VOL.199 JANUARY 2025
[NEW YEAR'S ISSUE 2025] CELEBRATING A BRIGHT NEW YEAR IN JAPAN
[The Beauty of Japanese Swords] Short sword signed Yoshimitsu (celebrated Atsushi Toushirō)
National Treasure: Short sword signed Yoshimitsu (celebrated Atsushi Toushirō) (Blade length 27.6 cm)
Photo: ColBase
The National Treasure “Short sword signed Yoshimitsu (celebrated Atsushi Toushirō)” is a 13th-century work by the swordsmith Awataguchi Yoshimitsu, who was active in Kyoto during the Kamakura period*.
Awataguchi Yoshimitsu belonged to the Awataguchi School, a group of swordsmiths who worked in Kyoto from the late Heian period** to the middle of the Kamakura period.
“Yoshimitsu, commonly known as Tôshirô, was […] An expert craftsman, he is known for his short blades (J. tantô). This particular example has been famous since the Muromachi period (1392-1573). While the overall dimensions of the piece are quite small, the blade is unusually thick; hence the name the “Thick (J. Atsushi) Tôshirô.” The metal finish and tempering pattern are both of outstanding workmanship.”***
“This blade was handed down through the house of Ashikaga Shoguns. It then passed through the hands of such notable figures as […] Toyotomi Hideyoshi,”*** before eventually being handed down to the Tokugawa shogunate****. It is currently housed at the Tokyo National Museum.
* The Kamakura period refers to the period from the late 12th century, with various theories regarding the start date (such as 1185 or 1192), to 1333.
** From 794 to the late 12th century (Until the beginning of the Kamakura period, as stated in *)
*** Quoted from e-National Treasures:
**** Tokugawa Shogunate: The samurai-led Tokugawa regime, established by the Tokugawa family, held the position of shogun, the supreme military ruler of Japan, from the early 17th century to the mid-late 19th century, for a period of over 260 years, during the Edo period.
<<About Terminology used in the quoted passages>>
- J. : Abbreviation for “Japanese”
- Please note that the English spelling of Toushiro is as per the source.
- Blade: The part of the sword that fits into the scabbard.
- Metal finish (jigane): Japanese swords are forged by repeatedly folding and hammering the raw material, tamahagane (high-quality steel made from iron sand), to enhance its toughness and strength. This process is known as folding and forging. As a result, patterns appear on the surface of the blade, called jihada. The steel itself, with its distinctive texture, is referred to as jigane.
- Tempering pattern (hamon): A white, wave-like pattern that appears on the blade of a Japanese sword. It is created during the quenching process, one of the steps in sword-making, where the steel is rapidly cooled from a high temperature to harden it.
- (About the Muromachi period)There are various theories about the beginning and end of the Muromachi period, so some caution is required.
- Ashikaga Shoguns: A family lineage that held the position of shogun, the supreme military ruler of Japan, from the first half of the 14th century to the late 16th century, a period of approximately 240 years.
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi: Born in 1536 or 1537 and believed to have died in 1598, Hideyoshi was a military leader who achieved the unification of Japan during the Sengoku period, a time of civil war and regional division.
Photo: ColBase
