Sword Culture in Mid-Kyoho Era (1720-1735) — Samurai Sword-Wearing Consciousness After the Yoshimune Reforms and Late Shinto Swordsmiths

The Kyoho Reforms and the Transformation of Samurai Sword Appreciation

The Kyoho Reforms led by Tokugawa Yoshimune (in office 1716-1745) had the primary aim of rebuilding shogunate finances and restoring discipline within samurai society. As the reforms became fully established in the 1720s, clear effects began to appear in samurai sword-wearing culture. With the strengthening of sumptuary laws, the production of elaborate fittings adorned with lavish metalwork, lacquer, and inlay was suppressed, and society was encouraged to return to "substance-focused militarism" that valued martial values.

Because Yoshimune himself promoted martial arts and actively showed interest in horsemanship, swordsmanship, and archery, interest in practical swords also revived among daimyo retainers. While the simplification of fittings might appear to be cultural regression at first glance, it paradoxically brought about increased interest in the quality of the blade itself. By the mid-Kyoho period, demand for swords had shifted toward "blade-focused" appreciation that valued cutting ability, form, and steel grain over decoration.

The pragmatic and robust spirit of the Kyoho period not only affected the appearance of fittings but also cultivated an appreciative eye for the blade itself. The ostentatious designs that had been fashionable in the Genroku period faded, and instead, the technical excellence inherent in the blade—such as the surface quality of the steel grain and the activity of the hamon—came to be emphasized as evaluation criteria. This shift in values can be said to have shaped the prototype for how sword appreciation would be approached in later eras—an attitude of evaluating the forging technique itself rather than external decoration.

Smiths of the Late Shinto Period—Master Craftsmen Active During Kyoho

From the Kyoho years (1716-1736) through the Enpo era, smiths who led the latter part of the Shinto period (the sword-making era after the Keicho period) were active in various regions. Swords from this period are generally classified as "late Shinto," and the blade form evolved from the somewhat robust and grand shape of the Genroku period (1688-1704) toward increasing refinement, with more slender blades featuring deeper curves and elegant lines.

In Settsu Province (Osaka), smiths following the lineage of Tsuda Echizen-no-Kami Sukehiro continued to be highly regarded, and the distinctive characteristics of Osaka Shinto—"cool hamon" and "well-ordered steel grain"—were being passed down. In Edo, smiths from the lineage of Suishinshi Masahide's teacher were active, and this was also a period where the seeds of sword appreciation that would later develop into the Shinshinto revival movement were beginning to sprout. Domain officials' blacksmiths also increased their enthusiasm for commissioned work in response to their lords' policies promoting martial arts.

In the works of late Shinto smiths, alongside the "cool hamon" characteristic of Osaka Shinto, one can see technical refinement such as densely packed steel grain and sharp hamon edges. This stylistic change can be understood as the result of two currents converging: the samurai emphasis on practicality and the sophistication of appreciative judgment. While responding to the demands of their samurai and domain patrons, the smiths continued to refine their techniques and laid the technical groundwork that would lead to the next Shinshinto period.

Kyoho First-Day Ceremonies and Sword Gift-Giving Culture

An important aspect of sword culture in mid-Kyoho samurai society was the practice of ceremonial gift-giving. Swords presented to the shogun or daimyo still carried political significance, and on auspicious days such as the first day of each month, New Year's Day, and the five seasonal festivals, the presentation of fine swords was conducted as formal ritual. Although Yoshimune disliked lavish decorative objects, he highly valued the cultural significance of swords themselves, and the concept that "the sword is the soul of the samurai" was reaffirmed in the context of the Kyoho Reforms.

The rise of sword schools during the same period also influenced demand for swords. Sword schools such as Jikishin Kageryu and Ittoryu gathered disciples in Edo, and apart from wooden and bamboo practice swords, interest in real swords for votive offerings and appreciation increased within each school. The mid-Kyoho period can be evaluated as an era in which swordsmanship and sword appreciation mutually stimulated each other, enriching samurai culture.

The positioning of swords in gift-giving rituals was more than mere exchange of objects; it was a symbolic act of confirming relationships of loyalty and family status. To be presented with a fine sword was itself an honor, and the recipient was expected to maintain the dignity befitting such a blade. This gift-giving culture of the mid-Kyoho period testifies to the fact that swords were not only practical weapons but also embodied social value.

Kyoho Authentication Culture—The Honami Family and the Kyoho Meibuts-cho

The "Kyoho Meibuts-cho" (Kyoho Catalogue of Famous Swords), compiled during the Kyoho years, was the culmination of a collection of documents in which the Honami family, under shogunal command, investigated and recorded famous swords from various regions. The Kyoho Meibuts-cho organized the location, provenance, and estimated value of famous swords, including the Five Swords Under Heaven, and is an extremely important document from the perspective of institutionalizing sword authentication.

This undertaking reflected the shogunate's clear recognition of swords as cultural assets and its will to manage and document them systematically. Through the compilation of the Kyoho Meibuts-cho, sword authentication became socially established as an "officially recognized technique" of the Honami family, a group of specialists, which elevated the authority of the subsequent authentication certificate (origami) system.

The methodology of authentication established by the Honami family—a comprehensive approach to discerning the blade form, steel grain, and hamon—was passed down through the ages in the form of authentication certificates. This lineage of authentication can be positioned as one of the sources of the authentication certificate culture that we refer to today when evaluating swords. The very idea of "documenting and establishing authority," brought about by the compilation project of the Kyoho Meibuts-cho, continues to function as an important mechanism for passing swords down to future generations.

Perspectives for Appreciating Mid-Kyoho Period Swords

When appreciating swords forged during the mid-Kyoho period, we should pay attention to the following points.

• Blade form: Swords from this era, in the midst of transitioning from the grand forms of the Genroku period to slender blades with deep curves and elegant lines, allow one to sense the spirit of the age through form alone.
• Steel grain: Both the well-ordered steel grain seen in the Osaka Shinto lineage and the refined forging by Edo smiths demonstrate the technical achievement fostered by "blade-focused" appreciation.
• Hamon: Many swords display cool, clear activity, and the ability to appreciate the inherent beauty of the blade itself without relying on ostentatious decoration is a major appeal of swords from this era.

The pragmatism promoted by the Kyoho Reforms ultimately honed the smiths' techniques and prepared the ground for cultivating the viewer's discerning eye. Engaging with mid-Kyoho period swords is an experience that continues to quietly answer the question of what samurai society sought from swords.

The Influence of Mid-Kyoho Period Sword Culture on the Shinshinto Era

The mid-Kyoho period's "substance-focused, blade-centered" view of swords became a distant cause of the Shinshinto revival movement that came later in the early 19th century. The ideal of "recovering the beauty of old swords" advocated by Suishinshi Masahide (ca. 1750-1825) is directly continuous with the spiritual background of "the sword is the essence of the samurai" reaffirmed by the Kyoho Reforms.

The views on swords held by smiths, authenticators, and samurai who lived during the Kyoho years and engaged with swords amid the winds of reform shaped the framework of Japanese sword culture that would continue until the end of the shogunate. Rather than dismissing this era as a mere transitional period, accurately grasping the unique significance of mid-Kyoho period sword culture is important for deepening our understanding of Japanese sword history.

The "blade-centered" value system cultivated by people who lived during the mid-Kyoho period was not merely a fashion of one era but became the foundation for passing down the Japanese sword as a craft to future generations for a long time. Even when engaging with Kyoho period swords today, by being conscious of the perspective valued by the samurai, smiths, and authenticators of that time—an attitude of valuing technique and spirituality over decoration—we can achieve a deeper understanding of their value.