"One
is apt to try hard to judge and cope with every situation with what little
wisdom he has. This breeds wicked self-centered thoughts against the ways of
Providence and turns into vice"
Yamamoto Tsunetomo - Hagakure
I have been fortunate
enough to receive a couple of Japanese swords as gifts, but they were in highly
distressed condition and beyond restoration. Within Japanese society, the giving
and receiving of all kinds of gifts, is a well-established practice. Indeed, for
a regular visitor to Japan, knowing what gifts to take is an important and
sometimes taxing problem - gone are the days when a halfway decent bottle of
Scotch would have been the most welcome thing a Japanese host could have wished
for from a foreign visitor.
The giving and
receiving of Japanese swords as gifts in the feudal past, seems to have been
both a well-documented and reasonably common occurrence amongst the richer and
higher classes. There are many instances of Daimyo having audiences with the
Shogun, on their regular and compulsory visits to the court in Edo, when swords
of high value and reputation were exchanged. Such gifts were considered to be
worthy of presentation to the Shogun, being the ultimate in good taste and the
embodiment of the warrior spirit. Anyone receiving a gift from the Shogun would
immediately treat the object as an important family heirloom and it would be
passed down in the family for many generations to come. Even before the rule of
the Tokugawa Shoguns, the exchange of swords was a well-established custom.
The reasons for the
gifts were many and varied. For
instance, it became customary on the succession of a new Shogun, for the daimyo
to present a sword to the new Shogun. This blade needed to be signed Kunimitsu
as this was particularly auspicious as the characters may have been interpreted
as meaning, "may the fortunes of the nation prosper". Unfortunately,
the number of genuine Shintogo Kunimitsu
or Rai Kunimitsu blades about were
rather limited and so shortened blades had signatures or gold inlay attributions
added or convincing certificates of authenticity were drawn up, and then they
were presented to the Shogun as the genuine thing. The "emperor's
clothes" syndrome would conveniently click into gear and the dubious gift
was accepted, probably to be presented back to the Daimyo family on some other
fitting occasion.
Certain birthdays were
and still are considered important milestones in life and of these, sixty-one,
seventy and seventy-seven are especially important. An ideal gift on such a day
was a blade with the signature of Toshinaga
or Enju as these might be interpreted
as meaning "long life". As there were few swords with the appropriate
genuine signatures, again many highly dubious fakes were substituted. Again the
"emperor's clothes" and the lack of any real sword knowledge helped to
perpetuate the myths that these swords were genuine. I guess it is the thought
that counts!
An interesting example
of a genuine sword as a gift concerns a Tachi blade, made by the famous Masamune
and given by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to his ally, the Daimyo Ishida Mitsunari. Other
sources say that the sword was received from Ukita Hideie who purchased it from
Wakasa no Kami Mori for 400 Kami of gold.
This sword has been exhibited many times in Japan and even been displayed
in London. It may be the best known and most traveled Masamune blade in
existence and is called the Ishida Masamune (there is also a blade by Sadamune,
the gifted pupil of Masamune, again given by Hideyoshi to Ishida Mitsunari,
known as the Ishida Sadamune). Near
the end of his life, Hideyoshi sent an invasion force to Korea but died before
it had concluded matters there. It was considered important that news of
Hideyoshi's death be kept a secret whilst the invasion force was brought home
and internal affairs were put in order. It fell to Ishida Mitsunari to organise
matters and he swiftly concluded a peace treaty with the Koreans.
Unfortunately,
Ishida's efforts conflicted with the plans and interests of another of
Hideyoshi's "allies", the redoubtable Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu had come
to the conclusion that Ishida's presence on this earth was no longer necessary
or desirable. Several of the Daimyo returning from the continent, undoubtedly
with the connivance of Tokugawa Ieyasu, therefore sought to eliminate Ishida.
However, shrewdly, Ishida realised what and who was behind these efforts, and he
appealed directly to Ieyasu for help. Ieyasu instructed Hideyoshi's son, Yuki
Hideyasu, to provide Ishida with an escort to his estate, thereby guaranteeing
his safety for the immediate future at least. In deep gratitude for this
consideration, Ishida entrusted one of Hideyasu's retainers with the Masamune
with instructions that it should be given to Hideyasu as a gift.
Not only does this
story show the high value placed on the sword and that it was a very worthy
gift, but it indicates Ishida's wish that, whatever the uncertain future held
for him, the Masamune must be preserved. It has been said that this
"invokes the spirit of the warriors of the Sengoku period". (see
article entitled Goro Nyuodo Masamune for more on Ishida Mitsunari)
Swords made to special
order, rather than as "stock", might often include the name of the
customer in the inscription on the Nakago, especially if this customer were of
some rank. For instance, the highly
skilled swordsmith of the early Edo period, Nanki Shigekuni, was known to have
made several similar styled Wakizashi, all of which have Shoji-mei (owner's
name) engraved on the Nakago and all of which were made in the same year (Genna
8th year - 1623) and all of which were made as "special order" blades
for high ranking Samurai retainers of Tokugawa Yorinobu.
During the feudal
period many votive swords were also made as gifts and presented to Shinto
shrines. Sometimes these swords were of extraordinary proportions, on occasions
having a length of 90 cms and requiring two people to remove the blade from the
Saya, so the practical considerations were negligible. Today, a good number of
important and more conventional swords, including some of National Treasure
status, remain the property of Shrines having being donated in the past. Once
again, a sword was considered to be worthy enough offering to present to a
religious institution, a gift or maybe a bribe to heaven, indeed.
At the end of the
Tokugawa period, at the time of the Meiji Restoration, many Daimyo appear to
have given swords, as well as their hereditary rights, to the young Emperor who
was known to be very interested in Japanese swords and who later gave patronage
to certain swordsmiths as well as other craftsmen of traditional Japanese arts.
It is said that the Emperor Meiji would often express interest in seeing
or studying an important sword that was in a Daimyo or other important
collection, thus prompting the owner to offer it as a gift.
Alternatively he might borrow a sword to study and not return it, being
fully aware of the difficulty that a subject would have, demanding its return!
Such methods of building a collection are, sadly, not available to us
today.
Also around this time,
the British Lord Resdale was in Japan. It was he, who along with seven others,
were the first foreigners to witness the seppuku or ritual disembowelment
(popularly called hara-kiri) of a samurai gentleman. The samurai in question was
one Taki Zenzaburo, a retainer of the Lord of Bizen, who was guilty of giving an
order to fire upon the foreign concession in Hyogo (today’s Kobe). The seppuku,
minutely described in Resdale's famous "Tales of Old Japan", took
place at the Seifu-ji temple in Hyogo in February 1868.
A not so well known corollary to this event is the fact that, in
recognition of him fulfilling his duty as an official witness to the event; the
authorities presented Lord Resdale with a Japanese sword. This was actually a
tanto by the 16th century Mino swordsmith Kanefusa. It is a broad hira-zukuri
blade with a large midare hamon in a style that has become known as
"Kanefusa-midare". This tanto, believed to be the one actually used in
the ceremony, was donated to the British Museum, in whose collection it remains
and it occasionally sees the light of day.
The Mino Kanefusa
tanto given by Lord Resdale to the British Museum
A sword exists in a
collection in Great Britain, was connected with arguably the most important
shrine in Japan, the Ise Shrine. The inscription on this 28-inch Shinshinto
Katana, states that it was made by a certain Shimidzu Yoshitora who is the
Yoshitora listed in Hawleys as working around 1844-54 (YOS 1716). It seems that
Yoshitora may have been connected with the Imperial Court, as the inscription,
as well as giving the name of the village in which he was born in Yamashiro
province (Kyoto) also says that he was a former Court officer. (He also claimed
to be the 25th generation descended from Awataguchi Yoshimitsu on another of his
blades). The Nakago's inscription states that the sword was made for the shrine
(apparently together with a halberd) on the occasion of the arrival of several
foreign ships in Japan, almost certainly referring to Commodore Perry's
squadron. When Perry arrived in 1853, the Imperial Court was thrown into
something of a panic and immediately orders were given to the Shinto priests at
Ise (as they had at the time of the Mongolian invasion some 600 years
previously) to pray for the "sweeping away of the barbarians" and it
is most likely that these orders were accompanied by votive offerings such as
the sword in question. Although undated, this blade must have been made around
this time and for this reason.
In the Meiji and
Taisho periods especially, many foreigners came to Japan to help in the
modernisation of the country. At the same time a number came to see this new and
fascinating place and a good number seem to have returned having been presented
with swords as acknowledgement of their contributions. In the second half of the
19th century, several, who were especially interested in Japanese metalwork and
blade manufacture, commissioned swordsmiths of the day to make them swords. One
of the most influential was William S Bigelow, an American who was a great
patron of the traditional arts in Japan and whose efforts helped to preserve
many of them through these difficult years. In Mr. Ogawa's fine catalogue of
Japanese swords and fittings in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, an oshigata
illustrates a tanto made by Ishido Korekazu together with his pupil Tsunahide.
As well as the date (1883) and both swordsmith's names, it is also inscribed
"Bireigro Sensei Tame Ni." - For Doctor Bigelow.
This must rate as one of the earliest "special order" blades on
record, inscribed with the name of a foreigner. Mr. Ogawa adds a touching
footnote, as follows: -
The
edict of 1876 prohibiting the wearing of swords had deprived swordsmiths such as
Korekazu of employment, One can imagine with what pleasure Korekazu accepted Dr
Bigelow's commission, probably the only blade the smith was to produce after the
1876 edict.
(Unusually enough, in the same catalogue is a tsuba made
for the same gentleman. Both pieces are currently in the museum's collection).
Another interesting
example of a Japanese swords being given as a gift, concerned the first Japanese
Antarctica expedition, led by Lieutenant Nobu Shirase of the Japanese Imperial
Navy. On its way south, the
expedition found itself "falling on hard times" and it had only got as
far as Sidney, Australia! Apparently they encountered considerable hostility in
Sydney, before Sir Tannath Edgeworth David, himself an explorer (he had
accompanied Sir Ernest Shakelton on a successful trip to Antarctica two years
previously) helped them collect together enough stores and supplies and organise
necessary repairs to their equipment, so that they could proceed. The sword, a
Katana by Kaneyasu (circa 1644) was presented to Sir Edgeworth when the
expedition returned after the trip two years later, in gratitude for his
assistance.
A footnote to the
above bears retelling. In 1979 the sword was still in the possession of Sir
Edgeworth's daughter, Miss Mary David, who was 90 years old by this time. With
the advice of a local collector, she had the sword polished professionally in
Japan by a polisher from Fukuoka. The polisher, impressed by the circumstances,
accepted no payment for the work (the
oxygen of publicity must have been sufficient) and personally returned the sword
to Miss Davies. This was reported in the local press as well as Token Bijutsu
magazine in 1979.
In September 1997, I
was fortunate enough, after having successfully undergone a security vetting, to
have the opportunity of studying a sword that was part of Great Britain's Royal
Collection, which is housed in the magnificent Windsor Castle. I was accompanied
by the late BW Robinson (author of Arts of the Japanese Sword) and Claude
Blaire, both good old boys from the Victoria and Albert Museum. This sword,
according to Mr. Jackson, The Armourer, and castle officials, was presented to
King George V on behalf of the Emperor of Japan in 1918. This would have been
the Taisho Emperor, of course. It was stated to have been presented in 1918 as a
gift between two successful allied heads of state, whose countries had just been
victorious in stopping the Hun's first European adventure. This sword was an
enormously richly mounted old-style Tachi, similar to the Hyogo Kusari Tachi
(chain hanger Tachi) with Hojo-mon, that is in the collection at Tokyo National
Museum and dates from the Kamakura period. Even at this time, this style of
sword was usually given as a gift. However, the sword in the Royal Collection
was of 20th century manufacture and incredibly richly mounted in gold or heavy
gilding. The Tsuka had a sharp up-turn and was formed in the Kenuki-gata style.
The body of both the Saya and Tsuka were of a grey patinated metal alloy known
as Shibuichi but also known as Rogin (an alloy of silver, copper, and lead).
Every metal mount, including the thick Tsuba, which was similar in style and
shape to a Gunto Tsuba, was a beautifully carved with a floral design, possibly
cherry blossoms, in a rich gold coloured metal. On the Shibuichi panels of the
Saya were inset Rokuju Kikku-mon (16 petal, Imperial chrysanthemum mon). The
grey colour of the body of the sword contrasted perfectly with the richness of
the gold surrounding it.
Left: Windsor’s
Gensui-to Right:
Full Gensui-to from Japan
The blade of this
sword, which was contemporary with the mounting, was of the Kogarasu-maru type,
with a very good suguha hamon in Ko-nie and a tight Jihada, almost Muji-hada,
but there may have been some Masame-hada. There was a Bo-hi, which ran from
about inch above the gold Habaki up to the return of the Kogarasu-maru Kissaki
(see illustration). Between the bottom of the Hi and the Habaki, on both sides
was another gold inlay Rokuju-Kikku-Mon. The overall shape of the blade was
slender and very graceful. Unfortunately, I was unable to move the gold-headed
screw-type Mekugi, so was unable view the Nakago, but felt, because of the
quality workmanship, it might have been made by Gassan Sadakatsu or another
swordsmith of this caliber. Mr. Han
Bing Siong, well known Dutch authority on Japanese swords, also examined this
sword in 1981. He was able to see the nakago and make an oshigata, the reading
of which is: Teishitsu Gigeiin Gassan
Sadakazu Hachijusan Sai Kin Saku (Gassan Sadakazu, Imperial Household
Artisan respectfully made this, at the age of 83) and a date corresponding to
March 1918. In his special article on Gensuito, published by the JSS/US in March
1998, Mr. Han believes that the sword was actually made by Gassan SadaKATSU and
not as signed, by his father SadaKAZU. It would therefore be classified as
Daimei.
I had a suspicion that
I had seen or read of this type of sword before and on returning home, consulted
my references. Sure enough I found
it described as "Gensui-to". This very rare type of design, based on a
Kenuki-gata Tachi worn by Fujiwara Hidesato in 940, was only presented from the
sovereign to those of Field Marshal or Admiral of the Fleet rank and only
seventeen or eighteen were believed to have ever been made. As George V held the
honoree rank of Field Marshal in the Japanese army, that he should have received
this particular design of sword, is quite understandable. It seems that all
known examples had this style of blade and all seem to be identical in their
mounts. It is also thought that Kasama Shigetsugu, the maker of the Fuhrer's
sword made a blade for a Gensui-to. My reference book (Fuller's 'Japanese
Military and Civil Swords and Dirks) thought that there were none outside of
Japan and we now know this not to be the case. It is also stated that this
design was a "1918 pattern" and that it was authorised by Imperial
decree in August 1918. The Royal Collection sword may, therefore, either be the
first one or, as suspected, the design is slightly earlier than 1918, 1906 has
been suggested. Other recipients
included Admiral Togo Heihachiro, Field Marshal Hata Shinroku, Field Marshal
Terauchi Hisaichi and Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku (posthumously). George V was in
good company, it seems!
Not all swords given
to foreigners were of such particularly high quality. I once owned a sword that
was given to a certain Lt. Pollard who had been sent to Japan as part of an Air
Force Mission to teach the Imperial Japanese Navy aerial photography in 1921/22 (incidentally, Pollard, in a Japanese plane together with IJN
personnel, is reputed at this time to have been the first to photograph Pearl
Harbour from the air!). The sword itself was a very ordinary Koto (pre 1600) but
the Shira-saya had a presentation Saya-gaki together with a photograph of the
presentation and a letter from the donors. The letter explained the significance
of the sword as the "soul of the Samurai" and was signed by some
twenty officers from the IJN. A sword was obviously a very fitting gift for
presentation to military personnel at this time.
In the same year of
1922, the British Prince of Wales, who was to become the King Edward VIII and
who would abdicate over the scandal of his affair and proposed marriage with
Mrs. Simpson, visited Japan. This visit followed the Crown Prince of Japan,
Hirohito's visit to Great Britain in the previous year where they had befriended
each other and socialised, particularly on the golf course. It was Edward's
expressed intention to finish the game of golf with Hirohito on this trip to
Japan. Whatever, he toured Japan extensively, as much as a sightseer as a Royal
visitor. One place of great interest that he visited was the naval dockyard at
Kure, near Hiroshima and a sword was presented to him on this occasion. This
sword may have been mounted when presented, as there would likely be a Saya-gaki
(brushed writing on the scabbard) if it was not and there is none. This sword is
relatively short (61 cm) and has very little curvature. The Hamon is in the Mino
style of the early Magaroku Kanemoto's, but is rather distorted towards the
point, whilst the Jihada is very tight and is best described as Nashiji (like a
pear skin) or even Muji-hada. The swordsmith, one Hiraga Morikuni, a member of
the Dai Nippon Token club and is recorded in magazines and exhibitions of the
1920’3 and 30’s and had the benefit of being a local man from Kure. The sword appears to have been commissioned by the Chairman
of a magazine called "Kure Kuron" which was based at the naval port.
The swordsmith had a unique way of inscribing the date on this sword, at least.
Rather than writing in the traditional manner, which would have been Taisho 11th
year etc., he has written it in a European fashion but in Japanese characters,
i.e. Ichi Sen Ku Hyaku Nijuni Nen etc (One
thousand, nine hundred, twenty two) using the character SEN-thousand and
HYAKU-hundred, combined with the Japanese numeric characters as shown.
The full inscription reads: -
Omote:
Kentan ,
Aki (no) Kuni Oite Kure (no) Ura
forging to donate
In Kure City of Aki Province (Hiroshima prefecture)
Hiraga
Morikuni (Kao) Tsutsushinde Tsukuru Kore
Hiraga Morikuni elaborately
forged this sword
Dai Nippon Token Kurabu
Japanese Sword Club
Ura:
Ho ? Dai Nippon Kure Gunko Koron Shacho
Presented?
Great Japan "Kure Koron" Magazine in Kure Naval Port
Eikoku Kotaishi Denka Mitsumura
Ryojiro
To the Prince of Great Britain, from Mitsumura Ryojiro, with respect.
Ichi
Sen Ku Hyaku Nijuni Nen Go Gatsu Kitchi Jitsu
1922, a lucky day in May
Nakago oshigata of the sword made by Hiraga
Morikuni and presented to the British Prince of Wales during a visit to
Hiroshima in 1922. The sword was sold in a London auction room in June 1997 for
a reasonably modest price and is now believed to be in Scandinavia.
With the rise of
militarism and the subsequent heightened interest in Japanese swords in the
Showa period, the incidence of swords being both specially ordered and given as
gifts, seems to have dramatically increased. Mostly these transactions were
between Japanese nationals. One of Kasama Shigetsugu's main pupils, and teacher
of the present day Mukansa swordsmith Ikkansai Shigehisa, was Sakai Ikkansai
Shigemasa. Shigemasa made ten Tanto for Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku who distributed
them as a personal reward to his main colleagues for their efforts in the Pearl
Harbour raid. Yamamoto’s friend, the swordsmith Endo Mitsuoki who also hailed
from Niigata prefecture, made a further Ten Tanto. These Tanto were engraved
with the "Z" signal that the famous Admiral Togo had borrowed from
Nelson, when the former crossed the "T" against the Russian navy some
forty years earlier. These Tanto were also distributed to his senior officers
who helped in the execution of the Pearl Harbour raid. I have seen two of these Tanto, as well as one of those by
Shigemasa, which are currently in an American collection. They are all
beautifully made in the Kamakura period style and are all of very fine quality.
The two Endo Mitsuoki examples each have Habaki that are engraved with the Kanji
for "Imperial Gift". Incidentally, Endo Mitsuoki also made another
fine Tanto to commemorate the death of Yamamoto and signed it as such. This,
also in an American collection, is similar in style and quality to the others
but lacks Horimono.
Both General Yamashita
and Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku owned several swords. They both were known to have
blades made by a swordsmith of the day, Amada Sadayoshi, the father of the
present day Ningen Kokuho swordsmith, Amada Akitsugu. Amada Akitsugu has made
efforts, so far unsuccessful, to reunite these swords at least on a temporary
basis, at a museum in Niigata prefecture where he and his father both worked and
lived. General Yamashita is also known to have owned a sword, currently in the
USA, by a talented swordsmith named Imai Sadashige, which bears an inscription
stating that it was made for General Yamashita and that it was an
"excellent and sharp sword" and that the swordsmith swore that
"we will defeat our enemy America wherever we go"! Another of Admiral
Yamamoto's swords, this one made by Kanenaga, is in the museum at West Point
Academy.
Because of the treaty
between Japan and Nazi Germany, mainly Japanese military personnel gave a number
of swords, to high-up German officials, both in the army and in the Nazi party.
It is known, for instance that in 1941, General Yamashita presented a blade in
Shira-saya with a Saya-gaki (writing brushed in ink on the scabbard) to
Feldmarshal Von Brauschitch (Commander in Chief of the Army in Berlin) although
no details of the blade are available. Generals Tojo and Sugiyama jointly
presented a sword to Field Marshal Keitel on the Saya of which was the
information that it was made by Yasutoki, the son of Yasutoshi, and that it was
dated Showa 15th Year (1940). Similarly,
Von Ribbentrop, the Nazi Foreign Minister was photographed holding a Japanese
sword in Shira-saya and as reported by Richard Fuller and Ron Gregory in Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks, Shin-gunto were
presented to both Feldmarshal Erwin Rommel and Riechsmarshal Herman Goring as
gifts from the Emperor of Japan. If
this is so, it is rather surprising that swords would be presented from such an
exalted person as the Emperor, to two very high ranking military personnel, in
such comparatively modest mountings. The whereabouts of both of these swords is
unknown and it is thought probable that they were looted at the cessation of
hostilities in Europe. Photographs also exist showing the German and Italian
ambassadors in Tokyo being presented with fully mounted swords as gifts for both
Hitler and Mussolini respectively. The previously mentioned Kurihara Hikosaburo,
art name - Akihide made these swords at the Nihonto Tanren Denshujo, and the
presentation took place in 1943. Toyama Mitsuru was photographed with two tachi,
made by Akihide, one of which was for presentation to Hitler and the other to
Mussolini. It is speculative whether or not, given the situation at that time,
the intended recipients ever received their gifts, certainly there is no record
of them or their whereabouts, currently available.
The swastika, the well
known Nazi symbol, was actually an ancient Buddhist symbol derived from the
Sanskrit character for "well being" and as such is over a thousand
years old. In Japan, it was widely used and incorporated in Mon (heraldic
crests) where it was known as Manji-mon. Hitler took the Manji sign and put it
in black on a white background surrounded by red, to make it into the infamous
Nazi badge. However, when adopted and adapting it, he reversed the arms of the
broken cross so that they were pointing in a clockwise direction rather, as is
usual in the Buddhist symbol, in an anti-clockwise direction.
It is, therefore, reasonably easy to see tell the
difference between the two. In 1995, at a sale in Christies, London, a sword was
offered as Lot No. 308. I had previously seen this sword in 1981 when an
American collector owned it. It had a fine 17th century Shinto period blade by
Kunikane, and was signed "Oshu Sendai Ju Fujiwara Kunikane",
supposedly being made by the 2nd generation swordsmith of that name. The
accompanying Koshirae, which was said to be 19th century, was of fine quality
and most interesting and I quote the relevant part of the catalogue description
in full: -
"the tachi mounts, roironuri
scabbard decorated with eight Buddhist swastikas (migi-manji) within a circle of
gold, the tsuba of plain black lacquer with shakudo o-seppa, all tachi-kanagu en
suite in plain shakudo thinly banded with gold, the hilt black silk wrapped with
black lacquered good quality same bearing Menuki in the form of the same manji-mon
each triple form".
The catalogue states "migi-manji",
indicating "right-manji", but I am reasonably convinced that, far
from being a 19th century mounting in pristine condition, this was a 20th
century mounting, made for presentation to a Nazi and that the swastikas are the
Nazi and not the Buddhist symbols. This was also the opinion of the American
owner who first showed me the sword back in 1981, although I am not aware if he
is the same person as the vendor in the 1995 Christies sale. Such a mounting
would have been entirely appropriate for presentation purposes.
The special
relationship and high mutual regard between the Indonesians and the Japanese
military resulted in a spectacular sword being given to Mr. Sukarno, who was to
become the first president of that country. The blade of this sword was by the
famous Meiji / Taisho period swordsmith Miyamoto Kanenori and the spectacular
Kenuki-gata Tachi style mounts were made by Miyata Nobuaki in 1943.
In the late Mr. Han Bing Siong's opinion is was probably made for
presentation to Sukarno when Indonesia was granted independence by the Japanese
military authorities, but as the Japanese surrender pre-empted this, no official
ceremony ever took place. This sword, which is now in a Dutch collection, is
well described by Mr. Han in JSS / US Newsletter Vol.29 No4. dated July-August
1997.
Kasama Ikkansai
Shigetsugu himself, is known to have made a number of blades that were specially
ordered for presentation purposes, often to people of high status in either the
government or military and in certain cases to foreign heads of state.
His research work into the scientific properties of Japanese swords with
Dr Tawara of Tokyo Imperial University, was commemorated by the gift of a
tanto to a Dr Watanabe Saburo who may have provided certain facilities or helped
in some other way. This tanto was made in the style of the Kamakura period and
is dated June 1921.
In the Meibutsu
catalogue of Token Taikai '79 (a sword event held in the USA) there are shown
two swords by Kasama Shigetsugu. The first is reasonably straightforward, having
been made on Toyama Mitsuru's estate in December 1937, but the second is a very
special order blade. This has a very long inscription, invoking no less than
three famous shrines and stating that it was made in the Bizen tradition in
February 1922, for the president of the Chuo Token Kai, Mr. Kumabe Sen. This was
undoubtedly a very important order, as the Chuo Token Kai was the most
influential Japanese sword club of the time and conducted and officiated at many
Shinsa (judging sessions or examinations) as well as later setting the standards
and sword-making styles for various groups of swordsmiths producing swords for
the Imperial Army and Navy. It certainly seems as though Shigetsugu was keen
that the president, Mr. Kumabe, should be adequately protected by the deities
and that his work was considered very worthy of being presented to such a
knowledgeable and important sword personage.
Both of the swords in this catalogue have been submitted to modern, post
war Shinsa conducted by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (Society for the
Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) where they were awarded Tokubetsu Kicho
Token status.
Finland, as well as
Germany, also enjoyed good relations with Japan and military personnel went
there to give the Japanese the benefit of the Finish experience of cold weather
fighting. Several Finnish army officers were presented with swords in
recognition of their efforts. These appear to be all the so-called "Koa
Isshin" type of modern sword. These swords, with the patriotic phrase Koa
Isshin or "Asia with one heart" were made by a variety of swordsmiths
and seem to have Manchurian (Manchuko) associations and the Finnish families of
the recipients still have them together with cleaning kits and presentation
documentation.
There is a tanto by
Kasama Shigetsugu in existence in a museum, that was made for Baron Gustaf
Mannerheim (1867-1951), a member of the Finnish Red Cross, on whose business he
traveled to Japan twice. Mannerheim later became the head of the Finnish state
during the difficult period 1944 to 1946. Marshal Mannerheim is considered
something of a folk hero in Finland, having led the Finnish army in three
separate wars with their much larger and aggressive neighbor, Russia. He was a
great statesman, writer and scholar as well as a soldier and owned many personal
weapons, although he never really collected edged weapons. In the Mannerheim
Museum in Finland, there are two Japanese swords that belonged to him, a tachi
that is reported to be of no particular significance and this tanto by Kasama
Shigetsugu. Dated as November in the 10th year of Showa (1935) the blade is in
Shirasaya with the inscription "Aradamashi" (wild or enhanced spirit -
soul) on one side and "Meisho Kasama Shigetsugu" (the Master
swordsmith Shigetsugu) on the other. The length is reported to be 22.5 cm and
the Hamon is Gunome with a Ko-maru Boshi with a Nashiji-hada.
The inscription on the
Nakago reads:
Ura: Kasama
Shigetsugu, Hori Do-saku, Showa Junen Juni Gatsu Kichi Nichi.
Omote: Zo Mannerhaimu Shogun,
Nihonjin Kadoma Tomoyoshi Morooka
The blade also has a
two character Horimono "Chu Ko" carved on the Omote side, which
represents loyalty and filial piety and a Ken (straight sword) carving on the
Ura.
This is a somewhat
unusual configuration for a signature, as the details of the swordsmith appear
on the Ura or reverse side of the blade, whilst the special order details (the
Chumon-mei) are on the Omote or front side - the opposite to what one would
normally expect of both Shigetsugu and swordsmiths in general.
Of
further interest with this tanto, is the name on the sayagaki - "Ryohei".
Uchida Ryohei was a joint founder of the Kokuryukai or Black Dragon Society with
Toyama Mitsuru. He was also, like Toyama, an avid collector of Japanese swords.
"Ryohei" is not a particularly common name in Japan and it would be
stretching coincidence to an extreme, if this was not the same man, but it is
most unusual to have just the first name and not the family name written on the
Saya. Even today, lifelong friends seldom know each other by such a familiar
manner. However, there is evidence that a well known Finnish General, K M
Wallenius, who after being dismissed from the army for attempting a coup in
1932, went to Japan as a war correspondent and met with Toyama Mitsuru. At least
this meeting provides a link between the Finnish military establishment and the
right wing secret society in Japan, and Kazuyoshi, mentioned in the inscription,
may easily have provided another.
In a similar way, in
the aggressive and militaristic atmosphere in both Germany and Japan during the
1920's and 30's, swords and daggers seem to be almost commonplace in both
countries. Certainly every group in the military seemed to have their own edged
weapons, if only a parade dirk. Further, many branches of civil life, such as
Police, Fire Brigades, Forestry officials and the like, had their own design
variations, especially of daggers. However, against the prevailing 'fashion',
Hitler is almost never seen wearing a sword or dagger, the sole exception being
when meeting with Mussolini, who had presented him with an Italian Fascist dress
dagger. However, he must have been presented with numerous other swords and
daggers over his 12 years as German head of state, probably including the Kasama
Shigetsugu "Fuhrer's sword".
The "Fuhrer's
Sword" is described in detail elsewhere in these essays, but the
circumstances of it being ordered by Matsubara Hiroshi provide interesting areas
for speculation. Professor Matsubara was considered to be a rather important
person and influential in creating the Art Faculty at Nihon Daigaku (The
University of Japan). So much so that the University produced a 700-page book
all about him on the 50th anniversary of its foundation. Part of this book is
also devoted to Prof. Matsubara's love of Japanese swords. He is known to have
traveled to Europe and spent most of his time there, in Germany, particularly at
Heidleberg University. Hitler had long considered himself to be a talented
artist and it is quite conceivable that at this time he and Matsubara met.
Indeed, they may have even talked about the art of their respective countries,
in which case Matsubara would undoubtedly have brought up the subject of
Japanese swords. On his return to Japan, Matsubara may well have thought that
the "Fuhrer's Sword", being the epitome of Japanese art, made by the
most gifted artist of the day, was indeed not only a worthy gift, but would have
been appreciated by the artist in Hitler. Of course, this is only a theory based
on circumstantial evidence and further research is needed to verify the facts.
Baron Gustaf Mannerheim in 1942 and the Shigetsugu tanto, dated Showa 10th
Year a lucky day in December (1935) with which he was earlier presented.
It is very rare indeed
to have a sword made for a foreign dignitary with his name inscribed on the
Nakago, as in both the Mannerheim tanto and the "Fuhrer's Sword".
Coincidentally, Hitler and General Mannerheim knew each other and Hitler is
known to have attended Mannerheim's 75th birthday celebrations in Finland in
June 1942. This is the only time Hitler is known to have visited an unoccupied
country outside Germany. Could it be that they compared or discussed their
Kasama Shigetsugu blades at this time?
These are the only
swords that I know of, inscribed in this manner and presented to heads of state
of foreign countries. It is a matter of record, however, that when Japan was in
contact with other nations, before and after the seclusion laws of the Tokugawa
government, gifts were exchanged. In 1614, the East India Company trader Captain
John Saris transported a magnificent suit of armour from Japan to the court of
King James 1st of England. This armour, by Iwai Yozaemon, together with another
was a gift from the governor of Edo, son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Some 250 years
later, at the end of the Tokugawa rule, another Yoroi (Great Armour) was sent to
Queen Victoria by the Shogun and is now in the care of the Victoria and Albert
Museum (see Armour article for illustration). Also in 1860, a sword attributed
to Kanemoto with a shortened Nakago inscribed "Noshu Seki....." and a
formal style Koshirae was presented as a gift to Queen Victoria by the Shogun
Iyemochi and probably accompanied the armour. During the 1930's a beautifully
made copy of an ancient styled armour was made for the Japanese government by
Myochin Muneyoshi and presented to the puppet Emperor of Manchuko, Li Pu who was
also given a sword, the Koshirae of which was made by the contemporary artist
Miyata Nobuaki. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of these pieces is not currently
known.
A great many swords
were presented to the victorious Allied forces over the period August 1945 to
about June 1946. These were conducted at formal ceremonies and as it could be
said that there was a degree of coercion, they do not really fall into the scope
of the subject currently under discussion. However, I would like to mention two
swords that disappeared during the occupation of Japan between 1945 and 1953. As
both of these swords belonged to very high-ranking military personnel and have a
link with the present day.
In December 1941, the
Japanese 25th Army invaded the Malaya peninsula and by 15th February 1942, with
an enormous numerical disadvantage, they had captured the island fortress of
Singapore. Describing this defeat, Winston Churchill said that the fall of
Singapore was "the greatest disaster to British arms which our history
records". The commander of the
Japanese forces was Yamashita Tomoku (1888-1946) - the
"Tiger of Malaya". Later, after putting up stiff resistance to
the Allies in the Philippines, he was finally tried and executed as a war
criminal in 1946.
As mentioned earlier,
General Yamashita owned a sword with a blade by Amada Sadayoshi, a contemporary
swordsmith who died in 1937 at the age 38 and was the father of the present day
Ningen Kokuho (Living National Treasure) swordsmith, Amada Akitsugu. I have met
Amada Akitsugu and visited his house and forge in Niigata prefecture and I also
have a Ko-gatana made by him. He is both a highly talented swordsmith and a very
fine gentleman.
Akitsugu's father,
Amada Sadayoshi, also made two blades for Japan's most respected admiral,
Yamamoto Isoroku (1884-1943), the brilliant strategist and architect of the
Pearl Harbour raid. The two swords were a Kaga-uichi and one with a Suguha
Hamon. The Kaga-uichi's whereabouts is known but the whereabouts of the Suguha
blade, which was made at exactly the same time and has the same inscription as
that on the other one ECHIGO (NO) KUNI AMADA SADAYOSHI and dated SHOWA JUNEN SAN
GATSU - March 1935) is unknown. This
Chu-suguha sword was eventually returned to the Yamamoto family after the
Admiral's death in 1943, when he was ambushed and his plane shot down over the
Solomon Islands by American P-38 Lightning fighter planes.
It is reported that when his body was recovered, the Admiral had died
with this sword in his hands. The family reports that there were two bullet
marks in the Saya and one in the Tsuka. During the occupation of Japan, the
authorities confiscated the sword and we believe that later it was taken to the
US, where it remains to this day.
The present
generation, Amada Akitsugu, together with a museum in his own prefecture, would
dearly like to bring these two swords made by his father, together, if only on a
temporary basis. They also plan a special exhibition, a kind of "welcome
home" party if this can possibly be accomplished.
I would emphasise that these swords do not necessarily need to be
returned to Japan on any kind of permanent basis, but it is very important to
know that they are being well cared for and appreciated, wherever they may be.
However, as they are of historic importance and by a talented local smith, such
an exhibition would be a great event.
Should any collector
know anything about these swords, I would greatly appreciate any information,
which will be held in the strictest confidence.
Many examples of
swords surrendered are discussed extensively and very well in Fuller and
Gregory's books on Japanese military swords.
Whilst not a sword
gift, there is an original painting in the collection of Chiddingstone Castle in
Kent (where amongst other things there is a collection of Japanese swords and
armour) of an armour maker. This was a gift from the Showa emperor, Hirohito, to
the king of Siam but I am unaware who the artist is. The king died in Woking (a
few miles from Chiddingstone Castle) during World War 2 (see Armour article for
this picture)
Finally I would like
to bring your attention to one of only two swords of which I am aware, that
carries a foreigner's name inscribed on the Nakago, that is written in Romanji
(A, B, C, D etc.). This sword was made for an Iai-do student and is what these
people call a Shinken (true sword). Such swords are generally modern hand made
swords that are usually made by amateur swordsmiths. They vary greatly in
quality and are always either fully mounted or accompanied by Koshirae. This
particular sword is of better than the average quality and resembles Osaka
Shinto work, with a wide Notare-midare Hamon in large coarse Nie, but the Jihada
is a tight Ko-itame, almost Muji-hada. This sword was made in Kyushu for the
Iai-do student in 1983. On the Omote it has the swordsmith's signature
(Echizen Ju Muneshige Saku) and date, whilst on the Ura is the name of
the owner in large capital Romanji letters - RAYMOND RICHARDS san. Fujiwara
Toshimitsu made another for Dr Walter Compton in 1960.
Revised and amended
for this website with additional illustrations, May 08
Clive Sinclaire
Bexley, Kent, UK