GREAT SPEARS OF LEGEND… SPEARING YOUR WAY. THE GREAT SPEARS–3 LEGENDS MORE.
Spears can be more than just a sharp stick. The 3 great-spears of japan are bound in the Legends of the Martial Ways. Slide-show, pics, legends and manufacture by black-smiths both ancient and modern all point the way forward herein.
…SHIRO & SILVER MOON.
THE WAY OF THE SPEAR… YOUR WAY.?.
SPEARS,.. even
THE GREAT SPEARS,..
have long been a major part of the JAPANESE MARTIAL TRADITIONS AND WAYS.
As a general WEAPONRY TYPE,..(click)
referred to as THE YARI.
This LONG-POLE or STICK upgrade is also an invaluable asset to your ARTS OF SELF-DEFENCE.
YARI …=… 槍
ACROBATIC DEFENCE INDEED… photocredit/thanks:youtube
ARTICLE AND BONUS SLIDE-SHOW.
WEAPON INTEL #6a
photocredit/thanks:bujinkan
are the LONG POLE WEAPONS…as well as…SOME SPEAR TYPES OF ANCIENT JAPANs MARTIAL WAYS…CLICK PHOTO FOR SOME BASIC SPEAR AND LEGEND MORE. Photo Credit/Thanks:MatthewAsh
3 LEGENDS MORE-
THE 3 GREAT SPEARS
OF JAPAN.
A SPEAR… THE WAY.
Amongst the LEGENDS OF THE WAY OF THE SPEAR, there are several that pointedly stand out. A trio of stand-outs have, over time, earned themselves the title of GREATness.
Known collectively as THE THREE GREAT SPEARS OF JAPAN,..
they have become iconic each+all…
representative and symbols of authority of importance, memorial, remembrance and continued future hope. Such designations honor THE SPEAR‘s history and usage in playing it’s part in the nation building of JAPAN.
LEGENDS indeed and in fact too.
So with no more ado… alphabetically,
introducing… to you;
- NIHONGO
- OTEGINE
and
- TONBOGIRI
= THE 3 GREAT SPEARS OF JAPAN.
= TENGA SAN MEI SOU 天下三名槍
Named as such in the ‘ KYŌHŌ MEIBUTSU CHŌ ‘ , a listing of famous BLADES compiled by the HON’AMI FAMILY circa 1715-25.
This doc., signed off by 本阿弥光忠 HONAMI MITSUTADA;
was compiled at the behest of the then current TOKUGAWA rulers/government via the SHŌGUN YOSHIMUNE 徳川吉宗.
The 享保名物帳 listing details the BLADES considered to be of important historical significance from the HEIAN to YOSHINO periods of JAPANESE HISTORY (app. 800-1400 A.D.).
JAP.CARD GAME HANAFUDA… SHIRO LEARNT AT KOMA HOUSE JAPAN WHILST NINPO TRAINING. CLICK PHOTO FOR MORE INFO INDEED. photocredit/thanks:revogamers
JAPAN… FUJIYAMA.
A TRIO OF GREATness…
A LOVINGLY,..
LEGENDARY CRAFTED TRIO BY
藤原正真
MASTER-SMITH MASAZANE FUJIWARA,..
in his early career,
an apprentice of HEIANJÔ NAGAYOSHI 平安城長吉
and later,.. of the
村正 MURAMASA SCHOOL + TRADITION (click).
NOT QUITE A SPEAR WAY… A WAY WITH MUSIC INDEED… CLICK PHOTO FOR MORE IT SEEMS.
3 LEGENDS MORE…
and something to… sing about indeed.
THE GREAT SPEAR : 日本号
NIHONGO.
The NIHONGO was passed from EMPEROR MASATIAKI TO SHOGUN ASHIKAGA YOSHIAKI TO DAIMYO ODA NOBUNAGA TO D. TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI TO D. FUKUSHIMA MASANARI… WHO LOST THIS GREAT SPEAR… IN A DRINKING BET… TO MORI TAHEI… AND ON TO THE FUKUOKA CITY MUSEUM,.. WHERE IT IS STILL DISPLAYED. THIS TALE IS RETOLD IN THE SONG KURODABUSHI. LEGEND. NIHONGO measured some 7-10 ft. dependent on sections used. BLADE LENGTH app.80cm. Photo Credit/Thanks:samurai-spirits
THE GREAT SPEAR : 御手杵
OTEGINE.
The OTEGINE… a LEGEND RESTORED. Unfortunately,.. though pointedly too, there are some which may well be LEGENDS LOST TO TIME. One YUKI HARUTOMO commissioned the crafting of this SPEAR… which was later passed TO YUKI HIDEYASU. Beyond this, there is lil in the LEGENDS besides the forlorn though not forgotten after-word… THE GREAT SPEAR OTEGINE was lost during the incessant bombing of TOKYO during the event known as ww2. The above is the restored copy piece; which is now publicly on display at the YUKI-KURABIKAN in the city of YUKI. THE GREAT SPEAR OTEGINE is almost 13 ft in length,.. with a BLADE SPIKE LENGTH app 140cm. Photo Credit/Thanks:samurai-spirits
THE GREAT SPEAR : 蜻蛉切
TONBOGIRI.
The TONBOGIRI completes the TRIO OF GREAT SPEARS created and crafted by the JAPANESE MASTER BLADE-SMITH MASAZANE FUJIWARA. As this weapon is currently privately owned it’s LEGENDS and DISPLAY are not for… legendary display. A replica can be found in the displays of the IEYASU and MIWA BUSHI MUSEUM. THE GREAT SPEAR TONBOGIRI is of an elegant and streamlined nature. The BLADE is comparatively smaller than the previous two which may indicate a more Ceremonial usage though its nick-name is just as Martial oriented. Oft referred to and termed the DRAGON-FLY CUTTING SPEAR, an obvious ref to it’s bladed keen nature. TONBOGIRI has a BLADE LENGTH app 45cm… whilst the section measurements range indicates a full length of some 10-15+ ft. This was also oft somewhat converted to a hand-spear app 3 ft long,.. as the owner aged. Photo Credit/Thanks:samurai-spirits
THE GREAT SPEAR TONBOGIRI OF JAPAN. Photo Credit/Thanks:wikimedia
A LEGENDARY BLADE-SMITH.
TRAVELS + TRIALS
BY FIRE INDEED.
EXCUSE ME SIR…YOUR SWORD IS ON FIRE.!. MANY FINE WEAPONS + co… HAVE GONE UP IN SMOKE INDEED IT SEEMS. UGH… WE HAVE EVEN… SET THIS TOWN ON FIRE… CLICK PHOTO TO SOOTHE THAT BURNING SENSATION OF KNOWLEDGE ALIGHTING INDEED.
The LEGENDS and chronicles make clear that many many WEAPONS of fine manufacture and historical importance have been lost over the ages.
Mostly, BY FIRE.
Some 75+ are noted in the document ” KYOHO… ” alone (click). A large number of these may well have been over 1000 years old as this record only contains olden weaponry documentation.
SO…SOME BLACKSMITHING REQUIRED… HEREIN… need 9 UNIQUE WEAPONS… CLICK PHOTO TO UNVEIL UNIQUE WEAPONRY SLIDE-SHOW INDEED. gifcredit/thanks:giphy
BLADE-SMITH MASAZANE was oft recorded as travelling to and from such as NARA and KYOTO and along the JAP. eastern side from YOSHIDA to ODAWARA and EDO.
He originally appears to be a student of the EISHO MASTER-SMITH HEIANJÔ NAGAYOSHI 平安城長吉 who is also recorded in the LEGENDS + etc as a co-traveller and fellow craftsman.
When in the ISE province they worked together with MASTER-SMITH MURAMASA 村正 .
BLADE-WORK BY MURAMASA…THE SWORD–MAKERS… CLICK PHOTO FOR MORE ON THE SMITHING LEGENDS INDEED. photocredit/thanks:znaj
The SWORD-WORK of the MASTER-SMITHS has also long been appreciated.
A ruler of the near coast-based Castle YOSHIDA,
酒井忠次 SAKAI TADATSUGU 1527-96; who was one of the FOUR TOKUGAWA GUARDIANS 徳川四天王 , certainly agreed.
Crossing the path of a WILD BOAR, the Castellan had occasion to unveil, unleash and ultimately, use his latest useful MASAZANE creation. Indeed… and in fact too.
So these LEGENDS say.
STOPPED IN TIME… DONE.
The BLADE was indeed worked well and…
worked well on the Boar… as well.
Good work indeed.
Done well,?. yes please.!.
WILD BOAR… SLICED AND ROASTED INDEED IT SEEMS. MASAZANE STYLE.
In a show of appreciation the Castle Chief had the BLADE renamed “ INOKIRI “… = the Boar Cutter of MASAZANE.
This Title was then engraved/inlayed on the BLADE-TANG in commemoration 猪切 .
BLADE-WORK BY MASAZANE. THE BOAR-CUTTER SWORD INOKIRI 猪切 PhotoCredit/Thanks:marcussesko
SPEARING IN A CLOSE UP OF THE GREAT SPEAR TONBOGIRI BY MASAZANE. Photo Credit/Thanks:marcussesko
REF-NOTE:
For those with an interest…
A modern reprint of THE KYŌHŌ MEIBUTSU CHŌ can be found in TŌKEN MEIBUTSU CHŌ 刀剣名物帳 by TSUJIMOTO TADAO, 1970.
BLACK-SMITHING WORK HEREIN…
Also of note:
The reproduction of ancient metal forging and makes, continues to fascinate and interest many. There are some who go even deeper into the methods and ways of this ancient ART.
One such is SWORD-SMITH KUNIMASA of HYUGA city.
He is a Traditional taught SMITH, now working in MIYAZAKI, JAPAN.
MASTER-SMITH KUNIMASA… AT WORK IT SEEMS INDEED. Photo Credit/Thanks:ichiro matsuba kunimasa
The pieces he creates are oft masterful, especially in regards to the looks of the HAMON in which he accentuates with a cloves and cherry blossom type theme and display. This he says,.. (click)…
is a dedication to both old and new… his mentor…
MASTER-SMITH KOBAYASHI and the
LEGENDARY MAKER NAGAYOSHI (mentioned earlier = co-traveller MASAZANE…).
Please feel free to visit his site linked above to view and read more on this matter indeed. LEGEND.
SPEAR WAYS…ALL OVER THE WAYS INDEED. LEGEND.
BONUS SLIDE-SHOW : A
SIX-PACK OF SPEARS.
TYPES CURVED,..STRAIGHT,
SHAPED + THRICE GREAT.
ALL SIX,.. SHORT n SWEET INDEED.
Til next the
LEGENDS speak,..
NINPO IKKAN.
TO START… RELEASE YOUR INNER NINJA. photocredit/thanks:twitter
ANOTHER GREAT WAY… OF THE NAGINATA IT SEEMS. photocredit/thanks:pinterest
BUSHI… IN THE WIND AND WAY OF THE NAGINATA, THE CURVED SPEAR OF JAPANESE LEGEND AND TRADITION. gifcredit/thanks:theultralinx
GREETINGS FROM SHIROs AND SILVER MOONs.
Hi.
Just had to say…This is just great!
Great work as well.
Hello, i really think i will be back to your site.
keep up the good work.
Hi and thanks for visiting ninpolegends.
appreciate the support and sentiment.
am glad you found us.
please feel free to search for more
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more new and updates ongoing.
take care
til next shiro.
hi and thanks for visiting ninpolegends.
Thanks for the support and sentiment.
am glad you found us.
glad too you enjoyed the site content
and found much of interest.
please feel free to visit and chat
again soon when you feel the need
to read… more.
new and updates ongoing.
take care.
til next shiro.