Japanese

A fine wakizashi, mounted in all original Edo koshirae including a 17th century Higo School iron tsuba, with a distinct Kanshiro influence, carved with three tekebori circles representing coiled rope, and under the original Edo black tsuka-ito, wrapped over traditional samegawa {giant rayskin} are a pair of menuki, representing gold feathers. Carved buffalo horn kashira and a superb Edo shakudo and gold fuchi with takebori Shi-shi {lion dogs} and billowing clouds over a fine nanako ground of shakudo. A good Edo kozuka (utility side knife) of a takebori dragon, in iron, Higo school

A good early 500 year old blade, with, as to be expected, natural age surface wear, and light elements of the usual surface thinning prevalent with ancient blades, with an undulating notare gunome hamon and a fine patinated shakudo habaki.

The saya is stunning highest quality pine-needle urushi lacquer with buffalo horn fittings {kurigata}
The saya is created with a base of black lacquer, applied with a highly complex decorative design pattern of fallen pine needles, laid upon the black urushi lacquer, in a seemingly random pattern. But, in reality each pine needle was strategically placed upon them, when creating the decorative finish, with a tweezer type instrument, and just a single needle, just one at a time, in order to give the impression they fell naturally upon the ground from a pine tree above.
The surface was then lacquered, with many coats, in clear, transparent urushi lacquer, in order to create a uniform smooth surface, in the Edo period it would take anything around a year or more to create a samurai sword saya, as the urushi lacquer coating would be anything up to 12 coats deep, and each would take a month to dry as they were made using on natural materials, not modern quick drying synthetic cellulose lacquers as used today.

The first-generation Kanshirō was the younger brother of a Shinto priest serving at the inner and outer shrines in Futamata village, Tango Province. During the Hosokawa family’s time in Buzen Kokura, he became a disciple of Hirata Hikozō. When the Hosokawa clan was transferred to Kumamoto, he accompanied Hosokawa Sansai and settled in Yatsushiro, Higo Province. After Sansai’s death, he moved to Kumamoto, where he received a stipend of twelve persons’ allowance from the Hosokawa family.
Born in Keichō 18 (1613), he died in Genroku 6 (1693) at the age of eighty-one. All of his works are unsigned, and he produced tsuba and fuchigashira using both iron and soft-metal alloys.
This tsuba represents one aspect of the first-generation Kanshirō’s style, employing a design in the manner of Hikozō. The hitsu-ana on one side is shaped in the suhama form, further revealing the influence of Hikozō.

It has been over one thousand years ago that the art of making swords appeared in Japan. The swordsmiths of the time may not have known it but they were creating a legendary sword. The Samurai sword has seen combat in many battlefields. From the early days of the Samurai warrior to the fierce battles in the South Pacific during WWII.

From the earliest days hand-made traditional the Samurai sword was unique because it was forged using the finest skills known to man. A tremendous amount of work was dedicated to creating these pieces. They were an instrument of war as much as a beautiful artifact to adorn any decor.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, Victor Harris {the most eminent sword expert in Europe, and sword curator of the British Museum} and his same words that are repeated in his book, see below;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

For those that have interest in original Japanese swords, to acquire one of our original historic samurai swords is a perfect way to have a superbly made original hand made sword, ancient or antique, that it mounted in original Japanese fittings of the early samurai form of katana.

Compared to a modern day, original blade made today in Japan; Authentic, currently, modern hand-made nihonto (Japanese sword blades) from licensed swordsmiths in Japan today, typically start around $10,000–$25,000 for a katana, with prices often exceeding $60,000 for renowned top-tier sword masters or customized commissions.
These blades, forged from tamahagane steel, require 12+ months to create due to strict legal limits on production, with some high-end, custom pieces from master smiths such as Yoshindo Yoshihara exceeding $10,000 for smaller tanto blades.
A brand new, katana blade from a reputable but lower ranked smith usually starts around $7,500–$10,000.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery

Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock art print of Hokusai Shoki Riding A Shishi Lion

blade 16.75 in.,  read more

Code: 26270

4695.00 GBP

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A super antique samurai's combat pole arm blade with a three sided bo hi blade in the form of an Isosceles triangle with a very sharp point and two sharp edges on a sockle, in beautiful polish, with narrow suguha hamon, and its very long, signed, full, tang

Ideal for use by samurai both on foot and horseback, with armour piercing blade.

Yari is the Japanese term for a spear, but technically it is actually a lance, or more specifically, the straight-headed lance.

Red Painting (Lacquer): Historically, the deep recessed grooves of Bo-hi on a Yari were often lacquered in bright red (shu-urushi). This prevented rust in areas that were hard to clean and provided a striking, aggressive visual accent on the battlefield.

The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu. A yari can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (3.3 to 20 feet). The longer versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter yari , up to around 8 feet long, such as this example. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century.
The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare.
The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods. Around later half of sixteenth century, ashigaru holding pikes (naga yari) with length of 4.5 to 6.5 m (15 to 22 feet) or sometimes 10 m became main forces in armies. They formed lines, combined with harquebusiers and short spearmen. Pikemen formed two or three row of line, and were forced to move up and down their pikes in unison under the command.Yari overtook the popularity of the daikyu for the samurai, and foot troops (ashigaru) used them extensively as well
Various types of yari points or blades existed. The most common blade was a straight, flat, design that resembles a straight-bladed double edged dagger. This type of blade could cut as well as stab and was sharpened like a razor edge. Though yari is a catchall for spear, it is usually distinguished between kama yari, which have additional horizontal blades, and simple su yari (choku-so) or straight spears. Yari can also be distinguished by the types of blade cross section: The triangular sections were called sankaku yari and hira sankuku, the latter for Isosceles of two equal sides as opposed to three.

It was formerly part of the collection of sensei Roald Knutsen, likely the worlds foremost expert and author on samurai polarms and their use in combat, with various pieces acquired with, or from, Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at The Tower Of London The Japanese armour exhibition in 1965, which featured samurai artefacts arranged to demonstrate evolving defensive technologies and cultural contexts, drawing thousands of visitors to the Tower.

He was a British military armourer and historian.He served in the RAF during the Second World War making models interpreting aerial photographs. This was when he met Sir James Mann, Master of the Armouries at the Tower of London. Robinson joined the staff of the Tower Armouries in 1946 as a Temporary Assistant, before rising to Assistant Keeper and finally, in 1970, Keeper of Armour.

Robinson was a founder member and president of the Arms and Armour Society. In 1965, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. In 1977, he was awarded an honorary MA by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Between 1967 and 1969, he (a practical armourer) worked with Charles Daniels to interpret and reconstruct the Roman armour nowadays known as 'lorica segmentata'. He produced a series of reconstructions of the two sub-types of armour from the Roman site at Corbridge and one from Newstead in time for them to be exhibited at the 1969 Congress of Roman Frontier Studies held in Cardiff.

His work on the armour featured in one of his best-known books, The Armour of Imperial Rome. Published in 1975 by Lionel Leventhal at the Arms and Armour Press, it included line illustrations by his friend, Peter Connolly. Robinson's system of categorizing Roman helmets has been widely adopted in the UK and USA but never really found favour in Europe.

Robinson was not only known for Roman armour, since he worked on an exhibition of Japanese armour at the Tower Armouries and subsequently wrote two books on the subject. He was also an authority on Native American artefacts and was responsible for the production of the replica of the revised reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo helmet and wrote a guide to the Stibbert Museum.

Blade length 7.4 inches, overall 21 inches long  read more

Code: 26269

1795.00 GBP

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A super antique samurai's combat pole arm blade Hira Sankaku Yari with a three sided bo hi blade in the form of an Isosceles triangle with a very sharp point and two sharp edges on a sockle, in beautiful polish, with narrow suguha hamon, and its very long, signed, full, extra length tang especially designed as a samurai horseman's yari, for additional strength, and to stop a sword from cutting through its haft. With three mounting ana {peg holes}

Ideal for use by samurai both on foot and horseback, but especially effective as a horseman's yari, with armour piercing blade.

Yari is the Japanese term for a spear, but technically it is actually a lance, or more specifically, the straight-headed lance.

Red Painting (Lacquer): Historically, the deep recessed grooves of Bo-hi and Triple-hi on a Yari were often lacquered in bright red (shu-urushi). This prevented rust in areas that were hard to clean and provided a striking, aggressive visual accent on the battlefield.

The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu. A yari can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (3.3 to 20 feet). The longer versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter yari , up to around 8 feet long, such as this example. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century.
The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare.
The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods. Around later half of sixteenth century, ashigaru holding pikes (naga yari) with length of 4.5 to 6.5 m (15 to 22 feet) or sometimes 10 m became main forces in armies. They formed lines, combined with harquebusiers and short spearmen. Pikemen formed two or three row of line, and were forced to move up and down their pikes in unison under the command.Yari overtook the popularity of the daikyu for the samurai, and foot troops (ashigaru) used them extensively as well
Various types of yari points or blades existed. The most common blade was a straight, flat, design that resembles a straight-bladed double edged dagger. This type of blade could cut as well as stab and was sharpened like a razor edge. Though yari is a catchall for spear, it is usually distinguished between kama yari, which have additional horizontal blades, and simple su yari (choku-so) or straight spears. Yari can also be distinguished by the types of blade cross section: The triangular sections were called sankaku yari and hira sankuku, the latter for Isosceles of two equal sides as opposed to three.

It was formerly part of the collection of sensei Roald Knutsen, likely the worlds foremost expert and author on samurai polarms and their use in combat, with various pieces acquired with, or from, Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at The Tower Of London The Japanese armour exhibition in 1965, which featured samurai artefacts arranged to demonstrate evolving defensive technologies and cultural contexts, drawing thousands of visitors to the Tower.

He was a British military armourer and historian.He served in the RAF during the Second World War making models interpreting aerial photographs. This was when he met Sir James Mann, Master of the Armouries at the Tower of London. Robinson joined the staff of the Tower Armouries in 1946 as a Temporary Assistant, before rising to Assistant Keeper and finally, in 1970, Keeper of Armour.

Robinson was a founder member and president of the Arms and Armour Society. In 1965, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. In 1977, he was awarded an honorary MA by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Between 1967 and 1969, he (a practical armourer) worked with Charles Daniels to interpret and reconstruct the Roman armour nowadays known as 'lorica segmentata'. He produced a series of reconstructions of the two sub-types of armour from the Roman site at Corbridge and one from Newstead in time for them to be exhibited at the 1969 Congress of Roman Frontier Studies held in Cardiff.

His work on the armour featured in one of his best-known books, The Armour of Imperial Rome. Published in 1975 by Lionel Leventhal at the Arms and Armour Press, it included line illustrations by his friend, Peter Connolly. Robinson's system of categorizing Roman helmets has been widely adopted in the UK and USA but never really found favour in Europe.

Robinson was not only known for Roman armour, since he worked on an exhibition of Japanese armour at the Tower Armouries and subsequently wrote two books on the subject. He was also an authority on Native American artefacts and was responsible for the production of the replica of the revised reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo helmet and wrote a guide to the Stibbert Museum.

32.25 inches long overall, blade 4.5 inches long  read more

Code: 26267

1895.00 GBP

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Yajirigata yari (鏃形槍) literally means "arrowhead-shaped spear". It is the name given to a particular type of Japanese spearhead that is said to be modeled after an arrowhead used by Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo (1139-1170). Likely Edo era.

Yanagi-Ba (Willow Leaf)
yari are very elaborate with saw-cut patterns like Sakura (cherry blossom), Inome (heart shape or boars eye), Mon patterns (family crests), dragons ad other geometrical patterns. These spearheads are usually signed on the blade below the piercing and above the shoulder. Normally there are characters on both sides of the blade but in many cases the signature (mei) has been almost polished away.

This style of arrowhead yari appeared during the Momoyama period (1573-1615) and continued through the relatively peaceful Edo Period.

Lord Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo (1139-1170) in the Battle of Ōshima used such a wide yanone which was later remounted as a yari."

The Togari-Ya or pointed arrowheads look like a small Yari (spear) and were used only for war and are armour piercing arrows . Despite being somewhat of a weapon that was 'fire and forget' it was created regardless of cost and time, like no other arrow ever was outside of Japan. For example, to create the arrow head alone, in the very same traditional way today, using tamahagane steel, folding and forging, water quench tempering, then followed by polishing, it would likely cost way in excess of a thousand pounds, that is if you could find a Japanese master sword smith today who would make one for you. Then would would need hafting, binding, and feathering, by a completely separate artisan, and finally, using eagle feathers as flights, would be very likely impossible. This is a simple example of how incredible value finest samurai weaponry can be, items that can be acquired from us that would cost many times the price of our original antiques in order to recreate today. Kyu Jutsu is the art of Japanese archery.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) In the twelfth and thirteenth century a bow was the primary weapon of a warrior on the battlefield. Bow on the battlefield stopped dominating only after the appearance of firearm.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) Warriors practiced several types of archery, according to changes in weaponry and the role of the military in different periods. Mounted archery, also known as military archery, was the most prized of warrior skills and was practiced consistently by professional soldiers from the outset in Japan. Different procedures were followed that distinguished archery intended as warrior training from contests or religious practices in which form and formality were of primary importance. Civil archery entailed shooting from a standing position, and emphasis was placed upon form rather than meeting a target accurately. By far the most common type of archery in Japan, civil or civilian archery contests did not provide sufficient preparation for battle, and remained largely ceremonial. By contrast, military training entailed mounted maneuvers in which infantry troops with bow and arrow supported equestrian archers. Mock battles were staged, sometimes as a show of force to dissuade enemy forces from attacking. While early medieval warfare often began with a formalized archery contest between commanders, deployment of firearms and the constant warfare of the 15th and 16th centuries ultimately led to the decline of archery in battle. In the Edo period archery was considered an art, and members of the warrior classes participated in archery contests that venerated this technique as the most favoured weapon of the samurai.

One of the photos in the gallery shows how arrow heads are often displayed in Japanese museums.

Weight 201 grams, 25 inches long overall, head 5.5 inches long, 2.3 inches wide  read more

Code: 25461

445.00 GBP

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A beautiful substantial and impressive Bizen tradition war katana, with a very fine classic koshi no hiraita midare hamon. High-ranking warriors sword that were the only samurai permitted to fight on horseback.

Plain tettsu Higo school fuchi kashira in a traditional russet finish. Original Edo tsuka ito wrapped over ancient form menuki of russet iron spear heads, in early yari and naganata form. Round tetsu Higo schookl kinuki tsuba with two udenuki-no-ana. The holes being for the passage of a cord, tying the tsuba to the scabbard.

The saya is very fine, with a sayjiri bottom iron mount, with light ‘cinnabar pink’ urushi lacquer finish, also known as coromandel pink {named from the pink petaled flower} urushi lacquer to the saya, often made with the addition of perilla oil. The condition of both saya is very good just a couple of aged surface nicks
The colour created from urushi lacquer mixed with cinnabar was rewarded to them as the most famous warriors of all the samurai clans of Japan, the Li, and the Takeda.

Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means one who serves."

Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu to stop the spear expanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesised in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality. The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday.

In Japan the term samurai evolved over several centuries

In Japanese, they are usually referred to as bushi (武士,) or buke (武家). According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning 'to wait upon', 'accompany persons' in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau. In both countries the terms were nominalized to mean 'those who serve in close attendance to the nobility', the Japanese term saburai being the nominal form of the verb." According to Wilson, an early reference to the word samurai appears in the Kokin Wakashū (905–914), the first imperial anthology of poems, completed in the first part of the 10th century.

Originally, the word samurai referred to anyone who served the emperor, the imperial family, or the imperial court nobility, even in a non-military capacity.It was not until the 17th century that the term gradually became a title for military servants of warrior families, so that, according to Michael Wert, "a warrior of elite stature in pre-seventeenth-century Japan would have been insulted to be called a 'samurai'".
This is a katana was likely made for a senior, high ranking samurai, a seieibushi. based upon horseback in combat, certainly not a light and deeply cursive katana, but a battle sword, made to complete an uncomprimising task of close combat and aggressive close quarter hand to hand swordmanship. Designed as much for cleaving through samurai armour and kabuto helmets in two, as much as defeating another samurai while on horseback. Although samurai would not, one would say, be a cavalry based warrior, all senior samurai would be mounted and thus travel on horseback, and some cavalry type samurai could be deployed in battle, but with differing combat styles depending on what part of Japan they came from. The cavalry troops, being Samurai, had personal retainers that stayed closer to them in the Sonae, carried their weaponry and worked as support units, much like an European squire. They also joined the fight whenever possible (especially in the mounted infantry scenario) and were often responsible of taking heads for their lords.
These foot Samurai were also used as heavy infantry or archers to support the ashigaru lines.

Tactics
Given the fact that the Samurai could directly dismount and operate as infantry, there were some specific tactics for horsemen.
Cavalry in general was only used after the battle was already started, either to deliver a decisive victory or to trying to save the day.

Norikiri
This is a classic charge, where several small groups of five to ten horseman ride consequently (possibly with a wedge formation) into a small area against the enemy lines, to maximize the shock. It was mainly used by heavy cavalry in the East, but given the fact that the ideal target where "weavering" units with low morale or disorganized, even medium cavalry could perform this charge.
The main role of this charge was to create confusion; if it didn't succeed, the cavalry regroups and either retreat or deliver another charge.

Norikuzushi
This is a combined infantry and cavalry charge. The horseman charged first, and after creating mayhem, a second charge is delivered by infantries armed with polearms, which could keep on fighting. The main target for this tactics were ranged units detached by the army. After a Norikuzushi usually follows a Norikiri by the cavalry group


30 inch blade overall 43 inches long in saya.  read more

Code: 25539

7250.00 GBP

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It is most rare to find original, antique samurai war arrows {ya} that still have beautifully polished tamagahane steel blades, that they would all have had originally, that often show the traditional hamon, the same as a sword would have. Acquired by us by personally being permitted to select from the private collection one of the world's greatest, highly respected and renown archery, bow and arrow experts. Who had spent his life travelling the world to lecture on archery and to accumulate the finest arrows and bows he could find. .

With original traditional eagle feathers, probably the large edge-wing feathers of a Japanese sea eagle. The armour piercing arrow tip, that is swollen at the tip to have the extra piercing power to penetrate armour and helmets {kabuto}, is a brightly polished, traditional tamagahane steel hand made, by a sword smith, long arrow head, originally hand made with folding and tempering exactly as would be a samurai sword blade, possibly signed on the tang under the binding but we would never remove it to see. The Edo period early eagle feathers are now slightly worn. It is entirely indicative of the Japanese principle that as much time skill and effort be used to create a single 'fire and forget' arrow, as would be used to make a tanto or katana. A British or European blacksmith might once have made ten or twenty arrows a day, a Japanese craftsman might take a week to make a single arrow, that has a useable combat life of maybe two minutes, the same as a simplest British long bow arrow.

The Togari-Ya or Tsubaki-ne, were pointed arrowheads look like a miniature version of a long Yari (spear) and were used only for war and are armour piercing arrows . Despite being somewhat of a weapon that was 'fire and forget' it was created regardless of cost and time, like no other arrow ever was outside of Japan. For example, to create the arrow head alone, in the very same traditional way today, using tamahagane steel, folding and forging, water quench tempering, then followed by polishing, it would likely cost way in excess of a thousand pounds, that is if you could find a Japanese master sword smith today who would make one for you. Then would would need hafting, binding, and feathering, by a completely separate artisan, and finally, using eagle feathers as flights, would be very likely impossible. This is a simple example of how incredible value finest samurai weaponry can be, items that can be acquired from us that would cost many times the price of our original antiques in order to recreate today. Kyu Jutsu is the art of Japanese archery.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) In the twelfth and thirteenth century a bow was the primary weapon of a warrior on the battlefield. Bow on the battlefield stopped dominating only after the appearance of firearm.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) Warriors practiced several types of archery, according to changes in weaponry and the role of the military in different periods. Mounted archery, also known as military archery, was the most prized of warrior skills and was practiced consistently by professional soldiers from the outset in Japan. Different procedures were followed that distinguished archery intended as warrior training from contests or religious practices in which form and formality were of primary importance. Civil archery entailed shooting from a standing position, and emphasis was placed upon form rather than meeting a target accurately. By far the most common type of archery in Japan, civil or civilian archery contests did not provide sufficient preparation for battle, and remained largely ceremonial. By contrast, military training entailed mounted maneuvers in which infantry troops with bow and arrow supported equestrian archers.

Mock battles were staged, sometimes as a show of force to dissuade enemy forces from attacking. While early medieval warfare often began with a formalized archery contest between commanders, deployment of firearms and the constant warfare of the 15th and 16th centuries ultimately led to the decline of archery in battle. In the Edo period archery was considered an art, and members of the warrior classes participated in archery contests that venerated this technique as the most favoured weapon of the samurai. In the gallery is from an Edo exhibition of archery that shows a tagari ya arrow pierced completely through, back and front, an armoured steel multi plate kabuto helmet. Another photo shows an unmounted arrow head with the considerable length of the tang that is concealed by the haft.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25590

645.00 GBP

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Made for a samurai devoted to the Japanese historical traditions of storytelling through Noh and Kabuki. Such as the great Miyamoto Musashi, the revered "sword saint" himself, who was not a performer, but he adored kabuki and its culture. And Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu revered Noh theatre and often performed it himself as shigegaku, an official military performance.

A stunning tanto with delightful patinated suite of original Edo period copper mounts, all finely engraved with an entirely cosmopolitan selection of subjects from bushido, the way of the warrior, and ancient Japanese folklore, based on tales from Noh and Kabuki theatre including legendary figures, trickster deities, shapeshifters and spirits. Although they appear disconnected, they are all together combining the great legends of Noh and Kabuki with Bushido. A most clever convergence of the mystical, with the practical life of the samurai.

Accompanied fine finely engraved patinated copper kozuka utility knife with signed blade, and fine, original Edo striped urushi black lacquer saya, bound with original Edo silk sageo. The menuki are the tiger with a Ōtsuchi, a six foot war hammer, and a dog with a kaiku war drum. Tigers appear heavily in Japanese folklore, often as symbols of courage and ferocity. They are intrinsically tied to Kabuki through legendary plays. And, the Kai Ken is an incredibly rare, indigenous breed of Japanese dog often nicknamed the "Japanese tiger dog.

On the habaki is the fine engraving of a samurai on one side and of a cricket on a war fan on the other. Placing a cricket on a war fan was a visual reminder of Bushido (the way of the warrior), which demanded that a samurai cultivate a deep appreciation for art, poetry, and nature, alongside martial discipline. The Duality of Life, Together, they represent the philosophical balance of the warrior's life: the need for both brute strength on the battlefield and a refined, gentle spirit in times of peace. Of course the war fan resembles the Peony Fan, Oni Ōgi of Noh theatre, yet another subtle convergence.

The kashira is engraved with the two distinct elements in Japanese folklore, the Peony Lantern (Botan Dōrō), which is one of Japan's most famous ghost stories, and the Peony Fan (Oni Ōgi), a traditional prop used in Noh theatre

Created for a samurai who had a desire for the sword’s decor to be the embodiment of ancient Japanese folklore tales from Kabuki theatre and Noh, of mystical creatures and oni, each piece, engraved, from the fuchigashira, the tsuba, and the habaki, all of this delightful work was beautifully executed with immense skill.

The carving on the tsuba is Sanbaso (三番叟), a sacred, celebratory character from traditional Japanese performing arts like Kabuki and Noh.
The combination of the tall court cap, prominent lolling tongue, pole, and carp corresponds to specific props and rituals performed in the traditional Okina and Sanbaso dances
The Tall Cap (eboshi): Sanbaso wears a rigid black court cap called an eboshi (烏帽子) to signify his high ritual status as a deity who prays for a bountiful harvest and peace: In certain energetic interpretations of the dance, Sanbaso’s face contorts, often displaying a lolling tongue to channel the vibrant, earthly spirit of the gods.The Pole & Carp: He is universally depicted as a jovial, smiling man carrying a traditional fishing rod in one hand, and a large red sea bream (tai) or a giant carp (koi) in the other.
He wears a traditional court cap called a kazaori eboshi (a folded, pointed black cap worn by nobles in ancient Japan)..

The kashira depicts the a lantern is of a romantic but tragic ghost story, it is likely the classic Japanese folktale Botan Dōrō (The Peony Lantern).
A handsome samurai named Hagiwara falls in love with a beautiful woman named Otsuyu. She visits him every night carrying a distinctive paper lantern that glows with a pale, ghostly light.
It is eventually revealed that Otsuyu is a ghost and her companion is an equally dead spirit. The samurai is warned to stop seeing them, but he succumbs to his love and is eventually found cold and dead in his room, his servant blowing out the weird, yellow flame of the peony lantern.

The fuchi is In Japanese folklore, the specific combination of a human-faced octopus and a turtle usually points to the infamous Tako Nyūdō, a human-faced octopus yōkai, and a Kappa, the legendary turtle-like water monster. Together, they represent the eerie and highly revered shapeshifters of the deep water.The Turtle: The KappaThe Kappa is one of Japan's most celebrated yōkai. Known as "river-children," they live in the lakes and streams of Japan. They resemble a mix of a human child and a turtle, with scaly or slimy skin, webbed hands and feet, and a hard turtle-like shell (carapace) on their back. On their head, they have a shallow depression or "dish" (sara) filled with water. This water is their source of power and life; if it spills or dries out, the Kappa becomes severely weakened.
Kappas are known as mischievous trickster water deities who enjoy sumo wrestling and eating cucumbers. However, they can also be deadly, occasionally dragging unsuspecting humans or animals into the water to drown them.

Countless samurai revered the performing arts, and several even left the warrior class to become professional kabuki actors, or established theatres of their own. Famous warriors with direct ties to kabuki include, Sakata Tōjūrō I a former samurai who founded the sophisticated wagoto (soft style) romantic acting in 17th-century Kyoto.
Ichikawa Danjūrō, an actor and son of a low-ranking samurai who created the dynamic, bombastic aragoto acting style.

The great Miyamoto Musashi, the revered "sword saint" himself was not a performer, but he loved kabuki and its culture. He became a popular subject for plays during his own lifetime.Many other historical figures became the very subjects of kabuki, which often served as a subversive way for the public and actors to praise legendary samurai. Notable legends adapted for the kabuki stage include:
Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a tragic, iconic general and the subject of several classic plays.The 47 Ronin, a legendary tale of masterless samurai avenging their fallen lord.Sakura Sōgorō: A historical farmer-hero whose rebellion inspired Japan's first modern political kabuki play

Three legendary figures of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods—Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu—are the most famous samurai who revered and patronized Noh theatre. These warlords studied the art, performed it themselves, and established Noh as the official ceremonial performance of the military government.The profound connection between these samurai commanders and Noh is detailed below:Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582), he frequently recited and danced the famous excerpt "Atsumori," which centers on the tragedy of a young fallen warrior from the Gempei War. Nobunaga viewed his own military ambitions in the dramatic and fatalistic light of these Noh epics.Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–1598): He took his passion a step further by studying under the Konparu School and performing on stage. He even commissioned new plays that cast himself as the victorious protagonist.
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), made Noh the official ceremonial performance (shikigaku) for all state events, which solidified its status among the samurai elite

Overall in very good condition, small saya split under the sageo at the base of the kozuka slot.  read more

Code: 26247

4250.00 GBP

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