-
TANTO BY ECHIZEN SHIMOSAKA 越前下坂 100725
The story of the Echizen Shimosaka starts with the first generation Yasutsugu (康継). He is believed to have been born…
-
Articles |NIHONTÔ, THE JAPANESE SWORD, A SHORT HISTORY.
Most experts agree that the first forged steel swords came to Japan in the same way as many other cultural…
-
A VERY “PUNNY” TANTÔ
This little tantô brings with it good fortune for a Samurai. Anyone familiar with Japanese food knows that dashi (fish…
-
EXTREMELY RARE TANTÔ BY YASUKUNI YASUTOSHI 靖利#050918
Yasutoshi (靖利)was born in the fourth year of Taisho in Hiroshima Prefecture. He was the third son of Yasutoku who became…
-
BEAUTIFULLY MOUNTED TANTO BY ARIKOTO 有功
Arikoto was a sword smith from Kyoto who worked around 1848. He was a student of Omori Toshihide and Morioka…
-
MOON OVER MY FANNY
I am calling this newest addition to my mezurashii mono collection of unusual things, moon over my fanny (apologies to…
-
TANTÔ FOR THE SAMURAI ON THE GO
What can we say that hasn’t already been said? Those Japanese koshirae makers had all kinds of talent. Here we…
-
TANTÔ FOR THE YOSHIWARA
This is a tantô for the Samurai of modest means. Hidden in the bottom of the saya is a removable…
-
TANTÔ FOR JAMES BOND-SAN
Samurai spy? Who else would carry an item such as this? On the outside a non-assuming tantô.
-
SMOKE UM IF YOU GOT UM
Got a light? Here we have a simple 19th century pipe case and tobacco pouch. OOPS…. ? What have we…
-
TOOLS FOR THE POETIC SAMURAI
This item is just soooo darn cute. Because the blade is so small, I would hesitate to call it a…
-
HIDDEN KABUTOWARE
This tantô can really give someone a headache. Made in the mid 1700’s this tantô koshirae houses a wickedly heavy…
-
A “FAN” FOR ALL SEASONS
Here is a really “cool” item to carry around on those hot and humid days in old Edo (present day…
-
TANTÔ or PURSE
Here is a tantô that will keep you from going broke. It’s not really a tantô, its a surreptitious way…
-
A TANTÔ FOR THE PREPARED SAMURAI
Since Samurai were known to live life on the edge, they never knew when they might meet their demise and…
-
THIS TANTÔ IS EASY ON THE EYES
This items quite unbelievable. On the outside, just a normal tantô. When hidden panels are opened on either end, its…
-
A BANGING GOOD TANTÔ
This is an extremely rare and interesting item. When worn in the obi, it appears to be an ordinary tantô.…
-
Articles |THE TANTÔ 短刀
A tantô is traditionally described as being a Japanese sword of less than one shaku in length. This equates to…
-
BIZEN KANEMITSU TANTÔ 備前兼光 #110214
I am pleased to offer this beautiful tantô by the famous Bizen Osafune smith, O-Kanemitsu. It passed Jûyô Tôken in…
-
BEAUTIFUL TANTO BY YUKIMITSU 幸光 #110816
This is an elegant little tanto made by the Muromachi era Bizen smith, Yukimitsu. The full signature reads Bizen (no)…
-
Articles |RAI KUNIMITSU 来国光
When we search for the foundations of the Rai (来)school, we must first consider the Awataguchi (粟田口) school. This was…
