Sword Culture in the Genbun, Enkyo, and Kannen Eras (1736-1750): Kenjutsu Popularity and Samurai Sword Customs under Shogun Ieshige

Bunbun Kaichuū and Samurai Economics—Impact on the Sword Market

The period of approximately fifteen years spanning Bunbun, Enkyō, and Kannen (1736–1750), beginning in the later stages of the Kyōhō Reforms (1716–1745), corresponds to the later half of the reign of the eighth Tokugawa shogun Yoshimune and the early tenure of his successor, the ninth shogun Ieshige. From Bunbun 1 (1736) through Enkyō 1 (1744), Yoshimune held the position of shogun, with Ieshige assuming office in Enkyō 2 (1745). Ieshige was known as a shogun with a speech impediment, and practical administration was managed by his chief advisor (sobayōnin) Ōoka Tadamitsu. To understand the sword culture of this era, it is first necessary to grasp the government's currency reminting of Bunbun 1 (1736), known as the Bunbun Kaichuū.

The Bunbun Kaichuū introduced newly minted coins with reduced gold and silver content into circulation, increasing economic liquidity. Though the economic circumstances of the samurai class remained difficult, the increase in money supply brought about rising prices, and prices for the sale and purchase of swords gradually increased. For sword merchants, this period saw the prices of koto (old swords) rise particularly sharply, and the trade in famous blades became more active. Meanwhile, commissions to sword smiths (kaji) did not decline significantly; the demand for swords sustained by a peaceful reign—demand for swords as works of art and ceremonial objects rather than for practical use—continued to support the market.

The Flourishing of Sword Schools and Demand for Blades

The Bunbun through Kannen period was also an era when enthusiasm for sword practice permeated all of Edo. Following the promulgation of martial arts encouragement edicts by the eighth shogun Yoshimune during the Kyōhō years, the practice of sword training became firmly established among the samurai class, and dojos representing various schools proliferated throughout Edo. Even under Ieshige's rule, which inherited this trend, interest in swordsmanship did not wane. Particularly from Bunbun 5 (1740) onward, when the Shindō Muyōryū opened its dojo in Yotsuya, the various schools undergoing organizational development during this period expanded their numbers of disciples.

The flourishing of sword practice generated demand for honmi (actual swords) used in ceremonies such as receiving licenses and admission to schools, in addition to bokutō and bamboo swords used in practice. High-ranking swordsmen actually performed form practice using tachi, and smiths received orders for practice swords (keiko-tō) with dulled blades. Furthermore, because it was customary for sword school masters to attach swords to the "inkyojō" (certificates of permission) they granted to their disciples, a certain volume of demand existed for relatively inexpensive practical swords.

Changes in Tsuba and Koshirae Ornamentation and the Forms of Shintos

In discussing swords of this era, one cannot overlook the changes in koshirae (complete sword fittings) ornamentation. The elaborate and magnificent sword mountings that reached their zenith during the Genroku period (1688–1704) were temporarily suppressed by the austerity edicts of Shōtoku and Kyōhō, but decorative tendencies began to revive again from Bunbun onward. In the designs of tsuba, menuki, and fuchigashira, motifs drawing on Chinese historical tales and Japanese poetry reflecting the aesthetic tastes of literati became favored, and tsuba-smiths influenced by the Higo metalworkers and the Gotō family undertook meticulous chasing and inlay work.

Regarding the form of the blade itself, shinto (new swords) of this period, while inheriting the slender silhouette and shallow curvature established after Kanbun, gradually came to favor a "middle-period forging" (nakagoro-kitae) form with slightly increased curvature. Among celebrated sword smiths, those descended from or working in the lineage of Echizen Taifu Fujiwara Kunitsugi were actively engaged in Edo and Osaka, and "regional shinto" (jigata-shinto) was mass-produced, retaining regional characteristics while maintaining Edo shinto stylistic conventions.

Samurai Protocol and Standardization of Sword-Bearing Etiquette

The Bunbun through Kannen period was also an era in which samurai protocol was systematized and codified. Under the dual-track policy of "martial arts" and "protocol" championed by the preceding shogun Yoshimune, instruction in protocol within domain schools was enriched, and the etiquette of sword-bearing—the manner of donning, securing, and presenting the sword to another—was prescribed in minute detail. Rules governing sword-bearing within Edo Castle (varieties and lengths of denshū-sashi, swords worn in the shogun's presence) had by this time already become established as accepted practice.

Particularly, the differentiation between ceremonial forms of sword-bearing such as "gusoku-tachi" (armor swords) and "shikidai-zashi" (formal entrance swords) employed in audiences with the shogun or at official occasions came to be consciously recognized as important markers of samurai rank and status. The lavishness of koshirae and the status of the sword (whether a famous meisho, unsigned, or a substitute blade) functioned as symbols of social standing. This codification of protocol promoted the process by which the sword was elevated from being merely a weapon to becoming a "status certificate of the samurai class."

The Activities of Provincial Sword Smiths—The Bipolar Structure of Official and Town Smiths

The circumstances of provincial sword smiths during the Bunbun through Kannen period were fundamentally characterized by a bipolar structure between metropolitan centers such as Edo and Osaka, and regional castle towns. "Official smiths" (goyō-kaji) retained by the shogunate and daimyo, in exchange for receiving stable stipends in rice (kokudaka), bore the obligation of presenting a fixed annual number of swords, operating in a protected economic environment. Conversely, unaffiliated independent smiths ("town smiths") faced competition in the open market, and problems arose such as the forging of false signatures from famous makers.

At major provincial production centers, smiths of the Kawachi and Settsu traditions in Osaka, the Namihira-tradition smiths of Satsuma, and other provincial smiths maintained their unique techniques while meeting the demands of their respective domains. The sword market from the Edo through Hōreki periods possessed a complex structure in which such diverse production centers coexisted, and the increased economic liquidity following the Bunbun Kaichuū further intensified competition among production centers. The sword culture of this era, serving as a bridge to the new flourishing of the Hōreki and Tenmei periods, occupies an important place in the history of the Japanese sword.

Practical Considerations When Purchasing Swords from the Bunbun, Enkyō, and Kannen Periods

Here we would like to address frequently asked questions posed by readers who are considering handling and purchasing swords from this era. The following points are useful for historical verification and for determining authenticity and condition.

• Verification of Authentication Certificates: A certificate of authentication issued by the Nippon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyōkai (NBTHK) represents an expert's careful examination of a sword's era, regional origin, and stylistic characteristics, and serves as an objective reference point for confirming whether a sword is positioned within the Bunbun, Enkyō, and Kannen periods. By comparing the notations regarding era classification, regional traditions, and formal characteristics (sugata) recorded on the certificate with the stylistic features described in this article—such as "middle-period forging" and "regional shinto"—one can discern the degree to which a given sword embodies the aesthetic characteristics of this era.
• Consistency with Koshirae Ornamentation: When koshirae has been transmitted along with the blade, examining whether the designs of tsuba, menuki, and fuchigashira conform to the literati-influenced motifs and refined chasing and inlay techniques touched upon in this article can serve as a reference for historical verification. However, since examples of koshirae being replaced in later periods are not uncommon, one cannot determine the date of manufacture of the blade based on koshirae style alone; judgment based on authentication certificates should be prioritized.
• Corroboration of Provenance (Official Smith or Town Smith): The distinction in provenance between a blade made by an official smith and one made by an unaffiliated town smith can sometimes be inferred from the history of transmission, the presence or absence of original boxes and accompanying documents. Swords accompanied by their original boxes or for which records of previous owners exist possess high documentary value as verification of provenance (transmission history) and are information that should be confirmed alongside the authentication certificate when considering a purchase.
• Verification of Preservation Condition: Swords from this era are characterized strongly as works of art and ceremonial objects, and some examples show relatively little wear as practical weapons. Points such as the presence or absence of edge damage and grinding wear, and the preservation condition of the nakago (tang), should ideally be confirmed by comparing the contents of the authentication certificate with the physical object itself.