Jūyō Bijutsuhin Akihiro Ko-Wakizashi

Number

S-ML-028

Smith Name

Akihiro

Active Period

Jōji (貞治, 1362-1368)

School

Sōshū

Province

Sagami

Mei

zai-mei: Sōshū-jū Akihiro

Rating

Jūyō Bijutsuhin

Akihiro (秋廣), 1st gen., Jōji (貞治, 1362-1368), Sagami – „Sōshū-jū Akihiro“ (相州住秋廣), first name „Kurōzaburō“ (九郎三郎), son or student of the 1st gen. Hiromitsu (広光), his ko-wakizashi was with a broad mihaba and a shallow soriō-itame, ō-gunome-midare in nie-deki, also hitatsura. There are swords dated from Enbun (延文, 1356-1361) to Eitoku (永徳, 1381-1384), in the case he added his place of residence, he always signed with "Sōshū-jū" prefix. Tokaido (東海道), saijō-saku.

Jūyō Bijutsuhin Akihiro Ko-Wakizashi: nagasa: 37.0 сm; sori: 0.45 сm. At the time of awarding this status (September 24, 1941), the sword belonged to Nishiwaki Seizaburō (西脇清三郎), Niigata prefecture. The sword was signed and not dated; was registered under No. 4415 in the official register of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science, and Technology (certificate dated July 8, 2014); Tanobe Michihiro’s sayagaki in 2014. Provenance: The family heirloom of the Shimazu clan (島津). 

Designated as Jūyō Bijutsuhin on the 2nd of September 1941.

Publications: Nihontō Jūyō Bijutsuhin Zenshū (日本刀重要美術品全集) No. 236, Volume 2, pp. 180–181; Catalogue Heirloom of the Shimazu Ke, 1928, No. 345; Kōshitsu, Shōgun-Ke, Daimyō-Ke Tōken Mokuroku (皇室・将軍家・大名家刀剣目録), 1997, No. 26, pp. 185–186; Shintō Kotō Taikan (新刀古刀大鑑), Kawaguchi, 1972, Volume “Kotō”, p. 68; Kusanagi no Ya Oshigata (草薙廼舎押形) Kanzan Satō, 1973, p. 50. 

Today, the very existence of a sword forged more than 650 years ago seems to be a near miracle. Moreover, it is particularly fortunate to see the sword in good condition, allowing us to appreciate its beauty and the meaning that the master invested in it during the forging process. Of course, each sword has its own fate. Some of them were once gifted to temples and stored there for many centuries. Thus, they reached our modern era almost in their original form. Other swords were badly damaged in battle and could not be restored. Still other swords were destroyed in numerous fires. In that era, Japanese buildings were constructed of wood, so a stray spark or a broken oil lamp could start a fire that would burn down an entire town. Fires were real disasters for Japan in those times.

All these losses occurred with both ordinary and great (famous) swords. They can be understood and explained by the peculiarity of time and the epoch. Yet the most painful loss of swords occurred during very recent events related to actions of the U.S. occupation forces, immediately after the end of World War II. As a result of these actions, the owners lost a fairly large number of swords, many of which were truly priceless. They and their owners parted ways: some of the swords were simply destroyed; others were removed from Japan as trophies by servicemen of the occupation forces. The list of especially valuable lost swords, compiled by Albert Yamanaka, includes 14 Kokuhō (in 1950, they were ranked Jūyō Bunkazai) and 25 Jūyō Bijutsuhin. The most significant loss, however, is Kokuhō “Honjō Masamune.”

Whenever any item on this list emerges from obscurity, it causes a great sensation and constitutes a major event in the world of Japanese swords. The recent discovery of Hiromitsu’s tachi in 2003 comes to mind; also, when Akihiro’s ko-wakizashi was found and revealed in early 2014, it became quite a sensation. It is an incredible coincidence that this important event was again connected with the Sagami School. This sword by Akihiro (18th on Albert Yamanaka’s list) was lost immediately after the end of World War II. The following records have survived about its path, just before its disappearance. “Sōshū-jū Akihiro” (Jūyō Bijutsuhin): “On October 5, 1945, the owner submitted this blade to the Kosegaya (or Ochigaya) Police of Kosegaya Machi, Kitauonuma Gun, Niigata Prefecture. On November 29, 1945, the Ochigaya Police turned the blade over to Military Police 1st Lieut. Darfield Nenningham representing the commanding officer of the Military Police attached to the 26th Company, 2nd Battalion of 303 Regiment of the 97th Division stationed at Hidaka City of Niigata Prefecture.”

These records were the last written before traces of the sword disappeared for 70 years, until it was purchased in Australia in an antique store, along with another sword, for $700. It is hard to imagine, but the sword came with its old shirasaya with preserved sayagaki containing information about the smith (namely, Akihiro) and about the status of the sword: Jūyō Bijutsuhin. After that, for unknown reasons, the sayagaki was removed from the shirasaya. Later, in February 2014, the sword was presented at an exhibition in Tampa, Florida (United States). Nobuyuki Satō (a student of Nagayama Kokan [永山光幹]—Ningen Kokuhō, Living National Treasure) polished this sword. 

<.....> In addition to the above-mentioned circumstances, it should be noted that this sword had long been among the family heirlooms of the Shimazu clan. It was sold at an auction held in 1928. The Figure below shows the corresponding page from the Kōshaku Shimazu Ke Zōhin Nyusatsu Mokuroku catalogue (公爵島津家蔵品入札目録). The price list that resulted from trading these family heirlooms is very interesting and indicative. This table is a separate and very important and rare document and was not always annexed to the catalogue. In particular, it contains information that this sword was sold as a lot, together with another sword: A Bizen Shigeyoshi ko-wakizashi (3rd generation) signed “Bishū-jū Shigeyoshi” (備州住重吉) and dated the 10th month of 1369. This lot of two items was sold for 750 yen. The largest amounts paid at this auction were: 13,189 yen for the sword signed by Bizen no Kuni Osafune Sanetoshi (備前国長船眞利); and 8,969 yen for the sword signed by Bizen no Kuni Osafune Moriie (備前国長船守家). Most of the sale prices were less than 1,000 yen, and the lowest price was paid for one of the tantō: 138 yen. 

Sayagaki (the omote side): 重要美術品指定。相模國秋廣。長壹尺弐寸二分有之。 季甲午蘭月。探山邉道識。“Designated as a Jūyō Bijutsuhin. Sagami no Kuni Akihiro. Blade length 1 shaku 2 sun 2 bu. July of the Year of the Horse of this era (2014). Written by Tanzan Hendō [Tanobe Michihiro] + Кaō.”

Sayagaki (the ura side): 五字銘有之同工ニハ稀ナル尺余ノ大柄姿態ヲ呈スル點ガ注目サレ地刃ノ出来宜敷ク同作中屈指 ノ逸品哉製作年代貞治頃薩刕島津家ノ傳来品也珍々重々。“[The blade] Bears a goji-mei and it has to be pointed out that it is one of the rare works of that smith with a large dimensioned shape that noticeably exceeds one shaku. The deki of the jiba is excellent and we have here one of the greatest masterworks of this smith, which [is] dated around Jōji (1362–1368) and which was once an heirloom of the Shimazu family from Satsuma Province—Very rare, very precious.”

The Jūyō Bijutsuhin certificate could be translated as follow: “tantō, mei: Sōshū-jū Akihiro, nagasa 1 shaku 2 sun 2 bu, sori 1 bu 5 ri, No. of tōroku registration paper: Tōkyō-to 311830.

We herewith confirm that this object is designated as Jūyō Bijutsuhin

The blade [owned by Mr. Nishiwaki Seizaburō (西脇清三郎)] is depicted as No. 4415 in the official register of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and is also depicted under the Jūyō Bijutsuhin number 236 in volume 2 of the Nihontō Jūyō Bijutsuhin Zenshū

(The picture of the oshigata to the left has been added as verification). July 8th 2014. 

Hiroi Yūichi (廣井雄一). Responsible Specialist for Cultural Properties at the Ministry of Education.

Hiroi Yūichi san.


(excerpt from Chapter 8, pp. 208-227, of the Japanese Swords: Sōshū-den Masterpieces

Photos of the sword Jūyō Bijutsuhin Akihiro were made by Frederick M. Weissberg (www.nihonto.com)

Original content Copyright © 2019 Dmitry Pechalov