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The Beauty of the
Japanese Sword
History and
Traditional Technology
by
Michihiro Tanobe 田野邉道宏
Senior Managing
Director
Nippon Bijutsu Tôken Hozon Kyôkai 日本美術刀剣保存協会
The Japanese Sword Museum 刀剣博物館
Characteristics of the Japanese sword
Japanese swords are often perceived to be
formidable and inaccessible objects that some people find objectionable or
even abhorrent and it cannot be denied that from the time they began to
take their final form at the end of the Heian period 平安時代 and through the ensuing
Kamakura 鎌倉時代, Nambokuchô 南北朝時代, Muromachi 室町時代
and Edo 江戸時代 periods that Japanese swords were consistently
considered to be fighting weapons.
It is however, the fact that sword makers never
considered their swords simply as weapons is what separates Japanese
swords from those made in other countries. Not only did the sword makers
pursue perfection in a sword’s practical function as a weapon, they also
pursued the sword’s artistic beauty. This is the Japanese
sword.
The Japanese people have traditionally expected
objects to have artistic beauty in addition to practical excellence and
the pursuit of beauty in all spheres of activity has always been inherent
in their nature. Iron is a material with a shiny and cold quality but the
Japanese were able to give it life and make it bloom as an artistic
object. If you visit the Wallace Collection at one of London’s Museums
where swords from all over the world are on display, you will find that
the Japanese sword is the only one kind showing “life” in the iron
material. What you can see in the Japanese sword is the delicate Japanese
sensitivity nurtured by natural elements that change in accordance with
the distinctive four seasons. It can be said that Japanese sword makers
are not only craftsmen but also artists blessed with spiritual
inspiration. In this respect the workplace must be kept sacred, and they
perform a solemn ritual to purify their bodies with cold water and prayers
before setting out to forge iron.
Why the Japanese sword is artistically
recognized
The beauty of the Japanese sword comprises three
major elements, Sugata 姿 (overall structure or shape),
Jigane 地鉄
(grain structure or shape), and
Hamon 刃文 (temper
pattern along the cutting edge).
It is thought that the blade structure
incorporating the Sori 反り (curvature) and the Shinogi 鎬
(the longitudinal ridge) was developed from after
the middle to the end of the Heian period 平安時代. Swords produced prior to that time, referred to as Chokutô
直刀, were made without curvature, in the
so-called continental style and rather than a central ridge they had a
flat surface in the so-called Hira-zukuri 平造
or Kiriha-zukuri 切刃造
style. From the mid Heian period
平安時代中期
a Shinogi 鎬
(ridge) was incorporated into the sword. The ridge
runs lengthwise between the Ha 刃
(cutting edge) and the Mune 棟 (back) and divides the blads surface in
about a 2 to 1 proportion. At the same time, Sori反り (curvature) emerged and established the basic
structure of the Japanese sword.
Changes in the Sori 反り (curvature)
Changing battle style throughout different periods
resulted in subtle changes to the Sori反り. By observing the shape and
characteristics of a sword it is possible to determine approximately when
it was made. Even though the shape of the blade changed with changing
battle styles, the Japanese consistently pursued beauty in the sword’s
appearance. Japanese aesthetics focus on curving rather than straight
lines. Stone hedges, roofs of old Japanese castle Donjons
天守 and Torii
鳥居 gates
leading to shrines all incorporate curves. This is evidence that the
Japanese people traditionally cherished aesthetics focused on
curvature.
Jigane 地鉄 “iron folded 100
times.”
Forging iron using a folding process repeated 100
times results in the formation of various grain structures such as Itame
板目
(wood
grain), Mokume 杢目
(burl grain) and Masame 柾目 (straight grain). The grain
density can either be fine or coarse and polishing the iron results in
different elements.
In Japanese sword history, Kotô
古刀
(old sword) and Shintô 新刀
(new sword) refer to the period a sword was made.
Kotô 古刀 refers
to swords produced before the end of the Muromachi period
室町時代
and those produced in the ensuing
Momoyama 桃山時代
and Edo period 江戸時代 are collectively referred to as Shintô
新刀. During the Shintô 新刀 sword period, the development of the
nationwide trade and transportation network lead to expanded commerce
which allowed iron to be supplied to a much broader area. This resulted in
swords being produced in areas where no iron was produced. This explains
why the Jigane 地鉄
of swords from the Edo period
江戸時代 have almost uniform quality regardless of where they were produced.
On the other hand, those produced in or prior to the Muromachi period
室町時代
show distinct Jigane
地鉄 characteristics because the iron used came
exclusively from the limited local area where the sword makers were
based.
Hamon 刃文 and/or Yakiba 焼刃
Swords are generally made of a relatively soft
Shingane 心鉄
(core iron) surrounded by a much harder Kawagane
皮鉄 (skin iron). A bar of
iron made from the above two types of iron is hammered and stretched until
it takes a form of sword. The final step in the sword making process is
Yaki-ire 焼入
(tempering) which greatly strengthens the sword.
In this process, heat-resistant clay is applied to the blade surface. Clay
on the cutting edge is thinner than what is applied to other areas. The
coated sword is heated at between 800° to 1,000° Centigrade until it
becomes a burning red color, and is then immediately immersed in cold
water. While the cutting edge with the thinner clay coating cools off
rapidly the thickly coated part takes more time to cool off. This results
in the Ha 刃
(cutting edge) having a much
harder quality and the Ji 地 (the
rest of the sword) has a relatively softer
quality.
The way sword makers place the clay in the coating
process results in various temper patterns referred to as Suguha
直刃
(straight), Gunome-midare 互の目乱 (zigzag), Chôji-midare
丁子乱 (clove-shaped),
Tôran-midare 濤乱
(surging waves), and Sanbonsugi
三本杉 (three cedar trees).
If a sword maker’s only objective was to make a sharp cutting edge, they
simply needed to form a Suguha 直刃 (straight) temper pattern. But Japanese sword makers attempted to
create various complex temper patterns in their works. They attempted to
depict familiar natural scenes such as clouds in the sky, mountains,
flowers, waves in the sea, etc. It is these temper patterns that prove
that sword makers had an aesthetic consciousness towards their natural
environment. The sword maker’s personal traits as well as the traditional
school they belonged to can be learned by observing these temper
patterns.
When carefully directed light strikes the blade
surface, the temper pattern along the cutting edge becomes brilliantly
clear. The line forming the temper pattern is called the Nioiguchi
匂口
and some are wide (Fukai 深い) while others are narrow (Shimaru 締まる). The brightness of the Nioiguchi 匂口
also varies. If it is not very bright it is termed
Shizumu 沈む, and a clearly bright state is termed Saeru
冴える. Furthermore, a very intense chemical
change during the tempering process forms differing grain structures
containing marten sites and others. The grains formed in heat close to
1,000° Centigrade are relatively large and called Nie 沸. Works of the Sôshû 相州 school based in Kamakura 鎌倉
and represented by the very famous master sword
maker Masamune 正宗
contain this type of Nie
沸 which is clearly
visible to the human eye. On the contrary, another large school based in
Bizen province 備前国
produced swords in a lower heat of around 750° ~
800° Centigrade resulting in bringing forth very fine grains. The grains
are so fine that they form something like a hazy Milky Way and are not
discernible to the naked eye. Such fine grains are called Nioi
匂, and the temper line of that kind is
described as Nioi-deki 匂出来.
The overall blade structure is indicative of the
time of production while the Jigane 地鉄 generally points to the
location in Japan where the sword was produced. The temper pattern is
indicative of the individual sword maker or of the school’s
traits.
Among the above three major elements (Sugata
姿,
Jigane 地鉄
and Hamon 刃文), Hamon 刃文
is the most important aspect in appreciating and
evaluating the quality of Japanese swords and it is this that requires the
most careful attention. It warrants repeating that the Japanese sword is
not simply a killing tool but that it has definite aesthetic qualities In
an old picture scroll titled Matsuzaki Tenjin Engi Emaki
松崎天神縁起絵巻 (Founding History of the Matsuzaki Tenjin
Shrine) painted in the 1st year of the Ôchô
應長 era (1311 ~ 1312 AD) a
warrior is depicted holding and appreciating the beauty of his sword. This
is evidence that the custom of appreciating the Japanese sword was already
established as early as that time and it is also apparent that polishing
is an important part of enabling appreciation of the Hamon
刃文
and the Jigane 地鉄. Good polishing is indispensable to bringing out the various
grain structures in the sword. Polishing skills in the Kamakura period
鎌倉時代 were probably not as sophisticated as they are now, but it is
likely that a certain level of polishing skills had already been attain at
that time.
The Bushi 武士 (Samurai
侍) and the
Katana 刀 (sword)
Following the description on the aesthetic factors
of the Japanese sword, the relationship between the Bushi
武士
(Samurai 侍)
and the Katana 刀
(sword) need be explored. Bushi
武士 always wore Katana
刀, even when they were not in battle.
Nippon-tô 日本刀
(Japanese swords) were the status symbol of the
Bushi 武士
as well as a battle weapon. In fact, Katana
刀 was an inseparable
part of the Samurai 侍.
In the Edo period 江戸時代, when a Daimyô 大名
appointed by the Tokugawa Shôgunate
徳川幕府 to govern local
territories retired or died, it was customary to present a masterpiece
sword to the Tokugawa Shôgun 徳川将軍. And when a Daimyô 大名
was first appointed as a local governor by the
Shôgunate 幕府, a congratulatory sword was presented by the Shôgun
将軍. In addition, when a Daimyô
大名 was consigned to work
for the Shôgunate 幕府, for example, on renovation of the Shôgun’s
将軍 Nikkô Tôshôgû
日光東照宮 shrine or construction
of major rivers, a sword was often presented to the Daimyô
大名 by the Shôgunate
幕府 as an
recognition of the contribution. It was as if the Japanese sword was the
most important and prestigious object that could be
presented.
There is yet another factor to the importance of
the Japanese sword. When ancient burial tombs are excavated, swords are
sometimes found among the buried objects. The three kinds of sacred object
inherited in the Imperial lineage as symbols of the Emperor include a
sword named Amanomurakumo no Tsurugi 天叢雲劔. Also in the famous Atsuta
shrine 熱田神宮
in Nagoya 名古屋
there is the famous Kusanagi no Tsurugi
草薙劔. These legendary swords among others in similar
situations are being enshrined as sacred objects. The fact that swords
have been worshipped as objects of religious faith is a factor which
should not be overlooked in understanding the nature of the Japanese
sword. It is evident that Japanese sword is far beyond a simple weapon It
encloses aesthetic, spiritual and religious significance inside its hard
iron material. It is hoped that it is not simply a weapon, is now more
clearly understood and recognized.
The Sugata 姿 (over all
structure and shape)
The Sugata 姿, Jigane 地鉄 and Hamon 刃文
are the three factors composing the beauty of the
Japanese sword. Here Sugata 姿 will be discussed in terms of the chronological changes that
accompanied changes in the Hamon 刃文. It needs to be reiterated that functional perfection and
Japanese aesthetic consciousness in terms of formative beauty
simultaneously co-exist in the Japanese sword’s Sugata
姿
The most outstanding characteristic of Nippon-tô
日本刀
is in the intensity of its curving line. The
beauty of the curvature is enhanced further by the unique Shinogizukuri
鎬造 style formed by the
ridge running the length of the blade. This ridge between the Ha
刃 and the Mune
棟 (slightly closer to
the Mune 棟)
is an essential condition of the blade’s curvature, and together with a
transverse ridge called Yokote 横手, forms a small triangular area called Kissaki
鋒先
at the very
tip of the blade.
The exact process of the curved sword’s creation
is not yet clearly established, but it is generally accepted that the
blade shape reached its final state around the middle of the Heian period
平安時代. The so-called Shohei 正平
and Tenkei 天慶
battles fought between the then two vying powers
Taira 平and Fujiwara 藤原
in the early half of the 10th century is thought to have caused
the drastic change in the blade shape. Swords made prior to then are
called Jô-kotô 上古刀, and their straight shape was
inherited from the Asian continent where the Japanese sword has its
origin.
Jô-kotô 上古刀 still in existence include
the Heishi Shôrinken 丙子椒林剣 and Shichisei-ken 七星剣 which is believed to have belonged to
Prince Shôtoku 聖徳太子, and the straight swords in Emperor Shômu’s 聖武天皇
Shôsôin 正倉院
collection dating back to the 8th
century. A greater number of such swords were excavated from ancient
burial mounds and it is likely that they are a mixture of both
continent-made and domestically made products but clear differentiation is
no longer possible. These Jô-kotô 上古刀 can be divided into three styles, Hira-zukuri
平造 (flat, ridgeless),
Kiriha-zukuri 切刃造
(ridge placed close to the cutting edge), and
Kissaki-moroba-zukuri 鋒先両刃造
(cutting edge on both sides). It is thought that
the latter two types have a more advanced blade form. They are also
referred to as Tachi 太刀
but use different Chinese characters to
differentiate from the Tachi 太刀 produced
in the later curved sword times.
The change from straight swords to curved swords
seems to have resulted from the changes in battle styles from infantry
battles to mainly cavalry. Straight swords are convenient in thrusting
while on foot, but not so when used from a mounted position. Experience
must have shown that curved swords were more desirable in the new style of
battle. To increase the sharpness and cutting efficiency of a sword,
curvature innovation included the addition of a Shinogi
鎬
ridge to the ha in the Kiriha-zukuri
切刃造 style but then
gradually moved closer to the Mune 棟
to finally make the Shinogi-zukuri
鎬造 structure. It is clear
in the cross section of the cutting edge that the dull angle in the
Kiriha-zukuri 切刃造 changed
to a sharper angle, indicating that sharpness was largely
increased.
In the Shinogi-zukuri 鎬造, the ridge is placed between
the ha and the Mune 棟
approx. in a 2 to 1 proportion closer to the Mune
棟. This is the best arrangement to create a
well-balanced structure as well as the most beautifully proportioned
curvature. The changes from the straight to the curved sword resulted not
only in enhancing the practical quality but also in increasing its
aesthetic quality by improving the primitive straight form to a more
sophisticated curved one in a manner most typical of Japanese aesthetics.
This basic curved form of the Japanese sword was maintained over a long
period of time, but the Sori反り was
never uniform and went through subtle modifications as the style and
method of battle changed in later times.
The following section describes the
characteristics of Sugata 姿 and its changes reflecting the
respective historical periods.
Latter half of the Heian period 平安時代後期 (794
~ 1185) to the early Kamakura period 鎌倉時代前期 (1185 ~ 1333)
The Tachi Sugata 姿 at this time was generally slim
and had a pronounced Sori 反り
(curvature) starting from the tang to the lower
part of the sword placed near the hip when worn slung from the belt with
the ha facing downward. Compared to the base width, there is an
outstanding tapering towards the tip making the top width remarkably
narrow. As a result, it has a very small Kissaki 鋒先 (point area). Such a form is called Koshizori
腰反り (curvature marked near
the base). Starting from the middle of the sword, the curvature is formed
as if it was pressed from the Mune 棟
side, and thus makes the sword look as if it
forcefully rises in the upper part. Such a state of Sori
反り is called Utsumuku
俯く. There is a theory that such a form was innovated
to maintain a sword’s thrusting function, but the exact reason is not
known. The average length of swords at that time was about 75 ~ 78
cm.
The Tachi 太刀 made
during this period reflects the atmosphere of the aristocratic culture and
had an elegant and dignified form designed to make treasure out of swords.
The Hamon 刃文
is basically Suguha 直刃
(straight) mixed with small irregular patterns
comprising small Chôji 丁子 and small Gunome 小互の目. The grains are relatively large, and presented
in an unpretentious manner creating a simple and natural
taste.
The Tantô 短刀 (short
sword) made during the Heian period 平安時代
probably had a very practical function and were
considered disposable. Because of this there are few works remaining from
that time. For some reason however, there are quite a few Tantô
短刀 remaining from the
ensuing Kamakura period 鎌倉時代.
The Middle of the Kamakura Period 鎌倉時代中期 (1158 ~ 1333)
This is a period when the Heian period’s
平安時代
aristocratic culture shifted to a warriors’
culture after the establishment of the Kamakura Shôgunate
鎌倉幕府. Warriors valued courage above all and preferred
simple and disciplined lifestyles. Such a trend caused a change in the
sword structure, from the conventional elegant and feminine style to a
powerful, masculine style.
The changes meant that the blade width showed less
tapering and maintained the same, generally broad width towards the tip.
The Sori 反り
(curvature) continued to be Koshi-zori
腰反り, but unlike the Heian Tachi
平安太刀, it more or less maintained the same
curving angle in the upper part of the blade. The point accordingly was
considerably larger and had a stout shape looking like a wild boar’s neck
(Ikubi-kissaki 猪首鋒先). The sword also became thicker and began to have a very
powerful structure. As for the Hamon 刃文, gorgeous and spectacular Chôji-midare 丁子乱 (clove shaped) was favored as shown in
the Tachi 太刀
made by the Fukuoka Ichimonji 福岡一文字 school in Bizen 備前 (Okayama 岡山), and the Rai 来 school in Yamashiro 山城 (Kyôto 京都).
During this period, tempering and forging
technologies achieved a remarkable improvement, and the strong aesthetic
consciousness of the sword makers was evident in the Jigane
地鉄
and the
Hamon 刃文 which
obviously reflected the respective sword makers’ certain
objectives.
The Late Kamakura Period 鎌倉時代末期
The Sugata 姿 either remained more or less
the same with the style of the mid Kamakura period 鎌倉時代中期
or returned to the late Heian 平安時代末期 and / or early Kamakura’s鎌倉時代初期
slender structure. However, the degree of curving
of the upper part of the Sori 反り
increased. Works of the Bizen Osafune
備前長船 school often have
Hamon 刃文
mainly consisting of the Suguha
直刃 (straight) containing
Gunome 互の目
(zigzag), a type of Hamon 刃文 representing a new trend in this period.
The most famous master sword maker Masamune 正宗
worked at this time in Sôshû Kamakura
相州鎌倉. He brought the quality of Nie
沸 grains to perfection,
and his Sôshû 相州
style
workmanship spread nationwide and enjoyed great
popularity.
Starting from this period, Tantô
短刀
(short sword) production increased greatly. Both
the width and the length were ordinary or tended to be slightly smaller in
dimension, and most of them were around 24 cm long. Hira-zukuri
平造 was most popular, and
the Sori 反り
takes the so-called Uchizori 内反り form with a slight stooping toward the cutting
edge side.
The Nambokuchô Period 南北朝時代 (1333 ~
1392)
After the fall of the Kamakura Shôgunate
鎌倉幕府, a brief Imperial rule was soon disturbed by a struggle for
sovereignty. The entire nation was split between the two powers upholding
the Imperial families divided into the South and the North regimes, and
the nation was at a state of constant war and political confusion. At the
same time, threats from overseas starting in the preceding period, such as
the Mongolian invasion, continued and consequently resulted in production
of both large and long Tachi 太刀
and Tantô 短刀.
The Tachi 太刀 was made
long and wide, and had the most powerful structure. Some were longer than
90 cm and were worn on the back. They were all made thinner and sometimes
had a Bô-hi 棒樋
(straight groove) engraved lengthwise to lessen
the weight. These large Tachi 太刀
produced during this period were often shortened
at some later time. They were turned into Uchi-gatana 打刀by cutting the Nakago 茎
(tang) short (Suriage 磨上) and therefore resulted in loosing the signature of the maker
if there was one. The Tantô 短刀
were also made large in both the width and the
length. Contrary to the style of the previous period when Tantô
短刀 had Uchi-zori
内反り, the Sori 反り
was turned shallowly towards the Mune
棟 Their length was usually more than 30
cm.
The Hamon 刃文 was often
a large Notare-ba 湾刃
(spaciously undulating zigzag) to match the large
size of the blade. A new and unique temper pattern Hitatsura
皆焼刃 (covering the whole blade surface) was also sometimes
applied.
The Early Muromachi Period 室町時代初期 (1393 ~ 1573)
The military power controlling this period moved
the nation’s capital back to Kyôto 京都 and there arose a tendency to
adore a culture nurtured by the court nobles. Production of large sword
swords ceased, and the normal Tachi 太刀
style returned. In terms of Sori
反り, a marked curvature emphasized towards the
point (Saki-zori 先反り) became a historical
characteristic.
In the Bizen 備前 schools,
Chôji 丁子
(clove) was taken up again and
mixed with Gunome 互の目
(zigzag) to form a very active Hamon
刃文. Combined with the Sugata
姿, there obviously was a reactionary towards
the Kamakura period 鎌倉時代. At this time, the Uchi-gatana 打刀
(swords worn inserted in the waist sash with the
cutting edge facing upward) came into existence along with the Tachi
太刀 as
another form of long sword.
Later half of the Muromachi Period 室町時代後期
After the two major battles referred to as Onin
應仁亂
and Bunmei 文明亂 no Ran spears became a more efficient form of weapon.
Eventually, guns also came into battle scenes and man-to-man fighting
tactics changed to large scale infantry
operations.
In large scale fighting, faster sword handling
abilities were required. The relatively long Tachi 太刀 slung
from the waist sash and requiring a troublesome pulling out action before
taking a cutting action became inconvenient, and the demand declined.
Replacing the Tachi 太刀
almost completely was the Uchi-gatana
打刀, which hadbegun to be used in the preceding
period. Its length was not much more than 60 cm and the Sori
反り was far more
outstanding towards the tip than at the base. Such a style of Sori
反り is called Saki-zori
先反り There is practically hardly any tapering of
the blade width towards the point. The Nakago 茎 (tang) is made short to suit a one-hand
handling.
The Hamon 刃文 representative of this period were various Midare-ba
乱刃 (irregular patterns)
consisting of Gunome 互の目
(zigzag). Sword makers based in different
localities produced unique, characteristic patterns. For example,
Yosozaemon Sukesada 与三左衛門祐定 in Bizen Osafune 備前長船
is known for the so-called Kani-tsume-ba
蟹爪刃 (crab-claw shaped)
which consists of complex Gunome 互の目
combinations. Magoroku Kanemoto
孫六兼元in Mino Seki 美濃関
is known for Sanbonsugi 三本杉 consisting of a combination of pointed
Gunome 互の目, and Muramasa 村正
in Ise Kuwana 伊勢桑名 created
a pattern which was considered to be
omen-spelled.
This period was also called the Sengoku (warring
states) period戦國時代. Incessant warfare taking place
nationwide caused rapid consumption of Katana 刀 and
resulted in the supply being incapable of meeting the demand. This
consequently led to frequent mass production of inferior swords. Such
products are called Kazu-uchi 数打者. However, there were also some well-made swords and these
usually bear the maker’s signature and the date of making inscribed in the
tang by the maker’s own hand. Such Katana 刀
are called Chûmon-uchi 注文打
(custom-made) to distinguish them from the
Kazu-uchi 数打 swords.
The Azuchi Momoyama Period 安土桃山時代 (1568 ~ 1600)
The nationwide state of war at long last ended
with the rise of Oda Nobunaga 織田信長 who was
succeeded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豊臣秀吉 and Tokugawa Ieyasu 徳川家康 who paved the way to national unification. The Katana
刀, just like paintings and architecture of this
period, took a grandiose, gorgeous form, and gives an impression that the
taste of the immediately preceding period was denied and was replaced by
that of the Nambokuchô period 南北朝時代. That is to say, the sword was made
to originally have a shape of an Ô-suriage 大磨上 (largely shortened) sword with a broad width
showing little tapering to form a large Kissaki 鋒先 at the point. The Sori 反り is
shallow, and the overall blade structure is most
powerful.
The Hamon 刃文 which
tended to be quite free and active gives a sense that the workmanship of
the old Sôshû 相州
school in the Kamakura period 鎌倉時代 was being aimed for.
During this period, many Tachi 太刀 made in
the Kamakura 鎌倉時代 and
Nambokuchô periods 南北朝時代 were modified by cutting them short and making them into
Uchi-gatana 打刀.
It should be noted that the Katana
刀
made in the Keichô 慶長
era in this
period and / or afterwards, are presently called Shintô
新刀, while the earlier works are called Kotô
古刀. The Katana 刀
made during the Keichô慶長and the immediately following Genna
元和
eras are
specifically called Keichô Shintô 慶長新刀. Shintô 新刀
not only denotes new swords, but it also points to
the fact that the nature of the sword smiths, their workmanship, the iron
material, and the forging technology all drastically differed from the
Kotô 古刀 times.
Early Edo Period 江戸時代初期 (1603 ~ 1867)
The swords produced in this period gained a shape
considerably different from earlier works. The Sugata 姿 had a normal width, remarkably
shallow Sori 反り
(curvature), and a marked tapering towards the
point. The Kissaki 鋒先 was medium sized, and the overall length measured around 69 cm.
This type of structure can be seen most in swords produced around the
Kambun 寛文
and Empô
延寳
eras, and is
classified as Kambun-Shintô 寛文新刀.
The Dai-shô Koshirae 大小拵 (a pair
of large and small mountings) that began to be made in the Momoyama period
桃山時代 became an object of official
regulation. The Wakizashi 脇指 were used as the Shô 小
of a pair, and were made in length around 48 ~ 51
cm. Few Tantô 短刀 were
produced in this period.
After the Genna era 元和, the peaceful nation’s state gave the Katana
刀 a different function,
and its appearance became more significant than its practical quality.
Tsuda Sukehiro 津田助廣
based in Ôsaka 大阪
innovated Tôran-ba 濤乱刃 (depicting large surging waves), which was the
most popular sword fashion at that time. Further, the engraving in the
blade surface, which originally started as an object of faith, became
simply ornamental and resulted in many decorative
designs.
In addition to Sukehiro 助廣 in Ôsaka
大阪, Inoue Shinkai 井上真改in Ôsaka 大阪,and Nagasone Kotetsu
長曾禰虎徹
in Edo 江戸 were the most famous sword makers.
They created unique and refined temper patterns such as Kotetsu’s
虎徹 Juzu-ba 数刃
(Gunome 互の目 regularly formed to look like a chain of
beads).
Late Edo Period 江戸時代後期
At the end of the Tokugawa Shôgunate
徳川幕府
rule, together with the on-going revival movement,
the power struggle between the local rulers supporting the vying
Tokugawa 徳川
and the Imperial families coupled with the threat
of foreign invasions, the nation was at great risk. Reflecting the
overwhelming instability, the Katana 刀
became wide and long, had a large Kissaki
鋒先
to form a sturdy and fierce
structure. They were subject to mass production. Katana
刀 from this time are
called Shin-Shintô 新々刀.
There is no doubt that the changes in the
Sugata 姿 of Nippon-tô
日本刀 basically resulted from the changes in the style of battle.
However, the specific changes in the battle styles and their exact impact
on the blade structure yet require further
research.
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