more on this, see issue 429 of this magazine. Tsurumaru Kuninanga Gojo Kuninanga (Tsurumaru): Presented by the Date family during the Emperor's visit to Sendai. For more on this, see issue 429 of this magazine. . Ichigo Hitofuri Yoshimitsu Awataguchi Yoshimitsu (Ichigo Hitofuri) This sword is famous since ancient times and is included in the "Kyōhō Meibutsu-chō", so I will omit its description. Kogarasumaru Yasutsuna Amakuni Yasutsuna Tengu (Kogarasumaru) was presented by Count Sou Shigemasa in 1882. For more information on this, see issues 426 and 441 of this magazine. The Tehata-hosui (SP?) sword was a gift from the former emperor and it comes with a tachi mounting. It is said to have been a favourite of the former emperor, and he was particularly attached to it. The other sword was presented by Marquis Saigo Tsunemichi and has a blade length 2 shaku (approximately 60 cm). It has a high crest, features a grained jigane, and is straight-edged, demonstrating the characteristics of a Yamato sword. It originally belonged to the Honjo family, lords of Miyazu Castle in Tango, but was presented by Tsunemichi, a sword lover. Sōzui Masamune Soshu Masamune (Sōzui Masamune) presented by Duke Tokugawa Iesatu. According to the "Kyoho Meibutsu Cho," this sword earned its nickname from being a favorite of Mōri Terumoto Nyudo Munezui. While in the possession of the Toyotomi family, it was appraised as Sagami Yukimitsu. It was later passed on to the Owari Tokugawa family, and presented to Shogun Tsunayoshi when he visited them in Genroku 11, 1698. It was presented to the Emperor by Tokugawa Iesatu in Meiji 28, 1895, and after the completion of the mounting for the sword presented by Baron Motoda, he commissioned Shakawa Katsuhiro to create a magnificent mounting. Kintano-Gō Gō Yoshihiro (Kitano-go): This famous sword is also listed in the "Kyōhō Meibutsu-chō" Book. It had been passed down through the Kaga Maeda family until it was presented at the Maeda residence by the family in July 1910 during the Emperor's visit. Originally unsigned, it features a gold inlay of Hon'ami Kōetsu in the centre. Uguisumaru Tomonari Ko-Bizen Tomonari (Uguisumaru): This was presented by Count Tanaka Mitsunori. Tanaka Mitsunori, who had previously presented Ichimonji Sukemune, was awarded the title of Count in September 1907 and received 20,000 yen in royal gold. This sword, the famous Uguisumaru, was likely a token of gratitude from Tanaka Mitsunori for this elevation in status, as it was presented in November of the same year to the Emperor, during a large-scale military exercise near Yūki Town, Ibaraki Prefecture. Uguisumaru was originally a long-held sword of the Ashikaga family. In March of the spring of 1489, Yuki Ujitomo of Shimo-no-Kami raised an army, enlisting the surviving son of Ashikaga Mochiuji. By order of Shogun Yoshihisa, Ogasawara Dai Katsutafu Masahan joined the army to fight in the Yūki campaign and fought bravely. He then issued a proclamation to have Mochiuji's surviving son executed. For his service, the Shogun bestowed upon him a letter of commendation and the famous sword Uguisumaru. As the sword has a deep connection to Yūki, where the great battles took place, Mitsumi presented it there at the imperial residence, accompanied by the following poem: "At every battle, I offer the sword that was destroyed at Katsuyama. Not even for a fleeting moment, as I offer the sword before the great master, I will never forget your mercy." After all the battles, the sword is enshrined at Katsuyama Castle. Katsuyama was a castle town in Ono County, Echizen Province, and the castle ruins are now called Nagayama. In Genroku 4, 1691, Ogasawara Tosa-no-kami Sadanobu was buried here, and the ruins lasted until the Meiji period. It was a magnificent sword with a blade length of 2 shaku 6 sun 1 bu and a curvature of 9 bu 5 rin, featuring powerful carvings of the taihi on both sides. For more information on this sword, please refer to issue 43 of this magazine. Bizen Tadamitsu: This swas originally a important sword of the Aizu Matsudaira family, but was given to the Yokami family as a gift from the family. Bizen Mitsutada: There was a 2 shaku 2 sun sword presented by the Hachisuka family as a gift from the family's successor, and another sword with a long inscription "Bizen Province Osafune Mitsutada" presented by Iwasaki Yanosuke. The latter, Osafune, is particularly valuable as a research resource. In addition to the Uguisumaru, another Tomonari was also presented by the Sakai family of Himeji. Keeping a Water Dragon (Suiryuken) (Tokyo National Museum) The Water Dragon ken (Suiryuken) was originally a part of the Shosoin Repository, but was apparently kept at the Imperial Palace during maintenance in the early Meiji period. It is a straight sword with a sharp edge, but the surface is smooth and has been tempered. The exterior was painstakingly crafted by Kano Natsuo, with a golden dragon on the hi-ai and kashira blades and a silver wave pattern on the edge. For this reason, it was named the Water Dragon Sword. While the blade's artistic merit is naturally inferior to the famous swords mentioned above, the Emperor likely treasured it because of its academic value as the birthplace of the Japanese sword. The Golden Dragon the scabbard Contemporary swords—perhaps more for the encouragement of swordsmiths than for appreciation—were also kept in his possession by swords made by Gassan Sadakazu and Miyamoto Kanenori. Sadakazu was particularly highly regarded and highly trusted by the Emperor. While I won't be listing just one Myochin ornament, I'll add a final note about the story of how the Emperor took a liking to an ornament made by Myochin, a renowned armor maker. In 1883, an art exhibition sponsored by the Japan Art Association was held at the office of Hibiya Daijingu Shrine. The Emperor, who loved not only swords but also paintings, sculptures, and other fine arts, attended the exhibition. At the time, most of the treasures handed down through the generations were still kept secret in the homes of former daimyo and nobles. Among the exhibits were some of the finest examples, making for a truly magnificent exhibition. Among the exhibits was an iron dragon exhibited by the Matsudaira family, lords of Mezuyama Domain. It was about seven lengths long, hammered out of iron, and each of the dragon's scales was movable, even down to the tips of its claws. After the Meiji Restoration, when armour orders suddenly dried up, Myochin, who found himself bogged down, created this "stretchy dragon," inspired by armour-making techniques. The Emperor seemed to be very pleased with this, and even after he had retired to the resting place, he ordered Tokudaiji, the Grand Chamberlain, to "call for the dragon." When it arrived, he was playing with it with great interest and desire. This incident was reported to be one of the greatest in Japan. Iron Dragon by Myochin When Sano Tsunetami, president of the Art Association, informed Matsudaira-do, the owner of the work, he was so honoured that he immediately offered to present it to the Emperor. Then, in the following year, another event was held at Tsukiji Honganji Temple. The Emperor also made a visit to that event. After the morning viewing, lunch was finally served in the great hall. There, in a large water basin, five feet in diameter, was a large loquat tree in bloom, with a crab attached to it. After lunch, as he was browsing the room with a toothpick, the crab suddenly caught his eye. He stood up, approached the wooden basin, and picked up the crab. His limbs then began to flap rapidly. With a smile on his face, "Wow, this is well made," he exclaimed in a magical voice. In fact, this was also Myochin's work. An antique dealer named Wakai had purchased it from somewhere for the princely sum of 200 yen (in those days), boasting that he could sell it for 600 yen to a foreigner. The Emperor brought it back to the table and repeatedly praised its quality, prompting Sano, chairman of the association, who was standing nearby, to consult with Minister of the Imperial Household, Hijikata Hisamoto, and propose presenting an offer to Wakai. "It would be a great honour if Your Majesty were pleased," he said. The Emperor immediately agreed. Upon hearing the offer, the Emperor seemed delighted; he put it in his pocket without wrapping it in paper, and took it home. His demeanour was like that of a child buying a favourite toy. Iron Crab by Myochin The Myochin family, whose centuries-old family business had been snatched away by the progress of time and whose fortunes had been sunk, must have felt as if a lost tree had blossomed upon hearing this story. 3 6 Quote
eternal_newbie Posted March 13 Report Posted March 13 Great stuff, just one small thing - the measurements for the Nagayoshi are off: 20 minutes ago, MassiveMoonHeh said: It measures 2.34 shaku (approx. 1.52 m) in blade length, 8.8 bu (approx. 1.04 m), and 1.04 sun (approx. 1.04 m) I assume this should be 70.9cm, 2.67cm and 3.15cm respectively? 1 Quote
MassiveMoonHeh Posted March 13 Author Report Posted March 13 7 minutes ago, eternal_newbie said: Great stuff, just one small thing - the measurements for the Nagayoshi are off: I assume this should be 70.9cm, 2.67cm and 3.15cm respectively? Great catch... that was just garbage. 1 Quote
Jussi Ekholm Posted March 13 Report Posted March 13 Thank you for another wonderful article Brett. I have seen the Chōgi at Tokyo National Museum and it is marvellous sword. I wondered how a sword like this did not have a high national designation but as your other article explained that these former Imperial collection pieces are above designating them, it all makes perfect sense. 3 Quote
Brian Posted March 13 Report Posted March 13 Good work! Very interesting. Put it into a pdf and send to me and I'll add it as an article with the appropriate credit 1 Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 Another enjoyable article, do you know if any photos of the mounts are out there? Quote
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