NCJSC To-ken Taikai July 31 2026

[Toryu2020]

Here we are folks just a week away. Tables are nearly sold out - the hotel block is 80% full - and we are all excited to see everyone again this year. In addition to a busy showroom, the NBTHK will be putting on a display of early swords from Late-Heian to Early-Kamakura, there will be other presentations and of course all the shananigans, swords and tsuba one could hope to see in a single weekend.

Hoping you can join us,

 

https://www.ncjsc.org/events/san-francisco-to-ken-taikai

[Scogg]

A great show every year. I'll be in attendance on Saturday. If you see me, please say hello! 

Looking forward to it,
-Sam

[Toryu2020]

Pics from day one

 

[Toryu2020]

[Toryu2020]

[Toryu2020]

[Toryu2020]

[John C]

Ah. Wish I could have been there. If that matchlock were samurai caliber, it would probably make it to my collection. Been looking for one for a long time.

 

John C.

[Bugyotsuji]

Long gun, small bore, probably not samurai caliber, hard to judge, but it looks generally ok from just that one foreshortened angle shot.

[Scogg]

Great show, great company, and some wonderful swords. 
 

Thanks Tom. Already looking forward to next year. 

 

Back to the PNW for me, 

Best,

-Sam

 

 

[Gakusee]

2 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Long gun, small bore, probably not samurai caliber, hard to judge, but it looks generally ok from just that one foreshortened angle shot.

What is a samurai calibre? To me that looks like it can kill 

[Bruce Pennington]

3 hours ago, Toryu2020 said:

Tom, I was just there today! Did not realize that was you or I would’ve stopped and chatted for a while. Sorry brother!

 

Great show!

[Bruce Pennington]

Wait a minute, I did talk to a gentleman named Tom.  Was that you? I should’ve asked your screen name.

[Bugyotsuji]

24 minutes ago, Gakusee said:

What is a samurai calibre? To me that looks like it can kill 

Most regular ashigaru battlefield guns used around 1.5~1.6 cm ball. These are called 軍用筒 gunyozutsu.

 

Longer bird guns and target guns (as in the photo) tended to have a bore diameter of 1.3 cm or less. Lethal close up, yes, agreed.

 

Then there was a shorter, heavier gun with a bore of around 1.8 cm, and these rarer elite better-quality guns were called 士筒 or　侍筒 (Shizutsu , literally ‘samurai gun’) for ‘proper’ samurai, as opposed to the mass of ashigaru riffraff.

[Gakusee]

29 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Most regular ashigaru battlefield guns used around 1.5~1.6 cm ball. These are called 軍用筒 gunyozutsu.

 

Longer bird guns and target guns (as in the photo) tended to have a bore diameter of 1.3 cm or less. Lethal close up, yes, agreed.

 

Then there was a shorter, heavier gun with a bore of around 1.8 cm, and these rarer elite better-quality guns were called 士筒 or　侍筒 (Shizutsu , literally ‘samurai gun’) for ‘proper’ samurai, as opposed to the mass of ashigaru riffraff.

Thanks, Piers

So, samurai calibre is 1.8cm+ bore? 
 

[Bugyotsuji]

5 minutes ago, Gakusee said:

Thanks, Piers

So, samurai calibre is 1.8cm+ bore? 
 

Yes, Michael, and this 1.8 cm bore is equivalent to a lead ball weight of 10 Monmé.
Samurai guns (Shizutsu) are also sometimes called 10-Monmé guns.

十匁筒 (Jū Monmé Zutsu)

[Gakusee]

2 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Yes, Michael, and this 1.8 cm bore is equivalent to a lead ball weight of 10 Monmé.
Samurai guns (Shizutsu) are also sometimes called 10-Monmé guns.

十匁筒 (Jū Monmé Zutsu)

Great, thanks, Piers

[Curran]

On 8/2/2026 at 11:35 AM, Toryu2020 said:

 

@Toryu2020   The Yagyu looking one, you can send here to Atlanta.

 

[RichardP]

[RichardP]

[RichardP]

[Scogg]

[Scogg]

[Lewis B]

11 minutes ago, Scogg said:

Can you wrap the Yoshifusa please. I even like the Tensho koshirae. Looks quite short for an uba/suriage sword. Kodachi? And do I detect a chu-kissaki?

 

In all honesty all 3 blades look superb. 

 

In all truth, my biggest regret was not getting into Nihonto while I was still living in the USA.

[eternal_newbie]

Nice, clearly discernible fumbari (as you'd expect) on the Ko-Ichimonji.

[Scogg]

Indeed. I wish I could have taken better photos, but being behind that plastic barrier made it difficult.

Those blades were also right at the entrance, and I didn't want to get in peoples way taking a bunch of photos .

Those three amazing blades were on Fred Weissberg's table.
Best,
-Sam

[eternal_newbie]

6 minutes ago, Scogg said:

Those blades were also right at the entrance, and I didn't want to get in peoples way taking a bunch of photos .

 

The effort is appreciated nonetheless! I also like that they basically show the evolution of Bizen choji, from top to bottom - the Ko-Ichimonji just starting to rise out of the calm Yamashiro-influenced style of the Ko-Bizen ko-midare, the flamboyance of the Fukuoka o-choji in the middle, and finally the Osafune choji-midare developed by Mitsutada and perfected by Nagamitsu.

[Jussi Ekholm]

Big thanks to reports and pictures, seemed like an awesome event again.

 

@Scogg Do you have more information on that ōdachi? 

[Scogg]

9 minutes ago, Jussi Ekholm said:

 

@Scogg Do you have more information on that ōdachi? 

The owner/seller told me every little detail about it. Although, I only remember so much. I'll do my best below, and I must emphasize, my version of the info/story pales in comparison to the version originally told to me. The original story was long, and much more specific.  

The Odachi is massive, must have weighed close to 10 lbs, and was polished by Chris Benson. Story goes (from the seller) that they had to make a special rig to properly polish a blade of this size.

The blade was forged in the late 1800s. Commissioned by the family of a man who fought and returned from the first Sino Japanese War. Allegedly, the family specifically made this massive sword for the soldier, in a way to say "thanks for your service, and we love you thiiiiis much" . Some of that information is on the Nakago, of which I did not personally see.

Wish I could remember more details about the soldier, the family itself, or the smith.
Maybe someone who attended the show heard the story and remembers more than me.
All the best,
-Sam

 

[Jussi Ekholm]

Thank you Sam, that does seem like an item with a wonderful story.