The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-06
THE JAPANESE SWORDS
BLADES OF FINE STEEL JOINED TO
CARVED AND JEWELED HITS.
Etiquette of the Weapon-BeSt Friend
of the Japanese Gentleman Rel
eGated to Obscurity.
New York Times.

From time immemorial it has been the Gus
tom to wear side arms in Japan, and when
an edict was issued in 1877. a flood of use
less swords was thrown upon the market
weapons which represented peculiar art.
at once aesthetic and surrounded by
glamour of romance and chivalry
The production of these weapons pro-
duced a race of swordmakers who were as
famous among their people as the great
artists of Europe and America are in the
art world of to-day. The sword in Japan
was not merely appreciated as a weapon,
but was reverenced as living personality,
and great virtues were attached to it by
the superstitious people. A Japanese writer
of the sixteenth century. one Iyeyasu, says;
THE sword is the living soul of the lam
urai." The latter were the noblemen ana
their affection and pride for their swords
was a prominent national trait, the weap-
ons being cared for with the greatest rev.
erence, and handed down from generation
to generation. The blades of Toledo or
Damascus did not exceed in fineness these
japanese blades that in the hands of ex-
perts performed prodgies of valor.
Among the noblemen there was a sword
etiquette, with rules so we'll understood
that their infringement was impossible by
a gentleman. Sword etiquette in the house
demanded that the caller, if he wore two
swords, should remove the longest and lay
it aside, as one would an umbrella, or as
did Colonel Cervante, of Georgia, in the old
days, who upon paying his respects to the
widow Lawson always left his bowie knife
thrust in the steps as an indication of good
will
There were times and situations which de-
manded the long and short sword and gem
tlemen never made mistakes. If an insult
was intended. the followers of a princely
house did not bite thumb; they merely
had to touch the sword of an enemy or pay
a social call and not remove the long sword
Equally insulting was a pretense at drawing
the sword, or to throw it upon the matted
ho0r, hilt to the foe. Any of these move
ments was equivalent to throwing down the
gauntlet to one or all present, which would
Invariably be followed by a sanguinary con-
test. On the street if two gentlemen
passed one another. then turned and
clashed their scabbards together. it was a
exhibit 1t, was gross insult; only after the
most urgent requests would a japanese
gentleman exhibit his blade. and then only
win many and prOfuse apologies.
Etiquette was carried even to the ham
ding OF the sword. The guest received it
IN a silk sword cloth-which every sword
and the point directed at the owner of the
sword Even if the blade was famous one
ana being examined for its intrinsic beau
ues the apologies were profuse and con-
tinued.
SWORDS OF GREAT VALUE
The japanese were famous for the variety
of their swords and daggers, used on vari-
Gus occasions. The katana was a sword
about two feet long, the wakizashi about
half of that. On ceremonial occasions the
chisa-katana, three feet in length. was used.
The hakama indicated that the wearer was
of gentle birth; while officials of low rank
wore the aikuchi, short, gUe7dless dirk.
This was also used by pEeF ssional men,
while hunters used the nodatchi.
Inc swords of nobeman in full dress
were often of great value and beauty. Con-
Venlently placed was the katana and tanto:
Dehlnd in the girdle, was thrust the richly
ornamental metezashi, while at the side
was a gorgeous affair-the yepu modatchi
IN its richly lacquered scabbard Each
sword was study in itself, and each por-
tioh was unique and perfect from an artis-
ne standpoint. The principal parts were
the top of the hilt, or kashira, often of
richly carved bronze or silver; the curious
ornaments or menuki, bound into the sides
or the hllt These were of the greatest va
rlety IN gold silver and bronze-each a.
perfectly carved object of art, their purpose
niue knives that mt in the scabbaFd, the
kodzuka and kogai. The scabbard itself
was thing of beauty, often of magnolia
wood, richly tinted in a variety of colors
or inlaid with pearl, gold. silver. or bronze
The guard, or ysuba, was often the prin-
clpal feature of this work of art. being of
gold silver, or bronze richly ornamented
inlaid, or carved. Some collections in this
country include hundreds of these guards
alone the greater number being in bronze
The riVetS were all covered with rich orna-
ments, called menuki, and so on to the
cords which bound it, the sword was essen
TALLY artistic and aesthetic.
A TEST OF THE BLADES.
The swords of the Japanese may all be
-fr1
point of beauty and decoration as well as
price, and those made by famous artists
brought large sums, &c. 900 often being paid
for a perfect sword not jeweled When a
number of famous sword owners met. the
sword naturally became a subject of con-
versation, and numerous tests were given
by the skilled swordsmen of the day. 1t is
said that on enc occasion Iyeyasu vino was
the author of a voluminous work on sword
etiquette and the owner of a fine sword
was once travelling in the interior and
stopped at night at a little inn where seV-
eraI other noblemen were resting. The sub
gect OF their swords was touched upon and
from one word to another they were led
INTO dispute regarding the Qualities of
the blades To settle it they agreed upon
several tests. One of the strangers had a
long, attenuated blade which he drew care
fully from its sheath; then barring his arm
he held a pillow, and with a quick move
We're paper-an extraordinary feat. Iyeyasu
ana the same; then, seeing a large cub bear
ne ordered his men to throw it inward
They did so, and as it dropped he severed
it with a single blow in the air. thus win
nlng the contest. His sword was made nv
the great artist Naga-Mitza A. d. 1919 and
was named Adzuki-Na ga -Mitza, this being
It's guarantee that it could sever a bear al
a single blow.
The swordmaker was a favored jndivid-
ual, man of wealth. He was courted and
ieted, and when he had achieved great
fame he was ennobled. Always when forg
ing sword he was allowed 10 wear the
garb of noble at a certain period i'm the
history of the blade. At this time he re
tired from public view. and certain mvS-
ferrous rites were performed that were sun
posed to invest the sword with special now
ers. ~ P'"
When in full dress nobeman presented
maSnlhcent appearance. his swords being
especially rlcn IN their decoration.
ancient swords ARE those that antedate
lo'O, those following being known as shinto.
ana while many are remarkably fine they
are not esteemed as highly as the blades
OF lUOO or 500 years ago. In the old swords
liSntness was a feature. and some were so
QeHcale that they could almost be bent
couple. one of the most famous makers
OF shlnto swords was Nero Horikawa Kun-
MIRO, VINO nourished in 1900 Another artist
NoFe MIRO, VINO made swords in 1890. left
many famous examples of his art, several
or Whlch may be seen in this country. one
IN the collection of Mr. Henry Molineux of
SILVER, the hGureS representing the seven
gods of good fortune. Another sword in
this same collection was forged by the eel
eDTated artist Tada YoShi in the seven