Precious Sword Discovered in Ceiling at Kasuga Taisha Restored
An important 12th century Japanese sword that was discovered hidden in the ceiling in 1939 during refurbishment of the treasure house at Kasuga Taisha will be put on display.
The sword appears to be in very good condition with little evidence of use and close to its original condition. It has been repolished and after appraisal it has been attributed to the Ko-Hoki School. The accompanying Kuro-urushi- yamagane (black lacquered mountain iron) tachi mountings are thought to date to the 14th C. It is thought that the sword was dedicated to the shrine sometime between the Nanbokucho (1332-1396) and the early Muromachi (1396-1578) periods.
The blade is unsigned, but as it bears a close resemblance to a famous sword in Tokyo National Museum known as the Doji-giri by the Ko-hoki master smith Yasutsuna, it is thought that it could be his work. The Doji-giri is known historically as one of the Five Greatest Swords Under Heaven. Mr. Motoki Sakai of Tokyo Nation Museum said that the sword discovered at Kasuga Taisha, “is a very important example of work of the period in excellent condition”. Kasuga Taisha Shinto priest, Mr. Hirotada Kasan-no-in, said that “It was amazing, like finding a time capsule”. He went on to say that he thought that “the sword was probably donated to the shrine by a someone wishing for divine protection by the residing deity”. The sword and mountings were designated as an Important Art Object by the Agency of Cultural Affairs.
The sword was sent to Living National Treasure polisher, Koshu Hon’ami, for the blade to be restored to its original splendour. The Hon’ami family are said to have been sword polishers and appraisers since as far back as the Kamakura period, and were in the employ of the Shogunate in the Edo period. They also issued appraisal certificates and valuations for important swords, as well as compiling various sword compendiums.
Hoki province is the archaic name for the modern Tottori prefecture in western Japan. The Ko-Hoki school are thought to be one of the earliest schools of curved sword makers in Japan. Originally, between the 3rd to 6th centuries straight swords were mainly imported from the Asian continent. During that period onwards, straight swords of continental asian shapes were also produced in Japan. Later, around the mid 10th century, the Japanese put the curve into the sword making it uniquely Japanese.
Swords are often dedicated to shrines across Japan as offerings to, or as vessels in which for the patron deity to reside. The sword itself can then be worshipped as an incarnation of that deity. The practice of donating swords to shrines was very common in the Nanbokucho and Muromachi periods when many 11th and 12th century period swords housed in Hyogo-gusari Koshirae (robust metal covered mountings with chain suspension fittings, that were popular with the warriors of the Kamakura period) were dedicated to various shrines.
The sword is in its original intended length, unsigned, with a cutting edge length of 82.4 cm, a curvature of 3 cm and a blade width at the base of 3.3 cm.
It will be on display at the Kasuga Taisha Treasure House, in Nara, at the 1250th anniversary of the construction shrine exhibition entitled, Legendary Sword Masterpieces, from Jan 30, to March 26, 2018.
Photos by Yukia Watanabe, the Sankei Shimbun Photographer
Paul Martin is a former British Museum curator, Japanese Sword Specialist and a Trustee of the Nihonto Bunka Shinko Kyokai (NBSK). He is also an appointed Bunka Meister (Master of Culture: Japanese Swords) by the Japonisme Shinko Kai (Honganji).
(Click here to read the article in Japanese.)
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