Sword Culture in the Ansei and Manen Eras (1854-1861): The Black Ships' Impact on Swordsmiths and the Final Classical Blades

The World of Japanese Swords Shaken by the Arrival of the Black Ships

Perry's arrival in Kaei 6 (1853) shocked Japanese society as a whole, and the sword-making industry was no exception. When the Japan-US Treaty of Friendship was concluded in Ansei 1 (1854) the following year, complex emotions—"the power of foreign nations" and "the powerlessness of Japanese swords"—began to spread throughout samurai society. Why continue making swords in an age of firearms and cannons?—This question, which swordsmiths of the Ansei period faced, transcended mere technical considerations and became a philosophical inquiry.

Nevertheless, or perhaps precisely because of this, the period from Ansei through Bunkyō (1854–1861) became one of the most intensely productive periods for sword-making in the Bakumatsu era. As the movement for imperial restoration and expulsion of foreigners gained momentum, samurai reinforced their consciousness that "the sword is the soul," and demand for high-quality swords surged.

The Paradoxical Rise in Sword Demand and Sonnō Jōi Thought

The ideology of sonnō jōi (revere the emperor, expel the barbarians), aimed at countering foreign pressure, brought a strange paradox to sword culture. While everyone knew that firearms were becoming the military mainstream, activists sought the sword as a symbol of "the Japanese spirit (yamato damashii)" and actually carried it into political activity and conflict. In the tumultuous scenes of the Bakumatsu era—such as the Ikedaya incident (Genji 1, 1864) and the Coup at the Imperial Palace—Japanese swords were always present.

The clientele visiting swordsmiths also changed during this period. In addition to orders from the warrior class and hatamoto (shogun's direct retainers), there was an increasing demand from rōnin and samurai of the sonnō jōi faction for "a blade practical for actual use." The Ansei and Bunkyō period was precisely the transitional moment when "the sword was drawn back from an object of appreciation to a practical weapon again." It is said that some swordsmiths, through ideological sympathy, provided blades to activists at special prices or poured emotion into their signatures.

Representative Swordsmiths and Styles of the Ansei Period

Representative swordsmiths of this period include Koyama Munetutsugu, Hosokawa Masayoshi, and the late works of Minamoto Kiyomaro. Minamoto Kiyomaro was a swordsmith who reached his peak during the Tenpō–Kaei period, and his disciples and those influenced by him continued to actively create works into the Ansei period.

Koyama Munetutsugu is known for his forceful hamon clearly influenced by the Sōshū tradition and the refinement of his jigane. Connoisseurs observe that Munetutsugu's blades made in the Ansei period often display a certain tension in their construction, as if reflecting the turmoil of the era. The period also saw numerous "practical shinshinza swords pursuing strength" by swordsmiths of the Owari lineage, and swordsmiths of this era tended to prioritize durability and practicality over aesthetic appeal.

Bakufu Sword Policy and Production Environment

The Bakufu of the Ansei period, despite the chaos in domestic politics caused by foreign pressure, maintained relatively lenient control over sword production. Orders to official swordsmiths continued in the various fiefs, and although many craftsmen were affected by the Ansei Great Earthquake (Ansei Edo Earthquake) of Ansei 2 (1855), the forges in Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka were relatively quickly rebuilt.

Tamahagane, the raw material for sword production, continued to be supplied by tatara iron-making in the Chūgoku region, but records also indicate that during the Ansei period, rising production costs and unstable distribution began to strain the management of some swordsmiths. This was also the period when differences in quality began to emerge between swordsmiths who could reliably secure high-quality tamahagane and those who had to rely on substitute materials.

Bunkyō 1 (1860)—The Sakuradamon Incident and the Age of the Sword

The Sakuradamon Incident of Bunkyō 1 (1860) can be said to be one of the most dramatic sword-related events in Japanese history. In this incident, in which Regent Ii Naosuke was assassinated by rōnin from Mito and Satsuma, the sword functioned as an instrument of political violence in what would be one of the last major incidents of its kind. The swords used in the incident were passed down through history and held a special place among swordsmiths and sword dealers as "blades symbolizing the turbulent Bakumatsu era."

After this incident, the social meaning of carrying a sword began to shift. With the decline of the Bakufu's authority, the sword was torn between two extremes: from its symbolic status as "the symbol of the samurai" to "a tool for revolution" or "an obsolete relic of the past."

The Significance of the Last Classical Swords of the Bakumatsu Era

Swords produced during the Ansei and Bunkyō periods occupy a special position, also called "Bakumatsu classical swords." While influenced by the shinshinza revival movement of the late Edo period, they developed a distinctive style that simultaneously absorbed the tension of this turbulent era. These swords possess collection value not merely as crafted objects but as historical witnesses.

In the modern Japanese sword market, celebrated swords from the Ansei and Bunkyō periods continue to attract high interest from Bakumatsu sword collectors. In appraisal, evaluation criteria have come to include "the strength of the hamon," "the return to practicality unique to the Bakumatsu era," and "the ideological background of the maker," and these are swords that demand multifaceted appreciation beyond mere technical evaluation.