Antique Nihonto Japanese Sword

My Nihonto collecting journey started only about 18 months ago, I am always grateful to Jean from the Nihonto Message Board who has pointed to me the direction to collect.  This is Jeans's collection that has inspired me to collect Koto. Jean is a very experienced collector who is willing to teach and share. It is every collector dream to collect :  Gokaden consisting of the five dens - Bizen Den: ubu nijimei beginning of Oei Yasumitsu, early Kamakura sugata, suguha - Soshu Den: Tametsugu, son of Go Yoshihiro and Norishige Student - Mino Den: Naoe Shizu - Yamato Den : according Honma Junji/Tanobe sensei: Hosho, according to NBTHK, Tegai Kanekiyo, son of Kanenaga - Yamashiro : Ryokai To be able to collect the five famous dens and collect Katana in superb quality requires dedication, discipline and good eye and taste. A good target to aim for! http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/17414-achieved-collection-gokaden/?hl=ryokai

上越市が国宝の上杉謙信の愛刀購入へ 評価額3億2千万円 市民から寄付募る 2016年8月23日 (火) 19:55  –  5か月前 新潟県上越市は戦国武将、上杉謙信の愛刀で国宝に指定されている「太刀無銘一文字（号 山鳥毛）」を購入する。2016年8月23日、村山秀幸市長が定例記者会見で明らかにした。専門家による評価額は3億2000万円で、市は市民や企業から広く寄付を募り、来年度中に購入する方針だ。 上杉謙信の愛刀「太刀無銘一文字（号 山鳥毛）」の刀身 鞘（さや）と柄（つか） 刃紋 太刀は謙信、景勝の愛刀として上杉家に伝えられてきたもの。現在は個人所有で、岡山県立博物館に寄託されている。昨年6月に新潟県立歴史博物館を通じて、所有者が謙信ゆかりの地に太刀を譲渡する意向があるとの情報があり、調整を進めてきた。 刃長は79cmで、市によると、福岡一文字派による備前刀の逸品で、景勝が定めた「三十五腰」の中でも一番の名刀と確認されている。1952年3月に国宝指定された。山鳥毛の号は、刃紋が山鳥の羽毛に似ていることに由来するという説もある。 太刀取得について、謙信の顕彰活動に取り組む「春日山城跡保存整備促進協議会」と「謙信公『義の心』の会」に意見を聞いたところ、「ぜひ市で購入してほしい」「寄付を呼び掛けるなど市民運動として協力したい」の声が上がったという。上越商工会議所、上越観光コンベンション協会にも協力を呼び掛けて、「国宝謙信公太刀（山鳥毛）収集市民会議」を9月6日に設立することになった。この市民会議が中心となり、広く市民などを対象に募金活動などを展開する。また市は、市内企業に寄付を呼び掛けるほか、2017年度には企業版ふるさと納税を活用し、市外の企業からも寄付を募るなど官民一体となった取り組みを進める。 景勝の時代に国替えとなったことから、上越市には謙信の居城春日山城のほかに、上杉家ゆかりの遺品はほとんどない。市では太刀を来年度中に購入し、2018年夏に現在の総合博物館からリニューアルオープンする「歴史博物館」の目玉に「市民の宝」として迎える考えだ。村山秀幸市長は「太刀取得に向けた市民の取り組みを通じて、市民の宝としての思いを寄せてもらうことでふるさとへの愛着と誇りがさらに高まる」と話していた Google t...

Interesting article to share. Source: http://wsimag.com/art/18008-sword-as-art “The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword.” - From the 1966 film, Sword of Doom In the 1966 Japanese classic film Sword of Doom (Daibousatsu to Age), Kihachi Okamoto‘s adaptation of Kaizan Nakazato‘s serialized novel, the merciless samurai Ryunosuke Tsukue was a rage-filled swordsman who used his blood-drenched sword to slash one character after the other, void of utter emotion or compromise. The stiff coldness and frenzy torment that accompanied his unbeatable sword fighting skill had inevitably given the sword a parallelism to war, evil and revenge. Countless “samurai” movies: Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Ran, Rashomon, Kagemusha, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, and more, have by their own distinct styles, portrayed the sword as a vengeful weapon. Yet, notwithstanding the manifestation of anger or fiery often associated with the sword, the deeply etched lin...

There are not many works left by Ryumon Yanji, but National Treasure: 1, important cultural property. Among them, the swords designated as national treasures are the fees of Emperor Suzu Mizuo, and Kim Riko Kikuri Makie Makie Spinning Tiger Sword and Indigo Chrysanthemum Golden Bag are attached. http://www.tsuruginoya.net/stories/ryuumonnnobuyoshi/ 金梨地菊紋散金装糸巻太刀拵 （中身国宝龍門延吉） 後水尾天皇御料

伝龍門延吉太刀Ryumon Nobuyoshi The Ryumon Nobuyoshi is a sword group living in the Yamano County 龍門一派 Ryumon floor, Yamato County, which was the territory of Kofukuji, taking the place name and called (Longmen) Ryumon. Although the number of swords is small, Yanji Ryumon and others are famous, and it is said that there are stocks in the Chichibuya family that are in existence, but most of the existing are unknown. Tamaki Jyoji polished it 龍門派是鎌倉後期到南北朝期間在大和國吉野郡龍門莊居住的刀匠們的總稱。也有認為龍門為千手院派分流的說法；龍門一派最有名的刀工是延吉，但是一般他在銘的作品極其少見。龍門莊是個好地方，有歷史典故，有櫻花美景；它是奈良興福寺的領地，內有龍門寺和吉野山口神社，龍門派刀匠是作為這些寺社的隸屬而鍛刀，也有說法說他們為南北朝時南朝武士鍛刀。大反，刀姿優美，地鐵柔練；明確的小互目相交刃文是其特徵。和其他大和傳流派相比稍有不同，十分典雅且富有魅力。

The Yamato Hosho Tradition from Kamakura till the Present by Han Bing Siong Traditionally sword students distinguish five different major styles in Japanese swords according to the provinces. Some like Nagayama Kokan sensei, say there are six styles the Shinto being the sixth. Peculiarly, many Japanese sources in specifying the Goka Den first refer to the Yamashiro den, then to the Yamato den. Bizen den, Soshu den and Mino den in this sequence. Those sources, however, are unanymous as regards the Kogarasu Maru by Amakuni, presently in the Imperial collection, being the oldest curved Japanese sword. They are also unanymous on the point that Amakuni was a swordsmith of Yamato province. So why mentioning Yamashiro first rather than Yamato ? Moreover, as the book Shosoin no Token (p.xiii) points out the Yamashiro den must have its origin in Yamato, because swords of sanjo Munechika and Awataguchi Kuniyoshi, both prominent early swordsmiths of Yamashiro province, have niju ba. Nijuba...

http://www.nihonto.ca/ryumon-nobuyoshi/

Some tips for vintage Nihonto collection After 15 months of collecting, I would like to share with "NEW" collectors some tips on Nihonto collections basing on my own experience. I must confess I am no expert and just a green horn. Firstly, one can either collect : A. Traditional made Nihonto or  B. what we often called Military WW2 arsenal blades.  Complications arises for B) Military WW2 blades as there are three categories : 1. There are those made during the 1940s using modern method (machine made steel) 2. There are those made during the 1940s using traditional method of making katana. 3. There are those WW2 Military Katana using old antique Nihonto (old family blade) that has been remounted in WW2 outfit. For those who wants the best of both world can go for the WW2 military blade with the "traditional home blade" mounted on the WW2 saya/outfit or WW2 katana made using the traditional method. However, for the WW2 using tradition...

国宝　太刀　銘　延吉（龍門）

伝龍門延吉太刀Ryumon Nobuyoshi (Yamato Den) My search for the Nihonto has been a very slow one. It took me more then a year. I was originally looking for an Aoe but ended with a Koto Ryumon Nobuyoshi after sending to NBTHK for verification. Belonging to Yamato den and from Kamakura period. Ryumon Nobuyoshi has descended the skill of Yamato Senjyuin and has fine jigane of Kamakura period.   I have tried to find out more and from the internet. There are not many works left by Ryumon Nobuyoshi but there is record from National Treasure important cultural property. Among them, the swords designated as national treasures are the fees of Emperor Suzu Mizuo, and Kim Riko Kikuri Makie Makie Spinning Tiger Sword and Indigo Chrysanthemum Golden Bag are attached. (Source: http://www.tsuruginoya.net/stories/ryuumonnnobuyoshi/) Emperor Go-Mizunoo's sword : made by Ryumon Nobuyoshi - (active 1317). National Treasure. Oshigata ( Source : http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php...

Like any hobby, one needs to find one direction in collecting. I have always wanted to own a WW2 katana with hand forge blade (and not arsenal made using oil quench techniques) and I have found one gentaito fully polished not too long ago. The katan is fully original, aged but the locking mechanism was damaged.  After weeks of search, my Type 98 Gunto has finally found a replacement old  WW2 Japanese Army CHUsO stopper sword fittings for my Gunto. Now, the restoration is complete. Before After