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"ICHIMONJI SCHOOL" KAMAKURA PERIOD.
IT IS A VERY INTERESTING FACT THAT "ICHIMONJI", THE MOST FAMOUS
SCHOOL OF SWORD MAKING DURING THE KAMAKURA PERIOD (70 % OF TODAY'S NATIONAL
TREASURE SWORDS, ARE FROM THE KAMAKURA PERIOD), ACTUALLY HAD ITS "GRASS ROOTS
BEGINNINGS AT SEA", OFF THE COAST OF "CHIKUZEN" PROVINCE! HAD THERE NEVER BEEN A
BATTLE OF "DEN-NO-URA" IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE "ICHIMONJI SCHOOL" WOULD
NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN! THE MAJORITY OF "ICHIMONJI" MAKERS WERE FROM BIZEN.
"KYUSHU", HOMELAND OF THE "GENJI - HEIKE" SEA WAR, AND THE "ICHIMONJI"
SCHOOL.
THE GREAT SEA BATTLE, AT "DEN-NO-URA", WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST SEA BATTLES IN
HISTORY. THE "GENJI" (MINAMOTO CLAN) , WITH A COMPLEMENT OF "850" BATTLE SHIPS,
AND THE "HEIKE" (TAIRA CLAN), WITH ONLY "500", (APPROX. "1,350" TOTAL SHIPS! THE
SPANISH ARMADA, CONSISTED OF ONLY "130") FACED OFF IN THE INLAND SEA NEAR
KYUSHU, AT DEN-NO-URA, ON APRIL, 24, 1185 AD.. THE WEAPONS OF CHOICE WERE
"BOW'S, AND ARROW'S. TO SHORTEN A LONG STORY, THE HEIKE HAD THE ADVANTAGE (EVEN
THOUGH GREATLY OUT NUMBERED) AND WERE WINNING, DUE TO THERE SUPERIOR SEAMANSHIP.
WHEN A TURNCOAT, HEIKE GENERAL BETRAYED THEM BY DISCLOSING TO THE MINAMOTO
(GENJI) WHICH SHIP CARRIED THE YOUNG (5 YEAR OLD) "EMPEROR ANTOKU". THE GENJI
THEN TOOK COMMAND OF THE IMPERIAL SHIP, AND THE BATTLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOST BY
THE "TAIRA".
THE YOUNG (ONLY "5" YEARS OF AGE) DEFEATED EMPEROR "ANTOKU" WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMIT "SEPPUKU" , BY DROWNING. HIS MATERNAL GRAND MOTHER THE " LADY Ii ", PRAYED WITH THE CHILD, AFTER WHICH THEN LEAPT TO THERE DEATH IN THE SEA!
THE REMAINDER OF THE MAIN LINE "HEIKE SAMURAI" FOUGHT TO THE END, AND PERISHED IN THE SEA! ABOUT THIS TIME A "MYSTIC EVENT" IS THOUGHT TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE. A "CRAB" (INDIGENOUS TO THE AREA) TOOK ON BACK MARKINGS THAT LOOK LIKE THE FACE OF A "SAMURAI WARRIOR". IT IS BELIEVED BY MANY THAT THE SPRIT'S OF THE DEFEATED HEIKE WARRIORS, ROAM THE SEA, IN THE FORM OF THE "THE HEIKE CRAB" (NAMED AFTER THEM). TO THIS DAY THE "HEIKE CRAB" IS NOT EATEN, AND IS TOSSED BACK INTO THE SEA WHEN CAUGHT. THESE EVENTS ARE, COMMEMORATED TO THIS DAY ON, APRIL 24th. OF EVERY YEAR.
ERA: Early-Mid 13th century
APPROXIMATE AGE OF BLADE:
800 Years
THE NAKAGO (TANG):
O-Suriage (original tang cut off)
MEI (MAKERS SIGNATURE):
Mu-Mei
JIRI (TANG END):
Saki-Kiri (rounded)
MEKUGI ANA (HOLE IN TANG
FOR RETAINING PEG): 2
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BLADE TYPE:
TACHI
STYLE:
Shinogi-Zukuri (most popular style)
MUNE (BACK RIDGE):
Iori (peaked)
NAGASA (LENGTH OF CUTTING
EDGE): 69 cm / 27-3/16”
SORI (CURVATURE):
1.7 cm / 5/8”
Motohaba (WIDTH):
3.05 cm / 1-1/4”
BOSHI: (TEMPERING IN
POINT): Midare-Komi, Komaru- (short turn back)
KISSAKI (POINT STYLE):
Ikubi (medium point)
HAMON
:(TEMPERING,MARTENSITE)
Choji-Midare mixed w/ Gonome.
HADA (BLADE GRAIN STYLE):
Ko-Itame
w/ Midare Utsuri, Ji-nie
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CONDITION:
Pristine
KIZU (FLAWS):
None
POLISH:
100%
DAMAGE: None
HABAKI:
2 piece Solid Gold
SHIRA SAYA (STORAGE CASE)
SAYA-GAKI'S, BY; DR. HOMMA JUNJI, AND TANOBE MICHIHIRO SENSEI
*Den; a
prefix meaning a blade has most of the characteristics of a certain smith,
and has
additional qualities that could be considered
a smiths best work.
This Sword is not available for purchase.
If you wish to purchase a Japanese Sword please view our Nihon To for sale page or contact us directly via email, please include specifics of what you seek, i.e.: Katana, maker, era, price range etc.
