Juyo Token Bizen Osafune Sanenaga Meito

Juyo Token Bizen Osafune Sanenaga Meito

A very important sword by Bizen Osafune Sanenaga.

Sanenaga is considered the son of Mitsutada and the student and younger brother of Nagamitsu. There is some discussion over whether there were two generations of Sanenaga. He was active during the Mid Kamakura period between 1264-1314. This blade is osuriage (shortened) and therefore unsigned. It is still 71.7 cm long (2 shaku 3 sun 6 bu) and quite thick and heavy.

It is accompanied by an origami by Honami Ko-on (father of Kochuu) done during Shoho 4th year (February 3,1647). The origami authenticates this blade (sho shin) and values it at 13 gold pieces. Ko-on is the 11th Honami. His father Koshitsu passed over to the Tokugawa during the battle of Osaka along with the famous Onimaru Kunitsuna tachi belonging to the Ashikaga Shogun. When Ieyasu became Shogun, Koshitsu and his son (Ko-on) were summoned to Edo where the Honami family became very powerful and influential serving the Tokugawa.

This sword achieved NBTHK Juyo Token rank in 1991. (37th annual) Juyo description reads in part- "Sanenaga was Mitsutada's son and is considered Nagamitsu's student. This sword represents a typical perfect example (tokuchu) of Sanenaga. Sublime or calm and subtle work (odayaka). Thick kasane. Bo utsuri and tight nioi guchi." There are just over 40 Juyo Token Sanenaga so far. This is the only one with Honami Origami noted.

Tokugawa Yorinobu (1602-1671), 8th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu wore this sword. Yorinobu was the first Tokugawa Daimyo appointed to the Kishu Han in July of 1619 (Genna 5). Kishu (Kii) along with Owari and Mito comprised the three major strongholds of the Tokugawa dynasty. Master Shinto swordsmith Nanki Shigekuni originally of Yamato moved to Wakayama in Kishu along with Yorinobu.

An extensive sayagaki by Michihiro Tanobe of the NBTHK reads in part- "Juyo Token Bizen koku Osafune Sanenaga Osuriage Mumei. There is origami on Shoho 4th by Honami Koon. Family history is Kishu Tokugawa Shogun Yorinobu's sword. In Sanenaga's typical style and shows well made ji and ha. Worthy of preservation" Dated June 2002 (Year of the Horse).

This sword was sold by the Kishu Tokugawa Han on February 18, 1934 during the second of three auctions. It was lost to them for the sum of 410 yen during a time of hardship.

Shirasaya with sayagaki by Michihiro Tanobe

Classic "Sansaku Boshi"

Origami by Honami Ko-on dated Shoho 4th. (1647)

Comments:

This sword is a serious and very exciting piece. Not only is it made by a very rare and desirable smith, it is known to have been the personal property of the Kishu Tokugawa clan and actually worn by Tokugawa Yorinobu the first daimyo of Kishu the 8th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu the first Tokugawa Shogun. Yorinobu was also the grandfather of the 8th Shogun, Yoshimune (Abarembo Shogun). This is verified as genuine by the NBTHK which awarded it the rank of Juyo Token, an origami by the Honami family done over 300 years ago at the same time the blade was owned by Yorinobu, and the sayagaki by Dr. Tanobe of the NBTHK.

This sword is not just part of Tokugawa Yorinobu's "collection" but is known to be the actual blade that he wore and used! His brother Kazusa no suke Tadateru (6th son of Ieyasu) also wore a Sanenaga. According to the Tokugawa Jikki, Tadateru cut down a man named Hattori Han no Jo at Chikimagawa with it. That Sanenaga was 2 shaku, 5 sun and 3 bu in length.

Yorinobu was an avid Martial Arts enthusiast and this blade exemplifies a "no nonsense" strength and dignity typical of blades by Sanenaga. Sanenaga blades tend to be very "straight forward" exhibiting a quiet generally straight temper line and well worked jigane showing a strong utsuri. This blade retains a wide kasane (or thickness) and feels heavy for a Koto piece indicating that Yorinobu must have been physically strong and active. He and his younger brother Tokugawa Yorifusa (first Daimyo of Mito) are known to have been practitioners of O-tameshi.

The Bizen school of swordsmiths is one of the five main schools of swordmaking. During the Mid Kamakura period the Osafune school was the most prominent and prosperous in Bizen. Founded by Mitsutada, this school produced many master swordsmiths such as his sons Nagamitsu and Sanenaga -( the maker of this particular sword), and Kagemitsu. They are remembered as the Osafune "Sansaku" or three (sword) makers. They produced the recognizable "Sansaku Boshi" which this sword classically displays.

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