A Report on Meihin Katanaezu Shûsei
By Jim Kurrasch
from the May 1999 Nanka Token Kai Newsletter
I received a copy of Meihin Katanaezu Shûsei by Tanobe Michihiro from the publisher Otsuka Kogeisha today. It is a large book (14½ inches [w] X 20¾ inches [h] X 1 inch [t]) which is similar in construction to but a improvment on Sôshû Taikan. The major improvement is the current use of glossy paper for the pages. This gives better visibility to the work. The book has a hard cloth cover with a cloth covered wrap case and a labeled cardboard box over that.
I also expect this book to be considerably more useful than Sôshû Taikan. That book dealt in only one school – Sôshû. Even though Sôshû is a well liked and copied school it is also a rarely seen one. This book deals equally with all of the important schools and periods of Nihontô.
As the advertisement stated “The illustrations include 32 National Treasure Swords, 64 Jûyô Bunkazai, 54 Jûyô Bijutsûhin, and others such as Tokubetsu Jûyô Token, Jûyô Token, and non-titled masterpieces, 193 of which are of the whole blade.” What this did not say is that there are many smaller photographs such as multiple signatures of some of the Important Smiths.
Actually the maker had to be very important to have his swords shown. Since 150 of the swords are Kokuho, Jûyô Bunkasai, or Jûyô Bijutsuhin most are published in other books. However they are seldom published with both a clear photograph and a full ôshigata side by side. The other swords are very important also but have not been published as much.
Most swords have both a ôshigata and a photograph. These are life-size for tantô and sized to fit the page for longer swords. A seven page separate english translation is given for the makers names, dates and ranking of each sword.
I have shown examples of some of the pages so that the reader can have a better idea just what this book is like. Remember in the actual book these are about twice the size shown here. I recommend that as many person as can buy this book. This club is selling its’ copies (which are already sold out) at $350. Street price in the U.S. is expected to be about $400 to $450. I expect that these books will sell used for about $750 in five years or so.
I will bring a copy of this book to our meeting on Friday May 14. If they have arrived by then I will bring the other copies also. Those who have already ordered them from us will be wise to contact me just prior to this meeting to find out if they are in yet. Or just show up at the meeting and pay for your copy then. Just remember when ten copies are sold that is all there is unless there is a reprint.
Page 122 of Meihin Katanaezu Shûsei
showing Kenshin Kagemitsu tantô by Bishu Osafune ju Kagemitsu
Two Yoshifusa tachi shown on page 93. Please note that
there are an additional seven signatures of Yoshifusa included.
The Meibutsu Fudo Masamune tantô shown on page 73.
Index of Meihin Katanaezu Shûsei
by Tanobe Michihiro
from the September 1999 Nanka Token Kai Newsletter
Important Sword – Tachi signed Yoshiie + 10 Mei page 10
Kokuho – Tachi signed Sanjo = Meibutsu Mikazuki Munechika Tokyo National Museum page 12
Tachi signed: Kuninaga + 5 Mei page 13
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Hisakuni page 14
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Hisakuni + 4 Mei page 15
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kunikiyo page 16
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kuniyoshi page 17
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Kuniyoshi + 7 Mei page 18
Important Cultural Property – Katana signed Sahyoe-no-Jo Fujiwara Kuniyoshi (Nakigitsune) Tokyo National Museum page 19
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Kuniyoshi page 20
Important Sword – Tantô signed Kuniyoshi a total of 8 Tantô page 20
Kokuho – Tantô signed Yoshimitsu (Meibutsu Goto Toshiro) Tokugawa Art Museum page 22
Kokuho – Tantô signed Yoshimitsu (Akita Toshiro) page 24
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Yoshimitsu (Hocho Toshiro) Tokugawa Art Museum page 25
Kokuho – Tachi signed Kuniyuki page 26
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kuniyuki page 27
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kuniyuki + 11 Mei page 28
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Kuniyuki Sano Art Museum page 28
Important art Object – Tachi signed Kuniyuki page 30
Tachi signed Kuniyuki page 30
Important Art Object – Kodachi signed Kunitoshi (Meibutsu Torigai Kunitoshi) Tokugawa Art Museum + 17 Mei page 32
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Rai Kunitoshi / dated Geno-o ichi nen hachi gatsu hi page 34
Kokuho – Tantô signed Rai Kunitoshi Kurokawa Ancient Cultural Research Institute page 35
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Minamoto Rai Kunitoshi / dated Bunpo ni nen san gatsu hi + 7 Mei page 36
Important Cultural Property – Naginata signed Rai Kunitoshi page 37
Kokuho – Tantô signed Rai Kunimitsu (Meibutsu Uraku Rai Kunimitsu) page 38
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Rai Kunimitsu + 3 Mei page 39
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Rai Kunimitsu (Meibutsu Shiokawa Rai Kunimitsu) Habaki signed Umetada Jusai page 40
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Rai Kunimitsu page 41
Specially Important Sword – Wakizashi signed Rai Kunimitsu page 42
Kokuho – Wakizashi signed Rai Kunitsugu page 43
Tachi signed Rai Kunitsugu page 44
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Rai Kunitsugu page 44
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Mitsukane page 46
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Hasebe Kuninobu (Kara Kashiwa) + 3 Mei page 47
Important Cultural Property – Wakizashi signed Nobukuni page 48
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Nobukuni / dated Enbun san nen ju-ni gatsu hi + 5 Mei page 49
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Senjuin Yasushige page 50
Kokuho – Tachi signed Kuniyuki page 51
Kokuho – Tachi signed Nobuyoshi NBTHK + 7 Mei page 52
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Nobuyoshi + 3 Mei page 54
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kanenaga + 3 Mei page 56
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Kanenaga page 56
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Yamato Norinaga saku Kurokawa Ancient Cultural Research Institute page 58
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Yamato Norinaga page 59
Specially Important Sword – Tantô signed Fujiwara Sadaoki + 4 Mei page 60
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kaneuji NBTHK + 5 Mei page 61
Important Cultural Property – Katana mumei Shizu den (Meibutsu Wakebe Shizu) page 62
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kashu ju Sanekage / dated Joji roku nen gatsu hi page 63
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Fujishima Tomoshige + 2 Mei page 64
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Uda Kunifusa / dated Oei ju-ni nen gatsu hi + 5 Mei page 65
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Uda Kunifusa Kurokawa Ancient Cultural Research Inst. page 66
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Uda Kunifusa Hie Shrine page 66
Kokuho – Tantô signed Kunimitsu (Meibutsu Aizu Shintogo) page 68
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kunimitsu / dated Geno-o ni nen san gatsu hi page 69
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kunimitsu + 2 Mei page 70
Important Cultural Property – Katana mumei Masamune Sano Art Museum page 71
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Masamune (Meibutsu Fudo Masamune) Tokugawa Art Museum + 3 Mei page 72
Kokuho – Tantô mumei Masamune (Meibutsu Kuki Masamune) page 74
Important Cultural Property – Wakizashi signed mumei Sadamune (Meibutsu Monyoshi Sadamune) Tokugawa Art Museum page 75
Important Cultural Property – Wakizashi signed in cinnabar Sadamune Hona (written seal) (Meibutsu Shuhan Sadamune) page 76
Important Art Object – Wakizashi signed Sagami no Kuni Junin Hiromitsu / dated Koan ni nen ju gatsu hi page 77
Specially Important Sword – Tantô signed Sagami no Kuni Junin Akihiro / dated Enbun ni nen ju-ichi gatsu hi page 78
Important Sword – Tantô signed Soshu ju Akihiro / dated Shitoku yon + 4 Mei page 78
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Tomonari + 1 Mei page 79
Kokuho – Tachi signed Masatsune page 80
Kokuho – Tachi signed Masatsune page 81
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Masatsune + 9 Mei page 82
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Tomomura page 83
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Kunitsugu page 84
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Kageyasu + 11 Mei page 85
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Norimune page 86
Tachi – signed Sukemune Tokyo National Museum page 87
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Sukemune Matsugasaki Shrine page 87
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Narimune + 3 Mei page 88
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Yukikuni page 89
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Ichi Sukenari [Zo] (Made by Ichimonji Sukenari) page 90
Kokuho – Tachi signed Yoshifusa (Okadagiri) Tokyo National Museum + 3 Mei page 91
Kokuho – Tachi signed Yoshifusa + 4 Mei page 92
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Yoshifusa page 93
Tachi signed Yoshifusa + 7 Mei page 93
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Norifusa + 3 Mei page 94
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Sukezane + 7 Mei page 95
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Yoshihira page 96
Important Cultural Property – Tachi mumei Fukuoka Ichimonji NBTHK + 5 Mei page 97
Kokuho – Tachi mumei Ichimonji (Sanchomo or Copper Pheasant Feather) page 98
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Ichi (Hime Zuru Ichimonji) Accessory – Kurourushi Aikuchi Uchigatana Koshirae Yonezawa Municipal Uesugi Museum page 100
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Ichi Tokyo Fuji Art Museum page 101
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed [] Ichimonji + 1 Mei page 102
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Mitsutada Hayashihara Art Museum page 103
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Mitsutada Tokyo National Museum + 10 Mei page 104
Tachi signed Mitsutada page 106
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Mitsutada + 1 Mei page 107
Kokuho – Tachi signed Nagamitsu Tokyo National Museum page 108
Kokuho – Tachi signed Nagamitsu (Meibutsu Tsudatotoumi Nagamitsu) Tokugawa Art Museum page 109
Kokuho – Tachi signed Kumano Sansho Gongen Nagamitsu page 110
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Sakon Shogen Nagamitsu Zo / dated Sho-o ni nen ju gatsu hi Hayashihara Art Museum page 111
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Nagamitsu saku / dated Shoan ni nen ni gatsu hi + 1 Mei page 112
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Nagamitsu Osafune / dated Bun-ei ju-ichi nen ju gatsu ni-ju-go hi (Takase Nagamitsu) page 113
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Nagamitsu page 114
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Sanenaga + 5 Mei page 115
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune Junin Sanenaga / dated Shoan ni nen ju (cut off) page 116
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune Junin Sanenaga Zo / dated Kagen ni nen san gatsu hi page 117
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Sanenaga Yamatane Art Museum page 118
Kokuho – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Kagemitsu / dated Genko ni nen go gatsu hi (Koryu Kagemitsu) Tokyo National Museum page 119
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune ju Kagemitsu / dated Showa go nen ju gatsu hi page 120
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune ju Kagemitsu kin-mei = Honda Heihachiro Tadatame Koreo Shoji page 121
Kokuho – Tantô signed Bishu Osafune ju Kagemitsu / dated Genko san nen san gatsu hi (Kensin Kagemitsu-) Saitama Prefecture Museum page 122
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kagemitsu page 123
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune ju Kagemitsu / dated Genko san nen ni gatsu hi page 124
Specially Important Sword – Wakizashi signed Hizen no Kuni Tadayoshi Kirimono Fujiwara Munenaga page 124
Kokuho – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Chikakage / dated Karyaku yon nen [] gatsu hi page 125
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune Chikakage / dated Kenmu ni nen go gatsu hi Tokyo Fuji Art Museum + 4 Mei page 126
Important Art Object – Katana mumei Chikakage den / dated Riyakuo ni nen page 128
Kokuho – Tachi signed Kunimune + 2 Mei page 129
Kokuho – Tachi signed Kunimune Terukuni Shrine page 130
Tachi signed Kunimune page 131
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Kunimune + 2 Mei page 132
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Moriie Zo + 9 Mei page 133
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune Moriie Zo (Meibutsu Hyogo Moriie) Tokugawa Art Museum page 134
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Moriie Zo / dated Bunei ku nen Jinshin ni gatsu ni ju go hi page 135
Important Sword – Tantô signed Moriie page 136
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Bishu Osafune Morishige / dated Showa go nen ju ni gatsu hi page 136
Important Sword – Tantô signed Bishu Osafune Motoshige / dated Showa go nen roku gatsu hi page 136
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Sanemori Zo + 2 Mei page 138
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Unshô + 12 Mei page 139
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Junin Unji / dated Showa yon nen ju gatsu hi + 1 Mei page 140
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Kanemitsu / dated Genko san nen hachi gatsu hi page 141
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune Kanemitsu / dated Koei san nen roku gatsu hi page 142
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune Yoshimitsu / dated Koei ni nen hachi gatsu hi page 142
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Bishu Osafune ju Kanemitsu / dated Shogyo ichi nen ju-ichi gatsu hi + 2 Mei page 143
Important Art Object – Wakizashi signed Bizen no Kuni Osafune ju Kanemitsu / dated Jyowa san nen ju-ni gatsu hi page 144
Specially Important Sword – Katana signed Bishu Osafune ju Morikage / dated Eiwa ichi nen ju gatsu hi page 144
Specially Important Sword – Tantô signed Bi[shu] Osafune Kanemitsu / dated En[bun] [] nen ni gatsu hi page 146
Specially Important Sword – Tantô signed Bishu Osafune Kanemitsu / dated Enbun go nen ju gatsu hi + 3 Mei page 146
Important Cultural Property – Wakizashi signed Bishu Osafune Motoshige page 148
Specially Important Sword – Katana signed Bishu Osafune Shigezane (Orikaeshi Mei) page 149
Kokuho – Tantô signed Bishu Osafune Nagashige Kinoeinu / dated Kinoeinu + 1 Mei page 150
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune Chogi page 151
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bizen no Kuni ju Osafune Morikage + 6 Mei page 152
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune ju Nariie / dated Joji yon nen ju-ni gatsu hi page 153
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune Hidemitsu / dated Oan yon nen ju gatsu hi page 154
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu / dated Oei san ju ni nen san gatsu hi Kurokawa Ancient Cultural Research Institute page 155
Kokuho – Tachi signed Sadatsugu + 2 Mei page 156
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Bicchu (cut off after) Sadatsugu den + 1 Mei page 157
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Moritsugu + 8 Mei page 158
Important Art Object – Tachi mumei Aoe den (Araiso) page 159
Important Cultural Property – Wakizashi signed Bicchu Koku ju Tsugunao saku / dated Enbun san nen ju-ni gatsu hi page 160
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Noritaka (Senoo) page 161
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Masamori (Senoo) page 162
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Sukekuni page 163
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kiyotsuna page 164
Tantô signed Kiyotsuna page 164
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kiyotsuna NBTHK + 3 Mei page 166
Kokuho – Tachi signed Yasutsuna (Meibutsu Doji Giri Yasutsuna) Tokyo National Museum page 167
Important Art Object – Katana mumei Hojoji den page 168
Tantô signed Tanshu ju Kunimitsu page 168
Specially Important Sword – Tantô signed Tanshu ju Kunimitsu page 168
Tachi signed Yasutsuna NBTHK page 170
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Sanekage NBTHK page 170
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Ohara Sanemori page 172
Tachi signed Ohara Sanemori page 172
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Naotsuna + 2 Mei page 174
Important Art Object – Tachi signed Jitsua saku Sano Art Museum page 175
Kokuho – Tachi signed Chikushu ju Sa (Kosetsu Samonji) page 176
Kokuho – Tantô signed Sa Chikushu ju page 177
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Sa Chikushu ju (Meibutsu Sayo Samonji) page 178
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Sa Chikushu ju page 179
Specially Important Sword – Tantô signed Sa Chikushu ju page 179
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Yasuyoshi page 180
Kokuho – Tantô signed Chikushu ju Yukihiro / dated Kan-o ichi nen hachi gatsu hi page 181
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kunimura Idemitsu Art Museum + 2 Mei page 182
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kunisuke + 1 Mei page 183
Specially Important Sword – Tachi signed Kunitoki + 8 Mei page 184
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Kuninobu Mitsui Bunko + 2 Mei page 186
Important Sword – Tantô signed Kunitoki page 187
Important Sword – Tantô signed Kuniyasu page 187
Important Cultural Property – Tachi signed Naminohira Yukiyasu (Sasanuki) page 188
Important Cultural Property – Tantô signed Kunihiro (Horibe Kunihiro) page 190
Important Art Object – Tantô signed Fujiwara Kunihiro Zaikyonotoki Koreo Utsu (Fujiwara Kunihiro forges this during his stay in Kyoto) / dated Tensho ju-kyu nenhachi gatsu hi page 191
Specially Important Sword – Katana signed Kunihiro page 192
Specially Important Sword – Katana signed Echigo no Kami Fujiwara Kunitomo page 193
Important Sword – Katana signed Izumi no Kami Fujiwara Kanesada saku page 193
Important Cultural Property – Katana signed Dewa Daijô Fujiwara Kunimichi + 8 Mei page 194
Important Cultural Property – Katana signed Tsuda Echizen no Kami Sukehiro / dated Enpo nana nen ni gatsu hi page 196
Important Art Object – Katana signed Nagasone Okisato Nyudo Kotetsu (inlaid with gold) Shinmyomyo Ichio Aihin (A favorite item of Okubo Ichio) page 198
Important Art Object – Katana signed Dewa no Kuni Taikai Shoji Naotane (written seal) / dated Bunka ju-ni nen Kinoto Ino nen Chushû Sugihara Gunki Masakane Nozominiojite (Made at the request of Sugiyama Gunki Masakane) page 199
Important Art Object – Katana signed Zo Taikei Naotane (written seal) / dated Tenpo go nen Chushun (midspring) + 5 Kao page 200
Important Art Object – Katana signed Washu Tegakiju Shigekuni Sunpuni Oite Koreo Tsukuru (Made by Shigekuni, a resident of Washu Tegaki, during his stay in Sunpu) + 2 Mei page 201
Specially Important Sword – Wakizashi signed Moto Yamato Junin Sunpuju Nochi Kishu Wakayamai Oite Kurosaburo Shigekuni saku (Kurosaburo Shigekuni, a former resident of Yamato, made in Wakayama, Kishu after residing in Sunpu) / dated Genna hachi nen Inu roku hi Tsuzuki Tochi Koreo Sasu (Tsuzuki Toichi wears this) page 202
Specially Important Sword – Katana signed Iemitsu Shogun Rakuchu Tamô Gosenganmoku Sonogin-O motte nawa Sotan-Yori Iyono-jo Minamoto-no Munetsugu-ni Motome Koreo Tsukuru / dated Kan-ei ju-ichi nen shichi gatsu hi page 203
Specially Important Sword – Katana signed Ichiyo Aoimon (a single hollyhock leaf crest) Tamaki Shumenokami Fujiwara-no Ason Ichinohira Yasuyo / dated Kyoho kyo nen Sasshu Kiiregori-de koreo tsukuru (This was made in Kiire-gori, Satsuma Fief) page 204
