Koshirae
Koshirae
Koshirae
“Gullivers’ glossary of the glorious koshirae in no particular order”
by Thomas C Helm
This being a not so comprehensive listing, I have skipped over the earliest periods and start out with swords and accoutrement from somewhere in the late Heian to Early Kamakura eras. There being many interesting examples from those earlier times I am loathe to do so but in the interest of space and my goal of more complete entries feel I must.
衛府太刀拵 – Efû Tachi Koshirae; The uniform sword of the palace guards, elegant yet practical marked by the pierced nakago thus they are also known as Kenuki-gata Tachi Koshirae- (毛抜型太刀拵) – so called for the “tweezer” shape of the openings in the tang and handle.
長覆輪兵具鎖太刀拵– Chô-fukurin Hyogogusari Tachi Koshirae; in this case the fukurin is not on the tsuba but runs the length of the saya, the Hyogogusari are the fine chain hangers that connect this scabbard to your waist.
黒漆太刀拵- Kurourushi Tachi Koshirae; simple black lacquered saya as worn by those of the sixth court rank and below, worn for funerals and other ceremony it would develop into the Kawatsutsumi Tachi Koshirae (革包太刀拵) and was seen all over owing to its popularity among the Bushi class. The Kawatsutsumi Tachi appeared from the Nanboku-cho era, a very practical outfit of lacquered leather (horse perhaps?) light, simple, bold and manly. Alas lacking elegance to some eyes.
蛭巻太刀拵 – Hirumaki Tachi Koshirae; Tsuka and saya bound by bands of copper or silver. Enjoyed a brief popularity at the end of the Heian period, very few examples are still extant.
糸巻太刀拵 – Itomaki Tachi Koshirae ; the “koshi” or waist of the saya being wrapped in Ito, silk braid the same as that on the tsuka. Worn with armour, the silk of which the wrapped saya did not abraid, the second “handle” also facilitating a sure grip on the draw.
腰刀拵 – Koshigatana Koshirae; initially a short sword or tanto worn as a companion to the tachi, early examples had furisode nakago the curve of which gave a firm grip for drawing, stabbing and cutting. Early images show low ranking samurai wearing these with the cutting edge up in the obi. As warfare developed these evolved into the uchigatana and wakizashi but certain tanto continued to be referred to koshigatana as well.
出鮫合口短刀拵 – Dashizame Aikuchi Tanto Koshirae; this is the formal tanto developed from earlier more rough and tumble sidearms. With simple horn fittings, the fuchi fitting tightly to the koiguchi both of which were horn and of the exact same circumference. Because there is no tsuba the fuchi and koiguchi “meet” (au, ai: in Japanese to meet). The short tsuka covered in same´ with the menuki pinned to the handle open and uncovered by any wrap.
合口打ち刀拵 – Aikuchi uchigatana koshirae; a simple katana koshirae without tsuba, like the tanto the fuchi and koiguchi meet. Nagao Toshikage presented to Uesugi Kenshin an aikuchi uchigatana with the famous Kodorige Ichimonji blade inside. Kenshin is known to have had several famous Osafune blades outfitted in this manner.
清正公短刀拵 – Seishô-kô Tanto Koshirae ; An aikuchi tanto koshirae with the koshi lacquered a persimmon color and the end of the saya wrapped in a woven rattan that was then clear-lacquered. A famous piece but not really a style, it is from a tanto known to have been worn by Kato Kiyomasa, Seisho being an alternate reading of his name.
半太刀拵 – Han-dachi Koshirae; evolving alongside the uchigatana from the same origin, the koshigatana, these “half-tachi” were the practical answer for high ranking warriors, who removed the ashi-kanamono from their tachi to facilitate wear, edge down, in the belt. As a rule there are no kozuka, kogai or kaeshizuno. The han-dachi again became popular in the Edo period for wear when hunting or on travel.
海部太刀拵 – Kaifû Tachi Koshirae;
打刀拵 – Uchigatana Koshirae; developed from the koshigatana and originally a secondary weapon but once more troops were employed as infantry it became the primary sword as companion to the bow or spear rather than the tachi. Characterized by shorter “one-handed” tsuka shallower sori and simple mounts and fittings. (see F. Weissbergs’ informative article http://www.nihonto.com/abtartuchigatanakoshirae.html)
天正拵(明智拵) – Tensho Koshirae; a form that developed throughout the Muromachi period but that reached its complete development around the Tensho era. For all intents and purposes an uchigatana koshirae but of a finer quality as they were now carried by men of real rank. With a distinctive waisted tsuka, horn kashira, thicker tsuba and somber lacquered saya. (see G. Robsons’ informative article from an earlier newsletter for more complete info)
桃山拵 – Momoyama Koshirae; reveling in the age for which they are named, Momoyama koshirae are Tensho koshirae made more to impress than for any practical use. As a rule black leather and plain black lacquer mark the Tensho koshirae but if the scabbard utilizes vermillion, gold or other eye catching colors or exotic materials then it, being of the right age, is classified as a Momoyama koshirae.
番指 – Banzashi “duty wear” also known as Kamishimo-zashi (裃指) or Denchu-zashi (殿中指). Ban is watch, guard, while kamishimo is formal samurai attire for weddings, funerals and attending ones lord (殿 tono) or going “up” to the castle. Black lacquer saya, white same black wrap, Goto style fittings IE: shakudo with gold highlights. Somber and serious this was Tokugawa taste and became required wear for all in attendance at Edo-jo. Not to be confused with Owari-koshirae which was the homegrown taste of the everyday Tokugawa samurai. During the Edo period swords given as gifts to Daimyo were accompanied by Kamishimo-zashi koshirae as a rule.
肥後拵 – Higo Koshirae; the brainchild of Hosokawa Sansai. This elegant sturdy “heijo tachi” invokes the elegance of the tea ceremony and stern pragmatism of Hôki-ryu Battô-jutsu.
Originally from Owari, Lord of Tango, then Uzen in Kyushu, Hosokawa Tadaoki Sansai was a learned master of the tea ceremony but never actually Lord of Higo. He was the “retired Lord” in 1623 when he and his clan moved to Kumamoto and his son Tadatsuna was made lord of Higo. Sansai made a point to patronize Tôsô Kinkô artists, thus many talented people gathered in Higo and many schools flourished there throughout the Edo period.
It was through Toyotomi Hidetsugu that his sword master, Kataoka Hôki no kami Hisayasu, met Sansai. Hisayasu’s swordsmanship suited the personality of the lord or perhaps it was the personality of the swordsman that pleased Sansai. In any case Sansai took his art to Higo, where it took root and its influence may be seen in the character of the people and the accoutrement of the sword.
Besides the characteristics mentioned in F.Weissberg’s Uchigatana article ie; same-zaya, leather wrap, kaeshizuno and the distinctive Higo fittings, these koshirae feature shorter tsuka and generally shorter blades to allow for the one-handed cuts and draws common to Hôki-ryu swordsmanship. As you may know a one-handed cut by tradition “adds go-sun” to the sword so the difference in length was by no means seen as a disadvantage.
信長拵 – Nobunaga Koshirae; another name for Higo koshirae since Hosokawa Sansai had a treasured sword by Kashû Nobunaga which he wore fitted out in the style native to his adopted han.
武蔵拵 – Musashi Koshirae; there is a very plain somber koshirae said to have been made by Miyamoto Musashis’ own hand. This set-up is still extant and is little more than a Higo koshirae with a longer handle that was wrapped in a solid sheet of horse leather, iron fittings and namako tsuba. The blade is by Izumi no Kami Fujiwara Kaneshige inside a simple black lacquer saya. The kashira was large with an opening for the ito that was much larger than necessary
二天拵 – Niten Koshirae; named for Musashis’ Niten Ichi Ryû sometimes referred to as Musashi koshirae though I believe mistakenly as these are distinctly different from the original. The Niten koshirae features a kashira that forms a point, taken from the form of Musashi’s kashira and the idea that he supposedly used strikes with the kashira in his sword-work. Often the tsuka maki is done in katate-maki style and sometimes the kojiri was sharply angled into a point as well.
尾張拵 – Owari Koshirae; Lofty and important looking, not unlike Higo koshirae but with small thin tsukagashira, use of mix and match fittings of no particular style, ryohineri or jabara wrap on a short tsuka. Always, always with an Owari tsuba and Owari habaki in combination. This was the style worn by the rank and file Tokugawa Samurai at the beginning of the Edo period.
柳生拵 – Yagyu Koshirae; a subset of Owari koshirae the prototype of which was said to be Yagyu Renyasai’s own sword. The difference being a shorter blade, menuki under the palms rather than opposite them as on most swords and these set into recesses cut into the tsuka/same´ to hold them in place and of course accompanied by a Yagyu tsuba. Renyasai was the third master of the Yagyu fencing tradition, the founder of the Owari Yagyu line and may have been the man who created the first designs on which Yagyu tsuba are based.
庄内拵 – Shônai Koshirae; seen with kizami saya, tsuba on the small side and fittings by Shonai artists.
薩摩拵 – Satsuma Koshirae; The Shimazu family always utilized top quality materials in all of their Tôsô, the best grade of gold was always employed and if one sees koshirae with Shimazu family denrai, the affluence of this powerful family is evident in the richness of the fittings and lacquer work.
In contrast to this, the lowly Satsuma koshirae is famous for its lack of quality and the seeming intentional use of inferior materials. In fact these were made for use by front line troops, weapons fully expected to be used up on the battlefield by swordsman trained in the fierce art of Jigen-ryu Kempô and who made a show of being unconcerned with wealth, property and any kind of foppish subscription to fashions in the capitol. Long tsuka, as much as one half the length of the blade, straight-sided handles rounded in profile, sometimes with uchizori, chunky metal fittings, small tsuba, kaeshizuno, sporting blades usually of middling to poor quality with shallow sori. After all to a Satsuma Danshi any sword is a sword and will do in a fight.
The tsuba were often pierced with two small holes through which was passed a thin cord or braided paper strip to hold the blade fast. Some say a prayer was written on the paper invoking the gods to keep the owner out of violent situations. Satsuma mothers used to scold their boys at the door as they went out, “have you got your sword tied up tight?” Everyone knew that you broke that cord only when drawing your sword to defend your honor and you only drew your sword when you or someone else had to die.
Satsuma koshirae can be broken down into three general categories; Jokyû (upperclass), Tôgô Jigen-ryû and Yakumaru-ha Jigen-ryû koshirae.
上級 Jokyû koshirae, upperclass koshirae, were those carried by the Kagoshima castle samurai who served close to the lord, were members of the Shimazu family and had status and could afford better fittings and better swords. As these men were a smaller portion of the overall population, examples of this type are consequently fewer in number. They generally have the straight-sided tsuka and other features of the Satsuma koshirae but with better materials employed and the somber color scheme of banzashi koshirae. However, as these were the dress swords of well to do men, very bright colors or elaborate patterns in the lacquer may also be seen. The tsuka were not as long and there was no uchizori in the tsuka or if present was not as strong as that seen in the other types.
Fittings may have been by Satsuma artists, the Gôtô, or the Ishiguro, who were the hereditary kodogu artists employed by the Shimazu at Edo. If one finds a koshirae prominently displaying Shimazu mon but with all Gôtô or Ishiguro fittings and a regularly formed kaeshizuno, it properly should not be termed a Satsuma koshirae.
東郷拵 – Tôgô Koshirae; Tôgô Jigen-ryû was the official kenjutsu of Satsuma han, and was practiced by upper and lower class Samurai alike. In general Satsuma koshirae exhibit all the traits described above while Jigen-ryû koshirae were more modest in color scheme and materials. For instance same´ being expensive many tsuka were wrapped with leather instead and this was then lacquered for strength. Tsuka did not have the strong uchizori seen in the Yakumaru type. The Goyoi-to or arsenal swords in Kagoshima castle were of this type, lacquered black, black leather tsukaito very practical.
薬丸派; The Yakumaru-ha was the branch of Jigen-ryu practiced by the lower ranked samurai (下級) of Shimazu han with a reputation for the harshest of training producing the fiercest of warriors. A goodly number of Satsumas’ Restoration leaders were students of this branch of the Jigen-ryu. Yakumaru-ha koshirae generally featured the longest tsuka of the three types and while gyaku mekugi, mekugi inserted in the tsuka from the side opposite that is most commonly seen, may be found among the other two types, the majority of Yakumaru types are seen to have gyaku mekugi. Most often the tsuka of Yakumaru-ha koshirae had uchizori or a reverse curve that bends down and away opposite from the curve of the blade, supposedly aiding in cutting. When the tsuka was of extraordinary length they were generally straight-sided. Almost never seen with same´, some were so cheaply made that the bare wood was lacquered black. Very few are seen with menuki and kaeshizuno. These are the most commonly seen types of Satsuma koshirae.
As in the Higo koshirae the kaeshizuno was seen as hindering the draw and movement of the saya, so it slowly evolved into simply an ornament. Whereas in Higo the little horn item turned away from the kurikata and became a closed loop that could not hook the obi, the Satsuma version became no more than a button with a smaller bump just beside it.
講武所拵 – Kôbusho koshirae; The Kobusho was established at Tsukiji in 1855 to teach the sons of Edo the military arts. Second sons and ronin from all over signed up for the free lessons. Classes of up 1000 students were not unheard of. The many young men of the Kôbusho effected their own style, with a particular hairstyle, white hakama and long swords with their very own look. Kôbusho koshirae feature a long tsuka, iron fittings, often with the kamon on the kashira, thick heavy saya with horn koiguchi, horn kurikata and chunky kojiri much bigger than the koiguchi. The same used on the tsuka often did not have the skin stripped from the back so that it was double thick. Sometimes the saya were lacquered red.
突兵拵 – Toppei Koshirae; In response to growing threats both internally and from the west, the Tokugawa Bakufu under French influence established the Rikugun-sho, or Ministry of War, in 1866. The students and curriculum of the Kobu-sho were absorbed at this time and became the Army training school. French instructors were employed to teach close order drill, artillery and European military science. A uniform based on the French model was employed and swords were required to be carried in a type of leather frog. Because of the particular shape of these leather frogs, scabbards were remade with thin pointed tapering kojiri that reminded the soldiers of a Toppei kabuto. The kurikata became a simple loop on a swivel, sometimes attached to the mune side of the saya, to allow for the sword to be worn in the redress position while in western uniform or through the obi in traditional style. Because these were employed when wearing pants, “zubon”, they are also sometimes referred to as Zubon-zashi and may be thought of as the last stage in the development of Samurai accoutrement as their world would soon disappear with the advent of the Restoration.
References;
Zukan Toso no Subete by Kokubo Kenichi 1971
Satsuma Koshirae by Zusho Ichiro 2003
Bakumatsu Kengo Monogatari by Fujishima Kazutaro 1963
Zusetsu Nihonto Yogo Jiten by Kajihara Kotoken 1989
Nihonto Daihyakka Jiten by Fukunaga Suiken 1994
Sunday, October 31, 2010