（Token Bijutsu No.551）
Nihon Koto Shi
(History of Koto)
By Dr. Honma Junji
(5)
(P.15)
2. Heian Period
1. Outline
The
swords of the Shoso-in Depository include many kiri-ha-zukuri and kissaki-moro-
ha-zukuri,
also a few kiri-ha-zukuri that look like shinogi-zukuri. After the middle of
the Heian Period, all swords came to be made in shinogi-zukuri and have sori.
It can be said that shinogi-zukuri is a more advanced form of edged weapon.
Bushi and armed monks began to exercise their powers toward the late Heian
Period and it is speculated that their experiences helped to develop the
function of swords. As a result, swordsmiths completed the perfect and
sophisticated form of the Japanese sword. Early tachi-sugata has deep sori with
conspicuous koshi-zori and tapering sugata with ko-kissaki. I presume that
there were swords of the transitional period that existed between jokoto and
the early tachi, that is to say, the ones that have wide shinogi-ji and shallow
sori although, we have not confirmed the existence of such work of the
transitional period. The jigane of the early tachi is well-forged and looks
more powerful than that of Shoso-in swords, their hamon is based on ko-midare
or sugu-ha mixed with ko-midare and ashi. Their nie and nioi of the hamon are much
brighter, hi are carved on the shinogi-ji occasionally and they are signed in
principle. From the view point of sugata, the swords of the Shoso-in Depository
were still under the influence of
2.
The name
of ‘Hoki no Yasutsuna’ has been listed as a great smith of the Daido Era (806-809)
in many swordsmith directories from old times. Though we cannot accept the
theory that he was active just after the Nara Period when considering
considerable numbers of his extant works such as meibutsu ‘Doji-giri Yasutsuna’,
which has the refined sugata of the Japanese sword and the hamon of ko-midare
in thick nie-deki. The workmanship of this tachi resembles to that of Ko-Bizen
smiths who were active after the middle of the Heian Period but looks a little older.
At a glance, his sword looks like one by Ko-Bizen smith but his jihada with
chikei stands out more, many sunagashi are seen inside the hamon and jigane
looks black. Generally speaking, Yasutsuna is a little inferior to top-class Ko-Bizen
smiths in skill. Ohara Sanemori who was a son of Yasutsuna, is also famous, but
he is inferior to his father in skill considering the extant works of both
smiths. Meanwhile, Yasuie and Aritsuna who belong to the Yasutsuna school are skilful
smiths and left fine swords that are superior to Sanemori’.
(Reference
photo and oshigata)
‘ARITSUNA’
‘YASUTSUNA’ (Meibutsu ‘Doji-giri’)
‘YASUTSUNA’
(P.16)
(Reference
photos)
National
Treasure Tachi ‘YASUTSUNA’ (Meibutsu ‘Doji-giri’)
(Owned by
the
(P.17)
3. Munechika and his
school
It is
said that Munechika lived in Sanjo of Yamashiro Province around the Eien Era
(987-988) and he is also called ‘Sanjo’ and ‘Ko-kaji’. He has been a very
famous smith from olden times and his great reputation is substantiated by his
extant works like meibutsu ‘Mikazuki Munechika’ (‘Tenka Go Ken’ or one of the
five greatest swords in Japan) and a tachi of the Imperial sword collection.
Meibutsu Mikazuki Munechika is a little tired after many polishes but still
maintains classic elegance and dignity. The jihada of the tachi is beautiful
and has dense itame-hada that does not appear to have been folded many times during
forging. The jigane looks soft in comparison to that of Yasutsuna and Ko-Bizen
swords and is covered with thick and fine ji-nie. The hamon is ko-midare in
ko-nie-deki with a thick nioi-guchi then many uchinoke are overlapped and
become niju-ba and sanju-ba, and it starts with very short yaki-otoshi. The
sword somewhat reminds one of Kogarasu-maru and Shoso-in swords even though the
sugata is different, and the whole workmanship looks older than that of
Yasutsuna and Ko-Bizen swords. Yaki-otoshi is seen in early Japanese swords such
as Yasutsuna, Ko-Bizen and
Yoshiie,
Kanenaga, Kuninaga and Arinari are said to be sons or grandsons of Munechika and
there are fine extant works by them. It is believed that Kanenaga and Kuninaga lived
in Gojo in
There are
three different styles of mei by Kuninaga. In any case, his sword shows a
workmanship of early Yamashiro swords. It is very difficult to conclude that
the difference of the mei comes from his age or that two generations of
Kuninaga existed. There is no doubt that meibutsu ‘Tsuru-maru Kuninaga’ is his
best work. The jihada is beautiful ko-itame-hada that is finer than that of
Munechika and the hamon is ko-midare mixed with ko-choji in ko-nie-deki
accompanied with bright and snow white nioi-guchi then many ashi and yo are
seen inside the hamon. I understand that Tsuru-maru Kuninaga shows the highest
level of forging technique amongst the extant works of the Sanjo school. Incidentally
there are also extant works by Kuninaga of which the hamon looks hazy and looks
like sai-ha at a glance. Anyway, the workmanship of the Sanjo school was
eventually succeeded by the Awataguchi school of the Kamakura Period.
(Reference
oshigata)
‘SANJO’ (‘Mikazuki Munechika’)
‘KUNINAGA’ ‘KUNINAGA’ ‘KUNINAGA’ ‘KANENAGA’ ‘YOSHIIE’
(‘Tsuru-maru’)
‘ARINARI’ ‘YOSHIIE SAKU’
(P.18)
(Reference
photos)
National
Treasure Tachi “SANJO’ (Meibutsu ‘Mikazuki Munechika’)
(Owned by
the