Construction methods of Japanese swords
This article will describe several methods by which the Japanese joined higher and lower carbon steels into their blades.Masamune sword menuki
NBTHK Hozon. Charming menuki in the form of a sword, signed "Masamune" and a tachi scabbard.Echizen Kanenori tachi
A fine, Circa 400-year-old blade in 19th-century tachi mountings.Japanese battle flag
Resist-dyed cotton in white and indigo, with three fans mon.Yasuchika elephant tsuba
A 19th-century copy of an important cultural art object.Hawk and pine tsuba
Carved out of copper alloy with details highlighted in gold.Early tsuba with alphabet
Curious early tsuba with the beginning of the Western alphabet inscribed into it.Fine pierced nanban tsuba
Very delicate work with carved guardian lions.Hirado Kunishige tsuba
Of a copper alloy with a different shade on each side.Small Chinese saber guard
Of pierced iron, elaborately cut with lotus petal border.Iron nanban ship tsuba
Pierced and chiseled showing an 18th century European vessel.Hirado Kunishige fuchi
One of his classic designs, signed by the maker.Sawasa smallsword pommel
Upgraded with filigree to resemble a snuff bottle.Unusual nanban tsuba
Very finely carved with designs reminiscent of export wares.Japanese lacquered sword stand
With scenes of pine trees and three drawers.62 plate kabuto with maedate
Each plate with raised rib, the visor embossed with simulated eyebrows.Shimazu mon daishō
A pair of daishō with blades forged by the Takada smiths of Bungo in the north of Kyūshū.Mino-bori (美濃彫)
Language: Japanese
Source: Michitatsu's Sōken Kishō of 1781
Mother of pearl inlaid katana kake
In black and gold urushi lacquer, with fine mother-of-pearl inlays with aquatic landscapes on both sides.Mino Mitsunaka (美濃光仲)
A Japanese sword fittings artist who worked in the Mino-bori style.Fine Sōshū tantō
A fine tantō forged in the Sōshū tradition with Hon'Ami Koson sayagaki.Muramasa masterpiece tantō
A masterpiece by the "cursed" smith, active in the early 16th century.Nagasaki
Japanese port city, the designated area of trade with Europe in the 17th and 18th centuriesAinu dagger
Called kuttom-ushbe in the local language. This one mounted in deer antler mounts.Miniature Ainu makiri
Despite its size it is of remarkably fine workmanship.Early Edo samurai armor
Very heavy armor, made for business.The Curse of Muramasa, a historical overview
Swords by early 1500s maker Muramasa were considered cursed. In this article, I will explore the facts around these myths.Archaic Chinese shortsword
Probably of Chinese origin, resembling some of the earliest Japanese swords in existence.Jūmonji yari (十文字槍)
Japanese word for a cross shaped spearNakago (茎 / 中心)
Japanese word for the tang of a swordEchizen Kanesada in striking koshirae
Blade with fine dragon horimono. The mounts signed Sōmin and Masatatsu.Fine autumn themed daishō
Both blades signed, its koshirae fine maki-e lacquer work. Ito school tsuba and Mino Gotō style mounts.Jumonji yari by Kanabō Masazane
Made in the 16th century, for the warrior monks of the Hozo-in temple in Nara.Hachiwari (鉢割)
Language: Japanese
Origin: Old literature