Shotoho

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning all,

 

What does the term Shotoho signify?

 

http://world.choshuya.co.jp/sale/sword/ ... gemasa.htm

 

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Nobody]

小刀穂 - Shotoho (reading?)

It may be equivalent to a Kogatana (小刀), the point of a Kogatana more precisely.

 

FYI: http://www.finesword.co.jp/sale/touken/ ... imitsu.htm

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you Moriyama san.

 

I was also curious why the nakago of the Shotoho in question was pierced right at the base.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Toryu2020]

This is a Tosu and not your standard kogatana...

-t

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you Thomas,

 

So as it has a mekugi ana, must it be licenced and thus be part of the smith's yearly quota under Ju-to-ho?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Nobody]

It must be registered because its blade length is more than 15 cm. Actually its mekugiana has nothing to do with Ju-to-ho, at least according to the law’s articles.

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you Moriyama san

 

This is fascinating, a number of questions about Ju-to-ho arise from this.....

 

1: How does a Smith account for blades produced in order to fulfill his quota?

 

2: At what point is a blade deemed licenceable?

 

3: Are Kogatana /Tosu/ Shotoho and varients outside the quota?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[cabowen]

Thank you Moriyama san

 

This is fascinating, a number of questions about Ju-to-ho arise from this.....

 

1: How does a Smith account for blades produced in order to fulfill his quota?

 

2: At what point is a blade deemed licenceable?

 

3: Are Kogatana /Tosu/ Shotoho and varients outside the quota?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

 

Here is my understanding:

 

Smiths have a certain number of katana, wakizashi, and tanto they can license every month. Blades that must be licensed under the law are those that are over 15cm in nagasa. A blade over 15cm but less than wakizashi length would be counted as a tanto for purposes of the monthly quota.I recall from an earlier thread that after reading the JuToHo (statutes governing swords and firearms) that there is no overt mention of a mekugi, they simply refer to "nihon-to" without a definition of what a "nihon-to" is exactly.

 

I have always been told that three things make a blade a nihon-to requiring registration: a yaki-ba, mekugi-ana, and over 15cm in length....The law, as mentioned above, doesn't mention these other criteria, but the fact that sushi knives (not requiring registration) in excess of 15cm exist, all of which are differentiated from tanto solely by their lack of a mekugi-ana, makes me believe the anecdotal accounts I have heard from authorities in charge with enforcement of the laws that a mekugi-ana is indeed a characteristic of nihon-to.

 

I should mention my own personal experience with this: I once took a yari to registration that was only 14cm in length. They told me it had to be licensed despite the fact that it was less than 15cm in length because it had a mekugi-ana and was thus a weapon....So go figure....

 

As far as kogatana, etc., being outside the licensing requirement, as long as they are less than 15cm in length, yes, they are outside the requirement. I had a smith make me many 14.8 cm tanto miniatures once (osoraku, hocho masamune, katakiriba, etc.) with mekugi-ana and they were not licensed.....

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you Chris

 

Again I say fascinating...

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm