（Token Bijutsu No.548）

Nihon Koto Shi

(History of Koto)

(2)

(P.17)

Let me explain the ji and ha of the swords next, but I would like to say a word about the sword collection of the Shoso-in Depository before I start the explanation. The precondition to examine and appreciate the swords was not very good since the swords had never been polished properly. In addition, we could not have proper lighting (it was done under day light) for sword viewing that was undertaken in the Chu-so storage. If I have an opportunity to examine the swords in good lighting conditions after they are polished properly at a later date, it is highly possible that I will have to correct my description of this research and give a supplementary explanation. The following is what I could deduce of the workmanship of the swords at this time. Their jihada are classified into four categories, (1) itame-hada, (2) running itame-hada, (3) masame-hada and (4) all combined jihada. Amongst them, muso-to in o-dabira style shows the most conspicuous itame-hada combined with o-itame and chu-itame. Most tachi in kiri-ha-zukuri have running itame-hada and masame is most emphasised in the kiri-ha area. There are several swords including kara-dachi and jo-to of the Hoku-so storage of which jihada in the hira-ji, combines masame but not pure masame-hada. Pure masame-hada is seen on several hoko and tosu.

Also there are some swords that have jihada with unclear chikei and jifu. I expect that the hataraki of the jihada would be brought up more conspicuously by a good polish in the future. By the way, it was interesting to find a sword that has running jihada inclined to be ayasugi-hada. The jihada is covered with both nie and rough nie and the detail of the jihada would be brought out by a modern polish.

Thus, we can see various kind of jihada in the Shoso-in sword collection and I have realised that they were made in the same method as the Japanese sword, that is to say, swordsmiths forged and folded and also used different hardness of iron materials.

I realised that some of swords contain a lot of slag iron and this proves the low level of their forging technique. Meanwhile, there are some swords of which the jigane is fine and well-forged and looks beautiful. The quality of the swords of the latter appears to be equal to top-class workmanship of the Japanese sword, although superficially their steel looks softer than ordinary Japanese swords. The blades are covered with thick and fine nie and their brightness would be increased much more after they were polished properly.

Hamon of most tachi and tosu is sugu-ha, and hoso-sugu-ha and ito-sugu-ha (very narrow sugu-ha) are in the majority. There are several chu-sugu-ha and a few hiro-sugu-ha too. Also there are sugu-ha mixed with gentle notare or ko-midare and ko-ashi, niju-ba and sanju-ba are seen in some of them. Most of them are tempered elegantly without deformed midare and nioi-gire (discontinued nioi line) and boshi are well controlled and tempered elegantly. Even if it is a very tiny tosu, the hamon is well controlled and boshi is done skilfully. The types of their boshi are as follows; (1) ko-maru with short kaeri, (2) gentle notare that turns back in ko-maru with short kaeri, (3) yaki-tsume and o-maru with short kaeri. In addition, some boshi with nie-kuzure and unclear boshi are seen amongst them. The boshi of kissaki-moro-ha-zukuri becomes yaki-tsume from both sides and the tip is not pointed. Yaki-tsume-boshi of tachi mostly have a curved line or fukura. Yaki-tsume-boshi of some tosu, have a straight line.

(P.18)

There are two swords with hitatsura but their hamon are not skilfully tempered and their makers appear to be different smiths from those others tempered sugu-ha. These hitatsura hamon are not intentional and there is a possibility of sai-ha or re-tempered hamon. Also there are some swords with indistinct hamon and no hamon at all. It is speculated that some of them were tempered without tsuchi-dori or clay-coating. I would like to show swordsmiths these swords and ask about their opinions.

Boshi and yaki-dashi are believed to be very important factors of the Japanese sword and likewise with the swords of the Shoso-in Depository. The characteristics of the boshi of the Shoso-in Depository were already mentioned above, but there are three features of their yaki-dashi, firstly yaki-otoshi, secondly yaki-komi and thirdly yaki-dashi starting from the machi (but no mizukage and yaki-kuzure are seen there). The second one (yaki-komi) looked like the third case, but it became clear that it was applicable to the third case after the blades were re-polished recently. Thus, there is a possibility that this classification would change after they are re-polished.

(Reference photo)

No.48 Sword of the Chu-so storage with chu-sugu-ha

(P.19)

The following is the appearance of the nie and nioi of the swords; (1) nioi-deki accompanied with tight nioi-guchi, (2) nioi-hon’i accompanied with ko-nie, (3) thick nioi and nie, and (4) subdued nioi-guchi. Their nioi and nie are not bright and each particle of nie is fine. The hamon of most hoko consists of thick nie and sunagashi are seen inside the hamon and hakikake are seen in the boshi.

Viewing three swords that were polished recently, I can see beautiful chikei and shiny kinsuji on their ji and ha and they are recognised as laudable hataraki like those of the Japanese sword. Also dimly glowing lines similar to kinsuji are seen inside the hamon.

It must be noticed that the manner of boshi is quite different between tachi and tosu. Most of the swords are tempered only in the upper part or the kissaki area in an off-hand manner. Also there are swords with no hamon. It is uncertain if they were tempered without clay-coating or if they lost their hamon after many polishes. There is just one te-boko that has sugu-ha and yaki-otoshi but the other te-boko have no hamon.

There is no horimono on the extant works of the Shoso-in Depository. Though, 9 swords with hi are listed in the Todaiji Kenbutsu Cho and three of them have futa-suji-bi. Kuretake-jo-to of the Hoku-so storage has kin-zogan of stars and clouds on it and it correspondents to ‘Kinro-seiun-gata’. In addition, there are 5 swords with kin-zogan, 3 gin-zogan and kin-gin-zogan (with the six designs of ‘sun, moon, starts and dragon’, ‘sun, moon, stars and clouds’, ‘cloud, dragon and stars’, ‘dragon and stars’, ‘stars and clouds’, and ‘dragon’) in the list. Incidentally, half of the extant tosu of the Shoso-in Depository have kin-zogan or gin-zogan of arabesque pattern in the bottom area.

(Reference photo)

‘Kuretake-jo-to’ of the Hoku-so storage with the design of stars and clouds in kin-zogan

(P.20)

Most of swords in the Shoso-in Depository have short and little tapering nakago. There are many kuri-jiri nakago with various curved lines, amongst them, then kiri, kengyo, pointed tip, kiji-momo-gata with a hook-shaped end. Most of tosu have nakago with a sharply pointed tip.

Tachi and muso-to have nakago with yasuri-mei (normally filed finish), sen-suki (scraped finish) and tsuchi-me (hammered finish). Yasuri-me includes (1) kiri or katte-sagari, (2) kiri irregularly mixed with katte-sagari, and (3) kiri mixed with a little katte-sagari. Also there are yasuri-me mixed with sen-suki, tsuchi-me mixed with sen-suki and unusual tsuchi-me (it looks like chiselled finish and is never seen in the nakago of the Japanese sword). Most of the nakago are in bad condition, therefore, they need closer inspection in better lighting to make a precise report. In general, the nakago of muso-to in dabira style and tosu are filed and finished more carefully than that of tachi. Some nakago of tachi and muso-to are finished in sen-suki, but this is not seen in the nakago of tosu.

As a general principle, nakago of Japanese swords have mekugi-ana, but there are many swords of the Shoso-in Depository that have no mekugi-ana. On the other hand, there are very small holes and large ones (kake-toshi-ana) on the nakago of the swords of the depository too. There are some swords that only have a large hole. All of muso-to in dabira style and tosu have no hole on their nakago. It is speculated that the nakago without a hole were inserted into tsuka and fixed tightly, or the nakago were bound with thread or birch bark, therefore mekugi was not used.

There is a muso-to that has a nakago with a fist-shaped tip and it is certain that the tsuka was not mounted in the nakago. In addition, it must be noticed that there are two swords that have a tiny hole just above the ha-machi. This hole is thought to have been made to attach the habaki and this example is occasionally seen amongst artefacts of ancient mounds but such a tiny hole is hardly ever seen in Japanese swords. Incidentally, kenuki-gata-dachi made in the early Heian Period and owned by the Ise Shrine has a tiny hole just above the ha-machi too.

(Reference photo)

Example of sword that has kake-toshi-ana (large hole in the bottom of the nakago).