Description

It has been discovered that this tanto is a historically significant commemorative piece. It was commissioned from Koyama Munetsugu by Iwakura Tomotsune—the third son of Iwakura Tomosada (Governor-General of the Tosando Pacification Command), who was the second son of Iwakura Tomomi (famous from the Taiga drama "Segodon")—and presented in Meiji Kogo (Meiji 3 / 1870, 148 years ago) to Iwamura Takatoshi, a samurai of the Tosa Clan and military inspector of the Pacification Command, as a reward for his great achievements during the Boshin War. On May 2nd, Keio 4, the 24-year-old Iwamura Takatoshi met with the 42-year-old Kawai Tsugunosuke (the Karo of the Nagaoka Clan known as the "Dragon of Echigo") at Jigen-ji Temple in Ojiya. During this mere 30-minute meeting, Iwamura rejected Kawai’s plea for the Nagaoka Clan’s armed neutrality, which triggered the outbreak of the Hokuetsu War. Because this led to many casualties for the Western Army, Iwamura Takatoshi earned a poor reputation in later years through the novels of Shiba Ryotaro. However, from the perspective of the Meiji Government, this tanto serves as historical evidence proving he was a leading figure who helped establish the Meiji Government all at once through the Boshin War. Iwamura Takatoshi later became the Governor of Saga Prefecture and suppressed the Saga Rebellion; while Governor of Ehime Prefecture, he founded Matsuyama Middle School, and eventually rose to become a member of the House of Peers and a Baron. This tanto is a precious piece that overturns history by proving Iwamura Takatoshi was not a mediocre youth deserving of posthumous ill repute, but a man of great merit in the eyes of the Meiji Government. This tanto was crafted by Koyama Munetsugu, the foremost smith of the Bizen-den tradition during the Shinshinto period. The sugata presents an elegant tanto form with no sori. The jigane is a finely packed ko-itame hada mixed with ko-mokume; while there are some scattered spots of sumigomori (carbon pockets) near the kissaki due to age, they do not diminish the historical value. The hamon is a magnificent work, very rare for Munetsugu, starting with o-notare at the moto and transitioning into six gunome toward the point. It is said that it previously held Tokubetsu Hozon Token certificates, but they have been lost and are currently unavailable; however, there is no doubt as to its shoshin status. Please enjoy this precious tanto by Koyama Munetsugu that speaks of a changing history.