二つの朝廷が争った六十年、刀身は長大化し、長船がその需要に応えた。兼光と長義の工房は実際に戦う国人層の武士に仕え、軍勢とともに相州風が届いて相伝備前が生まれた。
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchSummary This blade is attributed to Omiya (大宮), a prestigious school that was especially active during the mid-late Nanbokucho period (mid-late 14th century). Omiya school was one of the many branches of Osafune school (headquarters). The swordsmiths who belonged to this school resided in Omiya village in today’s Okayama prefecture. It is said that Omiya school was founded by Kunimori (国盛) during the late Kamakura period. According to one theory, Kunimori was originally from Yamashiro province(today’s Kyoto) and moved to Omiya village in Bizen province. Omiya school was active at the same time as Kanemitsu school, one of the most famous branches among Osafune schools. Kanetmisu invented the unique Japanese sword-forging technique called Soden Bizen, which is a combination of SOSHU Den and BIZEN DEN. And the swordsmiths who belonged to Omiya school also mastered this technique. The swords forged in Soden Bizen were very popular among Samurai back then. Other famous figures who were from Omiya school are Morikage, Moritsugu, and Morishige. It was common to have Mori (盛) letters in their maker’s names. This History of Bizen Osafune School It is said that Osafune school was founded by Mitsutada (光忠), who was active during the mid-Kamakura period. Bizen Osafune school was the biggest one of all other schools in Bizen province, and they received many orders from feudal lords or renowned Samurai. They were called Osafunemono and beloved by Samurai warriors. Among the swordsmiths who belonged to this school, Nagamitsu, Sanenaga, and Kagemitsu are known as Osafune Sansaku, the three renowned Osafune swordsmiths. There are also four other prominent swordsmiths who were from Bizen Osafune school. They are called Osafune Shiten-no, the four masters of Osafune school. Their names are Nagamitsu, Kanemitsu, Nagayoshi, and Motoshige. BIZEN is located near the Chugoku Mountains, where iron sands, one of the essential materials for making Japanese swords, were abundant. Furthermore, BIZEN swordsmiths had close access to Yoshi River, where they could find water and charcoal. This geological location contributed to the swordsmiths forging high-quality refined blades. We presume BIZEN was quite active in sword-forging from ancient times. It is said that BIZEN DEN was created by groups of swordsmiths there during the late Heian era (Late 12th century ). These ancient swordsmiths in Bizen province are called Ko-Bizen (Old Bizen) swordsmiths. By inheriting the sword forging techniques from Ko-Bizen swordsmiths, the Bizen Osafune school flourished from the mid-Kamakura period. This blade is appraised as a Hozon Touken (保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai: 日本美術刀剣保存協会). *Please keep in mind that there are a couple of Kitae Kizu on this blade. Fuchi-Kashira At first glance, you might feel that this Fuchi Kashira’s design seems to be the scales of some animal. If we look at this part alone, it is challenging to judge what kind of scale it is. However, we can make predictions if we look at the other decorations on this Koshirae. Parts such as the Menuki and scabbard, which will be described later, have dragon designs. From this, the scale pattern on this Fuchi Kashira probably represents the scales of a dragon. Initially, the dragon was an imaginary creature found in ancient foreign traditions and myths. Furthermore, it is regarded as a symbolic beast of auspicious signs. Its body is likened to nine animals: antlers are deer, the head is a camel, eyes are demons, the neck is a snake, the belly is Mizuchi (蛟, a mythical animal in Japan that looks like a snake and has a horn and four legs), scales are fish, claws are falcons, palms are tigers, and ears are cows. It was thought that the dragon would reign at the top of all animals because of its odd-looking appearance. Tsuka and Menuki As mentioned above, this Menuki’s motif is the dragon. You would find the figure of a dragon on each side of the handle. In this picture, if you focus on the upper side dragon’s hand, you will find that this dragon brings a ball-shaped object in its hand. It is the Nyoi Houju (如意宝珠, Cintāmaṇi), a fantasy jewel that fulfills any desire and gives out treasure, clothes, food, and drinks. Moreover, it heals illness and suffering, removes evils, purifies muddy water, and prevents disasters. It is said this magical item is taken from the brain of the dragon king. Tsuba and Habaki This circle-shaped Tsuba has Kozuka and Kougai holes. Some kinds of leaves are engraved with an openwork. Although this Tsuba does not have gold and silver ornate decorations, it has the antique color of aged iron. In addition, the lively movements of the leaves are arranged in a well-balanced manner. This Tsuba looks simple, so it harmonizes well with the gorgeousness of other sword mountings and finishes the overall atmosphere elegantly. Saya This scabbard has a pretty decorative appearance. It depicts a majestic dragon flying above the water’s surface, with clouds floating around it. These motifs are probably designed with the Makie (蒔絵) technique. It is a typical Japanese lacquer art technique developed uniquely in Japan for about 1200 years. Firstly, it needs to draw a picture with lacquer on the surface with a thin brush. Next, sprinkle the gold powder from above to show the pattern before the lacquer hardens. This technique makes a gorgeous and elegant look to works, as seen on this scabbard. In Japan, there is a belief that worships dragons as water gods. Since rice cultivation has flourished in this country, people always treat water as an essential resource. We estimate such a religious idea might have been related to the popularity of dragon motifs. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on March 2nd in the 4th year of Reiwa (2022). They appraised it as Hozon Touken, the blade worth preserving for Japanese society.
販売店の記載のまま
備前伝 · 備前
現在6点販売中
大宮派は、備前国長船の地に働きながら、その出自を京都山城に持つ点において他の備前鍛冶と趣を異にする一派である。説明書はこの一門を、もと山城国猪熊大宮の住人であった遠祖国盛に遡らせ、これが鎌倉時代の文応の頃に備前へ移り住んだと伝える。すなわち京の大宮の血が備前の地に根を下ろし、山城の精美な地鉄と備前の華やかな丁子乱れとを併せ呑んだところに、この一派の本質がある。初期の国盛・助盛の作は稀有で、一門が最も栄えるのは南北朝時代に入ってからであり、応安・貞治・永和・嘉慶の各年にわたり「備州長船盛景」などと長銘を切った盛景がその中心に立つ。説明書は「南北朝時代の同派中では盛景が最も作品が多く上手でもある」[[c:1]]と端的に記し、盛重がこれに続いて南北朝から室町へと一派を伝えた。 この一派を貫く手は、長船本流の丁子そのものではなく、山城の地を帯びた相伝備前の刃である。地鉄は肌立ちごころの板目に杢を交え、処々肌の開いた地に地沸細かにつき、地景入り地斑を交えて、その上に備前の乱れ映りが在銘無銘いずれにも立つ。地刃ともに沸の強い点が、本派における相伝備前の証と判ぜられる。刃文は小のたれを基とし、これに互の目、角ばる刃、尖りごころの刃を交え、足・葉よく入り、匂を主調に小沸つき、刃中に細かく砂流し・金筋がかかる。匂口は同時代長船一流の明るく華やかな刃に対して、やや沈みごころに傾くところに一派の気質があらわれる。なかでも尖りごころの刃は作域を越えて繰り返し現れ、長船本流の丁子主調と大宮の手とを分かつ静かな看どころとなる。作域は広く、のたれを主調とするもの、丁子や互の目の交じる華やかな乱れ刃、角互の目を主調とするもの、さらに青江風の直刃にまで及び、説明書は永和二年紀の盛景の太刀を「正に青江や雲類を想わせる直刃の作柄」[[c:2]]と評してその多彩を示す。帽子は乱れ込んで尖りごころまたは小丸に返り掃きかけ、彫物は棒樋から二筋樋、最上手の梵字・三鈷剣に及ぶ。盛重に至っては大宮派の特色が薄れ、末備前の長船と異ならぬ作も見え、これは一派が次第に長船派へ併呑されていったことを示すと読まれている。 鑑定の勘所は、まず鮮明な乱れ映りで一門を備前と読み、次に長船嫡流との別を分かつことにある。明るい乱れ映りと沈みごころに丁子を交えた刃は、より広くおおどかな兼光の刃から本派を分かち、その近さの一方で長義一派の箱がかった大乱れとも異にする。とはいえ長義との近接は確かで、ある特別重要刀剣の刀の説明書は大宮派が兼光や長義に隠れがちであることを述べたうえで「作風は長義に似て並ぶ程である」[[c:3]]と記し、薙刀直しののたれが兼光ほどおおどかにならず裾野短く頭やや角ばる点をもって盛景の手を明示するとする。主要工の格は盛景を筆頭とし、藤代はこれを上々作に位置づけ、現存に最も時代の溯る鎌倉末期の在銘太刀は同名作と地刃を異にして資料的に頗る貴重とされる。なお近年、作風および逆鏨に切る銘字の共通性より、長銘の盛景はむしろ近景・義景に連なる長船傍系の工で、二字に太鏨大振りに銘を切る鍛冶こそが真の大宮鍛冶ではないかとする説が説明書に記され、一派の名そのものがなお研究に委ねられている。伝来は大名家のそれで、肥前鍋島家、上杉家、伊達家、松山藩久松松平家などに伝わり、一口は本間による御物台帳に所載される。在銘年紀の大宮盛景が世に出ることは時折に限られるが、現れればそれは、京の大宮の精美を備前の地に移し、相伝備前の第一線に身を置いたこの一派の手を、確かに伝える証である。 詳しく見る →
南北朝時代の備前
二つの朝廷が争った六十年、刀身は長大化し、長船がその需要に応えた。兼光と長義の工房は実際に戦う国人層の武士に仕え、軍勢とともに相州風が届いて相伝備前が生まれた。
銘が正しい、または無銘でも年代・国・系統を確実に指摘できる、保存に値する真正の作と鑑定されたものです。
日本美術刀剣保存協会（NBTHK）は、1948年に設立され、文化庁の監督を受ける公益財団法人で、東京・刀剣博物館に本部を置きます。専門の審査員が出品作を直接審査し、美術的・歴史的価値に応じた鑑定書を発行します。NBTHKの鑑定書は、日本刀および刀装具の真正性を示す最も広く認知された基準です。
NBTHK公式サイトReturns/exchanges limited to defects caused by shipping (except willful misconduct or gross negligence by the company); customers must contact within 72 hours of receiving the product.