Tsukurikomi

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Types of blade shape
Types of blade shape

Tsukurikomi ( Japanese 造 り 込 み ) describes the shape and cross-section of Japanese blades.

description

There are various names that indicate the differences in the shape of the blade and its cross-section. These are:
(top picture)

  1. Shinogi-zukuri ( 鎬 造 り ): These blades have a shinogi (ridge line) close to the mune (back of the blade). They have a yokote and sori (curved blade) and were made after the Heian period (around 987). These blades are also known under the term Hon-zukuri ( 本 造 り ).
  2. Shōbu-zukuri ( 菖蒲 造 り ): these blades are similar in construction to the Shinogi-zukuri blades , but have no yokote. They have a "sharp" shape and resemble an iris leaf. This blade shape was used in Tantō and Wakizashi in the Muromachi period .
  3. Katakiriha-zukuri ( 片 切 刃 造 り ): In this type, one side of the blade is a Hira-zukuri or Shinogi-zukuri , while the other side is worked in Kiriha-zukuri . This type was first used at the end of the Kamakura period . It was more widespread at the beginning (1586–1643) and at the end (1781–1967) of the Edo period .
  4. Hira-zukuri ( 平 造 り ): The blades of this type have no Shinogi (ridge line on the blade side) and no Yokote (dividing line between the blade tip and the rest of the blade). This form first appeared on early tachi. Tanto and Ko-Wakizashi , made after the Heian period, are often of the Hira-zukuri type .
  5. Moroha-zukuri ( 両刃造り ): This is a double-edged sword ( moroha ), in contrast to Ken (also in Tsurugi ) both sides are unevenly shaped. This type, which can also be curved, can be seen on tanto blades that were made after the middle of the Muromachi period (around 1467).
  6. Kiriha-zukuri ( 切 刃 造 り ; not shown): With this type, there is a ridge line just above the cutting edge that resembles a Shinogi. The Shinogiji (lateral, flat surface on the blade) is very wide. This type evolved from the Hira-zukuri type. You can only find it on very old blades.

(lower picture)

  1. Kissaki-moroha-zukuri ( 切 先 両 刃 造 り ): The kissaki is cut on both sides. The part of the blade under the kissaki is shaped differently than the kissaki. This type was first used during the Nara period and copied by later blade smiths. The famous sword Kogarasu-maru , a family treasure of the Heike (the largest warrior family in Japan in the Heian period), is of this type. It has a flat sori and the blade on the mune side is only sharpened on the upper half, towards the point. Blades of this type are also named after the mentioned sword of Heike Kogarasu-maru-zukuri ( 小 烏丸 造 り ).
  2. Kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri ( 冠 落 と し 造 り ). In this type, the lower half of the blade towards the handle is made in the normal Shinogi-zukuri type, but the Shinogiji is cut diagonally, which makes it similar to a Shōbu-zukuri type. This type of blade is often found on swords made in Yamato Province and swordsmith schools in this region at the beginning of the Kamakura period .
  3. U-no-kubi-zukuri ( 鵜 の 首 造 り ): Means "neck of the cormorant ". This type is similar to the Kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri type with the difference that the middle of the Shinogi (lateral ridge line) is worked at an angle, while the lower part and the kissaki are normally shaped. Some versions have a yokote (dividing line between the kissaki and the rest of the blade).
  4. Osoraku-zukuri ( お そ ら く 造 り ): osoraku means "probably". This type has a very long kissaki that is sometimes even longer than the rest of the blade. This type is very rare and can only be found on Tantō and Wakizashi blades. This type was first used by master swordsmith Shimada Sukemune, who engraved the word Osoraku in Japanese script into one of these blades . It is said that this blade was intended for Katagiri Katsumoto , a famous general of the Sengoku period .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Kōkan Nagayama: The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords. Kodansha International, Tokyo 1998, ISBN 4-7700-2071-6 , p. 54.

literature

  • John M. Yumoto: The Samurai Sword. A handbook . Tuttle Publishing, Rutland VT et al. 1988, ISBN 0-8048-0509-1 .
  • Nobuo Ogasawara: Japanese swords . 12th edition. Hoikusha, Osaka 1993, ISBN 4-586-54022-2 ( Color Books 22).
  • Ian Bottomley, Anthony Hopson: Arms and Armor of the Samurai. The history of weaponry in Ancient Japan. Crescent Books, New York NY et al. 1996, ISBN 0-517-10318-4 , p. 184.

Web links

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