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Einblicke in das Wissen über japanische Schwerter und die Kultur
Horikawa Kunihiro, active from the Momoyama through early Edo period, is revered as the 'Father of Shintō' swordsmanship. Transitioning from samurai service to sword-making, he established his forge in the Horikawa district of Kyoto and revived ancient blade aesthetics in the new era.
A comprehensive explanation of the four historical periods from Joukotou to Shinshintou from the perspectives of morphological comparison, technical history, and connoisseurship practice. Learn how to interpret different eras through variations in steel grain, blade patterns, and tang characteristics.
Detailed analysis of how different jihada steel textures emerge from folding and forging techniques.
The Jokyu War of 1221 was also a turning point in Japanese sword history. This article covers Retired Emperor Gotoba's passionate sword patronage, his personal forging practice, the postwar confiscation of famous blades, and the impact on Bizen swordsmiths.
The Kamakura shogunate founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo placed swords at the center of warrior ritual. This article examines the political and spiritual roles of swords in dedication, bestowal, and oath ceremonies, drawing on primary sources.
Koyama Muneratsu, who flourished during the Shinshinto period in the late Edo era, was a swordsmith who studied and revived ancient techniques as a student of Suishinshi Masahide. This article explains in detail his blade patterns and steel characteristics, representative works, and modern evaluation.
The craft of carving sword signatures: tools, chiseling techniques, and how school calligraphy styles appear in mei.
Minamoto Kiyomaro, active in the late Edo period (1830s–1840s), is considered the greatest genius of the Shinsintō era. After deeply studying sōshū-den traditions, he produced blades with extraordinary hamon that remain among the most valuable Japanese swords today, before dying tragically young.
The Mino school, centered on Seki in Mino Province (present-day Gifu Prefecture), was the production center for practical swords that boasted the largest output throughout the country during the Sengoku period. This article explains the techniques and history of the swordsmith collective, including Kanemoto, Kanesada, and Kanemitsu, which formed one of the five legendary schools of Japanese sword-making.
Systematic coverage of double-edged (moroha-zukuri) Japanese swords: from ancient ken through Edo-period ryoha-wakizashi and their lineage, the role of religious context (Shinto and Buddhism), and how double-edged swords are evaluated in contemporary NBTHK shinsa.
The morphological differences and classification criteria for the large-scale bladed weapons that diversified in the Nanbokucho through Muromachi periods: nagamaki, onaginata, and odachi. Blade-to-handle ratios, wearing and combat methods, characteristics of surviving notable examples, and ongoing classification debates in modern sword scholarship.
Nagasone Kotetsu, active in early Edo Japan, began as an armor maker before becoming one of the most celebrated swordsmiths of the Edo Shintō period. His blades, favored by Shinsengumi commander Kondō Isami, are known for their powerful sōshū-den inspired hamon and dense jitetsu.
