List of Wazamono

This list of Wazamono is a list of 228 swordsmiths[1] (or 180 depending on the method of counting[2]) of katana and other weapons in the book Kaihō kenjaku (懐宝剣尺 Pocket Treasured Sword Length)[2] or Kaihō-kenshaku, released in 1815[2] by Yamada Asaemon.[1][2] (Yamada Asaemon V was one among a direct line of official sword testers for the bakufu during the Edo Period, every generation of whom inherited that name).

The work lists 12 saijō ōwazamono (最上大業物 "supreme sharpness swords"), 21 ōwazamono (大業物 "great sharpness swords"), 50 ryōwazamono (良業物 "good sharp swords"), 80 wazamno (業物 wazamono, "sharp swords"), and 60 (65?) makes with mixed levels of sharpness.

As is well-known, the names of Japanese swords take after its maker. Thus by "sword" here, the "make of the sword", i.e., the signature mark of the swordsmith is meant.

The authoritative list, compiled by the samurai whose job was testing a katana, had been and is still used as a benchmark for a katana. However, this list has also been used by those who sell fake katana.

The list does cover both shintō (new sword) as well as the kotō (old sword). However it omits pieces by the most preeminent smiths from the kotō period (900 to 1596 AD), blades by e.g. Sōshū Masamune, Sōshū Sadamune, Bizen Nagamitsu and Ise Muramasa. Such treasure swords never underwent test-cutting during the Edo Period, being considered too valuable as historical art objects to risk damage.

In the following list, the generation designation is converted to Roman numeral, thus Shodai (初代)="I (first generation)"; Nidai (二代)="II (second generation)", etc.

Saijō ōwazamono

12 in this category.

Ōwazamono

21 in this category.

Ryōwazamono

50 in this category.

Wazamono

80 in this category.

Mixed

Swordmakers that produced a mixture of quality, ōwazamono, ryōwazamono, or wazamono. 60 in this category.

References

  1. 1 2 Sesko, Markus (2011). Legends and Stories Around the Japanese Sword. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 115. ISBN 978-384236603-9.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 Nagayama 1997, pp. 37–39, (Wazamono list in Eng.-Japanese)
  3. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 409, vol.1修理亮盛光 gives "Shuri" (no elgogation on the u"
  4. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 334, vol. 2
  5. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 329, vol. 2
  6. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 287, vol. 1
  7. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 185, vol. 2
  8. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 228, vol. 2
  9. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 383, vol. 1
  10. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 383, vol. 2
  11. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 436, vol. 1
  12. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 99, vol. 1
  13. ↑ Nagayama 1998 has 橘一法 under Wazamono;Tachibana Ippō; "対馬守一法" at Tsurugi no ya page, and 対馬守橘一法 by Sesko 2012, p. 96, vol. 1
  14. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 309, vol. 1
  15. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 97, vol. 1
  16. ↑ 佐藤, 均. "著名刀剣標準価格表・「か」～２". 刀の蔵. Retrieved June 2012.
  17. 1 2 Sesko 2012, p. 233, vol. 1
  18. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 245, vol. 1
  19. ↑ Hawley 1966, p. 154
  20. ↑ Sesko 2012, pp. 267,269, vol. 1 "Kunikore(国維)" cross-references to "Kunimasa(国維)"
  21. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 168, vol. 2
  22. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 163, vol. 2
  23. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 157, vol. 2
  24. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 186, vol. 2
  25. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 196, vol. 2
  26. 1 2 Sesko 2012, p. 214, vol. 2
  27. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 248, vol. 2
  28. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 24, vol. 2
  29. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 65, vol. 1
  30. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 72, vol. 1
  31. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 450, vol. 1
  32. ↑ Tsurugi no ya (2007). "業物位列一覧". Tsuruginoya (homepage). Retrieved June 2012.
  33. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 408, vol. 1
  34. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 408, vol. 2
  35. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 359, vol. 2
  36. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 96, vol. 1
  37. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 174, vol. 1
  38. ↑ Sesko 2012, vol. 1
  39. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 241, vol. 1
  40. ↑ Sesko 2012, p. 108, vol. 1
  41. 1 2 Sesko 2012, p. 82, vol. 1
  42. ↑ "signature search". Nihonto club. Retrieved June 2012.
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