Shinsengumi

[betadine 0]

in un certo senso non c'entra molto con l'argomento (shinsengumi) ma .........

 

 

ma anche in questo tribolato periodo di sangue e massacri, guerrieri come Taira no Tadanori (1144-1184) danno prova di estrema raffinatezza..

all’interno dell’elmo che abitualmente indossava e ritrovato dopo la morte, un fascicolo di sue poesie tra le quali:

Discende già la notte;
albergo
m’è l’ombra d’un ciliegio,
ed oste
un fiore

[sandro 40]

Come promesso più e più volte alla nostra Akaihana, iniziamo ad estrapolare e tradurre qualche poesia dallo “Hōgyoku Hokkushū” (Raccolta di haiku di Hōgyoku). Hōgyoku è il gagō (nome d’arte) di Hijikata Toshizō. Il documento è datato “Primavera del 3° anno dell’epoca Bunkyū (anno del cinghiale)”, corrispondente al 1863, dunque poco tempo dopo l’arrivo a Kyōto insieme agli altri membri della Rōshigumi.

 

Mi preme innanzitutto ricordare che, a differenza della prosa, tradurre la poesia giapponese nella nostra lingua può risultare molto ostico. Non soltanto per la difficoltà dell’interpretazione della poesia in sé, quanto piuttosto per il fatto che nella quasi totalità dei casi non è possibile mantenere la metrica di partenza. Nel caso dello haiku, questo è composto da tre versi formati rispettivamente da diciassette more, ripartite secondo uno schema di cinque-sette-cinque. Alla luce di ciò, ho ritenuto che fosse preferibile optare per uno stile più vicino ad una parafrasi onde evitare di rendere il tutto troppo criptico.

 

Essendo la raccolta composta da quarantuno poesie, credo che nel giro di qualche mese sia fattibile tradurle tutte. Continuerò, nei limiti del possibile (spero che non me ne vogliate), ad aggiornare questo messaggio con nuove traduzioni di volta in volta. L’ordine in cui queste sono presentate è lo stesso del testo originale.

 

 

 

文久三亥春 Bunkyū San I no Haru

豊玉発句集 Hōgyoku Hokkushū

土方義豊 Hijikata Yoshitoyo

 

差し向かう心は清き水鏡 Sashimukau Kokoro wa Kiyoki Mizukagami

Uno spirito sincero è come un limpido specchio d’acqua

 

裏表なきは君子の扇かな Uraomote Naki wa Kunshi no Ōgi ka na

È del ventaglio dell’uomo virtuoso non aver due facce

 

水音に添えてききけり川千鳥 Mizuoto ni Soete Kikikeri Kawachidori

È il piviere pluviale che udisco sovrapporsi al rumore dell’acqua

 

手のひらを硯にやせん春の山 Tenohira wo Suzuri ni Yasen Haru no Yama

Di fronte ai monti in primavera tramuterei il palmo della mia mano in pietra per inchiostro

 

白牡丹月夜月夜に染めてほし Hakubotan Tsukiyo Tsukiyo ni Somete Hoshi

Le peonie bianche son come stelle che tingono le notti di luna

[AkaiHana 0]

Grazie infinite per il tuo lavoro Sandro aspetterò con piacere il resto delle poesie.

Molti dicevano che le poesie di Hijikata fossero brutte, però queste prime che hai tradotto le trovo molto carine. Queste risalgono al 1863, ma quando lui poi andò a Kyoto non ne scrisse altre? Compose solo quella sulla bandiera e quella in punto di morte?

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

Casualmente, sfogliando una rivista portatami da un amico dal Giappone ho trovato altre immagini della Izumi no Kami Kanesada, purtroppo già nella foto originale lo hamon non si vede, spero che possano essere utili e che Sandro ci illumini con quanto c'è descritto

 

 

Credo che si parli anche delle lame degli altri membri della Shinsengumi, nel caso Sandro si trovano nel volume di Maggio che ha questa copertina:

 

 

 

[sandro 40]

La Izumi no Kami Kanesada posseduta da Hijikata Toshizō

 

L’ultima spada portata da Hijikata, dono dell’assegnatario del Kyōto Shugoshoku (l’ufficio di protezione della città imperiale), Matsudaira, daimyō del feudo di Aizu. Lunghezza: 2 shaku, 1 sun e 6 rin (circa 70,3 cm). Curvatura: 4 bu e mezzo (circa 1,3 cm). Un kitaehada in masame compone una trama simile ad una linea dritta. Nella zona del monouchi si intravede un hakobore che lascia immaginare l’impetuosità della battaglia. Le caratteristiche dell’undicesima generazione di Kanesada di Aizu ci sono tutte. Conservata nel museo di Hijikata Toshizō.

 

Omotemei ed Uramei

 

La firma sul lato omote recita Izumi no Kami Kanesada, mentre quella sul lato ura Keiō Sannen Nigatsu Hi (Un giorno di Febbraio del 3° anno dell’era Keiō – 1867).

 

Tsuba

 

“Se nel giorno di Tanabata si scioglie l’inchiostro insieme alla rugiada mattutina che si trova sulle foglie di gelso e si scrive il proprio desiderio sul tanzaku, quest’ultimo si avvererà”. Questo detto prende forma nella presente tsuba. In alto a sinistra troviamo il fiore di gelso, in basso la tavoletta d’inchiostro. Conservata nel museo di Hijikata Toshizō.

 

Grazie per la segnalazione Francesco. La rivista è Rekishijin e lo speciale di questo mese è intitolato “La spada e la fedeltà della Shinsengumi”.

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

Infinite grazie Sandro

Approfitto ancora chiedendoti se è solo una mia impressione o anche le lame sotto sono appartenute ad Hijikata?

 

 

 

[sandro 40]

E' esattamente come dici tu Francesco, anche le altre spade raffigurate sono state proprietà di Hijikata (l'articolo tratta appunto di ciò). In particolare è famoso il suo wakizashi di Horikawa Kunihiro.

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

L'altra lama dovrebbe essere una Aoi Mon Echizen Yasutsugu.

[AkaiHana 0]

Ho dei dubbi riguardo le altre due lame. Sul wakizashi avevo letto che secondo alcuni è un "falso", cioè ritengono improbabile che sia appartenuto ad Hijikata in quanto è una lama pregiata che il vice-comandante della Shinsengumi non poteva permettersi. Sapevo poi che la famiglia di Hijikata conservava solo la Izumi no Kami Kanesada e che non ci fossero altre katana.

[Simone Di Franco 54]

Su "the japanese sword as tought by the experts" c'è la leggenda in appendice

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

Hai modo Simone di postare questa appendice?

[Simone Di Franco 54]

Appena riesco vedo di scansionare qualcosa, anzi meglio, ve lo traduco, dovrebbero essere due pagine.

[sandro 40]

La Echizen Yasutsugu fu un dono ricevuto da Matsudaira Katamori per i servigi che Hijikata aveva reso, in qualità di vicecomandante della Shinsengumi, al Kyōto Shugoshoku. Il wakizashi di Horikawa Kunihiro, invece, non è quello riportato in fotografia (scusate se non lo avevo specificato prima). La lama che dovrebbe essergli appartenuta è andata persa, il che ha dato origine a diverse versioni sul possesso o meno della stessa.

 

In quanto alla disponibilità economica di Hijikata, questa non era affatto un problema. Lo Hijikata di epoca Bunkyū non avrebbe potuto forse permettersi una lama del genere, ma negli anni finali della loro permanenza a Kyōto la Shinsengumi era un corpo estremamente ricco, con molta probabilità più facoltoso di molti fudai daimyō.

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

Queste foto sono state scattate presso la recente conferenza "JAPONisme 2016" (Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) da Hiroshi Nagao, Shinichi Nakamura e Paul Martin alle lame di Kondo Isami ed Hijikata Toshizo.

 

 

Questo quanto riportato sui cartellini:

 

①Sword owned by Hijikata Toshizo Mei: Yamato no Kami Minamoto Hidekuni　

Dated: The eighth month, in the second year of Keio (1866)

Cutting edge length: 2 shaku, 2 sun, 8 bu. (68.7 cm)

This sword is well known for being one of the treasured swords of the Shinsengumi vice-commander, Hijikata Toshizo. It was later owned by civil rights activist, Muramatsu Benjiro, of Fuchu, Tokyo. Later in 1903 (Meiji 36), Muramatsu gave it to his comrade, Yoshino Tainosuke. The blade has a ko-itame hada, with a suguha, nioi-deki hamon, and a cutting edge length of 68.7 cm. This fighting man’s sword, with a high shinogi that is preferential for kenjutsu practitioners, was annointed 'Bakufu Samurai Hijikata Yoshitoyo’s Battle sword'. It is one of a small very small number of legendary swords that has been proven to actually have been worn by a member of the Shinsengumi.

②Sword owned by Kondo Isami Mei: Mutsu Daijo Miyoshi Nagamichi

Dated: The eighth month in the fifth year of Enpo (1677)

Cutting edge length: 2 shaku, 2 sun, 5 bu. (68.2 cm)

The Shinsengumi are well-known for their part in the Bakumatsu era, Ikedaya Incident. Due to their exploits, their name spread throughout Japan. They were awarded three hundred gold ryo from the court. However, they were also awarded five hundred ryo and swords from the Bakufu. In addition, they were given a further award of gold from the Military Commissioner of Kyoto, Matsudaira Katamori. Captain Kondo Isami was given thirty gold ryo, and this wonderful Miyoshi Nagamichi Katana. After Kondo was beheaded in Itabashi, Tokyo, this treasured sword of his was presented to the lord of the Tosa Yamanouchi clan as a war trophy by Tani Takeki (also of Tosa). This sword was on display in Yasukuni' Shrines Yushukan for many years before the second world war.

③Sword owned by Kondo Isami Mei: Ashu Yoshikawa Rokuro Minamoto Sukeyoshi. Dated: The eighth month in the first year of Keio (1865).

Cutting edge length: 2 shaku, 5 sun. (75.7 cm)

The discovery of a sayagaki for this sword has attracted much attention in recent years. It was written by former Major-General Matsue Toyohisa who was the Mayor of Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima prefecture, in the late Taisho era. Matsue used to visit the graves of victims of the Boshin War and pay his respects. He knew of a splendid grave in Tennei-ji temple in Wakamatsu city. When he went to visit it, he heard from the Preist that in the spring of 1868, someone had brought back Kondo's head and treasured sword from Kyoto. Kondo's head was buried and his sword entrusted to the temple. The sword has a suguha hamon that is very similar to Hijikata Toshizo's treasured Hidekuni sword. The movie Baruto no Gakuen is based upon a famous story that happened during the first world war involving Matsue. While serving in the army, he was the camp commander of the german prisoner of war camp in Tokushima. The prisoners formed an orchestra and performed Beethoven's 9th Symphony in appreciation of his kindness.

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

Ad integrazione della discussione riporto sottostante articolo e foto della singolare lama appartenuta ad Ōishi Kuwajirō:

A HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT NAMINOHIRA KATANA OWNED BY OISHI KUWAJIRO MEMBER OF THE SHINSENGUMI

This Katana is on display only at this time.

Here we have an incredibly interesting and historically important sword owned by Oishi Kuwajiro member of the Shisengumi, Kuwajiro was a known and feared assassin of the Shinsengumi  Ôishi was called “Hitokiri Kuwajiro” because of his involvement in many assassinations by the Shisengumi . Oishi Kuwajiro was known as  one of the The Four Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu (幕末四大人斬り Bakumatsu Yondai Hitokiri) was a term given to four Samurai during the Bakumatsu era in Japanese history.  The word hitokiri literally means “manslayer” or “man cutter,” as the kanji 人 means person, while 斬 can alternatively mean slay or cut. Oishi was known to have been involved in many historical  incidents and also carried out unknown numbers of assasinations he was also accused of killing Sakamoto Ryoma, He lived a short but eventful life, In March 1868, he fled the Shinsengumi and tried to join the Satsuma han  troops. But he was captured and executed on the charge of murder of Ito Kashitaro in 1870.

This sword has only come to light recently from the descendants of Oishi Kuwajiro in what we will describe as a well used condition, Its since been restored and certified by the NBTHK, The sword is mounted in Shirasaya and also comes with interesting koshirae with the Nozarashi theme on the saya lacquered in crushed shell with makie of skeleton, Tsuba is Iron with skull / Nozarashi  motif. Fuchi kashira are shakudo with wave bird and moon motif , The Menuki are in the form of bones in silver. The blade is a well forged mumei Shinshinto Naminohira with a wide Suguha Hamon ,Horimono of Skull and Crescent Moon on the ura.The blade is thick and heavy typical Shinshinto style , The Nakago bears an interesting gold / Kin Zogan inscription which reads Ningen Mukotsu Shingengumi Ōishi Kuwajirō Kore O haku (人間無骨新撰組大石鍬次郎帯之) ‒ “Humans have no bones, worn by the Shinsengumi Ōishi Kuwajirō”

N.B.T.H.K. Hozon Certificate Translation 

KANTEI-SHO (鑑定書) – APPRAISAL NBTHK
Katana, unsigned: Shinshintō Naminohira (新々波平)
No 3021478
Bears the kinzōgan inscription: Ningen Mukotsu Shingengumi Ōishi Kuwajirō Kore O haku (人間無骨新撰組大石鍬次郎帯之) ‒ “Humans have no
bones, worn by the Shinsengumi Ōishi Kuwajirō”
Nagasa ~ 64.4 cm
According to the result of the shinsa committee of our society, we judge this work as authentic and rank it as Hozon Tōken.
August 26, 2019
[Foundation] Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, NBTHK (日本美術刀劍保存協會)

 About Ōishi Kuwajirō (大石鍬次郎) 

Ōishi Kuwajirō (大石鍬次郎), lived from Tenpō nine (天保, 1838) to the tenth day of the tenth month of Meiji three (明治, 1870). Shinsengumi member (function of troop inspector) of the Bakumatsu era. Official first name Morichika (守親). From the Genji clan (lineage of Seiwa-Genji Yoshinaka, 清和源氏義仲).
Career
Born in Tenpō nine (天保, 1838) as eldest son of Ōishi Sutejirō (大石捨次郎) who was a close guard of the renowned Hitotsubashi (一橋) family, one of the three branches of the Tokugawa clans. His initial first name was Kinnosuke (金之助).
Due to a conflict (it is assumed it was about an issue with a women), he left his family and lived with a carpenter from Hino (日野) in Musashi province. This carpenter was an acquantaince of the village head Satō Hikogorō (佐藤彦五郎, 1827-1902) and it was through this connection that Ōishi was able to train at Hikogorō’s fencing dōjō.
Ōshi joined the Shinsengumi when Kondō Isami (近藤勇, 1834-1868) was recruiting in Edo from the ninth to the tenth month of Genji one (元治, 1864) after the Ikedaya Incident had taken place earlier in the sixth month of that year. As he was mainly carrying out assassinations, he was feared as “Ōshi the Assassin.” Ōishi was practicing the Ono-ha Ittō-ryū (小野派一刀流) of swords- manship but also studied the Tennen Rishin-ryū (天然理心流) that was followed by Kondō Isami. The Shidankai Sokki Roku (史談会速記録), a Taishō-era (大正, 1912-1926) record of statements from then aging contemporary wittnesses, mentions on several occasions Ōshi being an as apt swordsman as the famous Okita Sōji (沖田総司, 1842-1868).
According to the Torishirabe Nikki (取調日記) records of Shinsengumi member Yamazaki Susumu’s (山﨑丞, 1833-1868), Ōshi was a member of the first unit of the Shinsengumi lead by Okita Sōji at least by the fifth month of Keiō one (慶応, 1865).

In the ninth month of Keiō two (1866), Ōshi was deployed as commander of a unit of ten to an issue which became known as the Sanjō Seisatsu Incident. When the Shinsengumi became assimilated into the Bakufu troops in the sixth month of Keiō three (1867), Ōshi became troop inspector. In the eleventh month of that year, Ōshi assassinated Itō Kashitarō (伊東甲子太郎, 1835-1867) in the Aburanokōji Incident. In the twelfth month, Ōshi, Saitō Hajime (斎藤一, 1844- 1915) and others were ordered to protect the Kishū samurai Miura Kyūtarō (三浦休太郎, 1829- 1910) in the Tenmaya Incident.
When the Bakufu retreated from the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in the first month of Keiō four (1868), the Shinsengumi withdrew to Edo where Kondō formed a troop named Kōyō Chinbu Tai to follow the Bakufu’s order to assist pacifying Kai province. The troop of which Ōshi was a member was sent to Kai where it was defeated in the third month of that year and disbanded. After that, Ōshi was hiding in Edo with his wife and children but was captured in the twelfth month being betrayed by a friend and former Shinsengumi member, Mitsui Ushinosuke (三井丑之助). According to a tradition, Ōshi, troubled with life, approached former Shinsengumi member Kanō Washio (加納鷲雄, 1839-1902) who had become a member of the government forces under the Itō Faction and begged him to let him go, but without success. However, there is no historic record which would back this tradition and it is contradicted by the later testimony of Kanō’s comrade Abe Jūrō (阿部十郎, 1837-1907).
Ōishi was accused of Sakamoto Ryōma’s (坂本龍馬, 1836-1867) assassination in the Ōmiya Incident and confessed even if there had not been a thorough investigation. Later, however, he retracted his confession and said the job was carried out by the Tokugawa special forces Mimawarigumi. In any case, Ōshi was beheaded on the tenth day of the tenth month of Meiji three (明治, 1870) (November 3, 1870, in the Western calender) for the assassination of Itō Kashitarō, He was 32 years old at that time.
Due to fear of interrogation, Ōishi’s son and heir Raitarō (雷太郎) changed his name to Honma Utakichi (本間歌吉) and it is said that he later ran a shop for tortoise shell produces in the Inarichō (稲荷町) neighborhood of the Shitaya district of Tōkyō.

Notes on Transfer from family,  Name and Address have not been published in respect and privacy of the family
This sword was owned by my great-grandfather Ōishi Kuwajirō and was since handed down within our family. As we are no longer able to properly maintain the sword, we hand it over to Mr. ……
On a lucky day in March of 2019
ADDRESS ……….
NAME …..  ……. [Seal]

Article by Markus Sesko: 

https://markussesko.com/2020/01/28/ningen-mukotsu-人間無骨/

Ningen-Mukotsu (人間無骨) 

 

Who were the Shinsegumi?

The Shinsengumi (新撰組 or 新選組) were an small elite group of swordsmen commissioned by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1863 as a special police force to counter pro-imperial and anti-shogunate subversion in Kyōto. The Shinsengumi, lit. “newly established corps”, was first called Rōshigumi (浪士組), as most of its members were Ronin , masterless Samurai recruited in Edo (modern-day Tōkyō) in 1863 and sent to Kyōto to protect the Shogun who was visiting the city at that time.The Shinsengumi consisted of around 400 members.

One of its leaders though, Kiyokawa Hachirō (清河八郎, 1830-1863) was recalled to Edo for expressing pro-imperial sentiments. The remaining thirteen members of the Rōshigumi under Serizawa Kamo (芹沢鴨, 1826-1863) became the founding members of the Shinsengumi. Serizawa was murdered in an internal struggle, and Kondō Isami (近藤 勇, 1834-1868) and Hijikata Toshizō (土方歳三, 1835-1869) emerged as the new leaders. Based in Mibu in Kyōto, the Shinsengumi acted under orders from the Kyōto Shugoshoku (京都守護職, Office of Kyōto Protector), a shogunal office in the period from 1862 to 1868, which was held by Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu for most of its existence and served to keep peace in the city.

The group was involved in the famous massacre at the Ikedaya Inn in 1864 and the defence of the Imperial Palace in the Hamaguri Gomon Incident. Even after the Meiji Restoration the Shinsengumi remained loyal to the shōgun, fighting against the Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance in the Boshin War.Toshizō Hijikata and his men died in the Battle of Hakodate in June 1869 against the Imperial forces.

 

IKEDAYA INCIDENT

  

The Ikedaya Incident (池田屋事件 Ikedaya jiken) was an armed encounter in July 1864 between the Shinsengumi, at the Ikedaya Inn, located in the outskirts of Kyōto. After extremist forces of the Choshu Domain  had tried to take control of the imperial palace and were expelled from the capital, moderate forces from the Satsuma and the Aizu domains who advocated reconciliation between the imperial court and the shogunate took over politics. In the wake of their expulsion, Chōshū elements sought to regain control of Kyōto and plotted the assassination of Tokugawa leaders and pro-shogunate court nobles. On the night of July 8, 1864, the Shinsengumi under Kondō Isami attacked a gathering of these activists at the Ikedaya Inn. Eight of them were killed and four seriously wounded. Over twenty anti-shogunate activists were arrested, many of them from Chōshū.

   

The Bakumatsu Period 

The (幕末 bakumatsu, a compound word, translatable as “the end” or matsu of the military government or baku, which abbreviates bakufu, in turn literally meaning “tent-government”) refers to the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. Between 1853 and 1867, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as sakokuand changed from a feudal Tokugawashogunate to the pre-modern empire of the Meiji government. The major ideological-political divide during this period was between the pro-imperial nationalists called ishin shishiand the shogunate forces, which included the elite shinsengumi swordsmen.

Although these two groups were the most visible powers, many other factions attempted to use the chaos of Bakumatsu to seize personal power. Furthermore, there were two other main driving forces for dissent: first, growing resentment on the part of the tozama daimyō (or outside lords), and second, growing anti-Western sentiment following the arrival of Matthew C. Perry. The first related to those lords whose predecessors had fought against Tokugawa forces at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and had, from that point on, been excluded permanently from all powerful positions within the shogunate. The second was to be expressed in the phrase sonnō jōi, or “revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians”. The turning point of the Bakumatsu was during the Boshin War and the Battle of Toba–Fushimi when pro-shogunate forces were defeated.

ref Wikipedia

Sakamoto Ryōma

Was a low-ranking Samurai from the Tosa Domain on Shikoku and became an active opponent of the Tokugawa Shogunate after the end of Japan’s sakoku isolationist policy. Ryōma under the alias Saitani Umetarō (才谷梅太郎) worked against the Bakufu, the government of the Tokugawa shogunate, and was often hunted by their supporters and the Shinsengumi. Ryōma advocated for democracy, Japanese nationalism, return of power to the Imperial Court, abolition of feudalism, and moderate modernization and industrialization of Japan. Ryōma successfully negotiated the Satchō Alliance between the powerful rival Chōshū and Satsuma domains and united them against the Bakufu. Ryōma was assassinated in December 1867 with his companion Nakaoka Shintarō, shortly before the Boshin War and the Meiji Restoration.

Oishi Kuwajiro was said to having killed Ryoma but later retracted his confession and said he was killed by the Mimawarigumi Tokugawa special forces ??? But it is still commonly believed he was responsible for Ryoma,s death.

Fonte: https://nihonto.com.au/product/a-historically-important-naminohira-katana-owned-by-oishi-kuwajiro-member-of-the-shinsengumi/?fbclid=IwAR1GbUsCnSP2YXCUwDxyPDj0y3-R96uga_mMJrU7Fqwps8Eazut_wZCKBCc

 

[Toshicb 0]

Grazie mille Francesco per la condivisione, interessante.. 

[G.Luca Venier 0]

Molto interessante Francesco, grazie.

Naminohira viene poco considerata, in genere, ma salta sempre fuori...dagli angoli più impensati.

[Francesco Marinelli 0]

Integro la discussione con qualche "recente scoperta":

Articolo del Sankei Shinbun che ho cercato di tradurre (l'ultima parte non è per me semplice interpretarla quindi prendetela con le pinze): https://special.sankei.com/a/life/article/20200608/0001.html?fbclid=IwAR3D3j7I7TjhXaRecLAl9ae-4TOUJoFGdhdKUMso24hcWQVLb9gWMfxe_MI 

"La spada "Kotetsu", che si dice sia stata posseduta da Isami Kondō - il comandate della Shinsengumi che era attivo alla fine del periodo Tokugawa - è stata messa in vendita in un'asta online ed è diventata un argomento caldo tra i ricercatori. La spada è "contraffatta" dal punto di vista degli esperti (n.d.T gimei - firma falsa). Tuttavia, da quanto scritto sul sayagaki, è altamente possibile che si tratto della "spada di Kondō Isami".

La spada e il fodero di legno all'asta contenevano l'iscrizione del forgiatore del periodo Edo "Nagasone Kotetsu kōshō" (nidai Kotetsu - 2a gen. Kotetsu). È stato esposto nel luglio dello scorso anno e venduto per circa 950.000 yen. Nel sayagaki si dice che un politico dell'era Meiji avesse la spada di Kondō, si ritiene essere il pennello del conte Kaneko Kentarō (n.d.T.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaneko_Kentarō), ottenuta tramite Genbei, infatti Kondō la avrebbe consegnata alla famiglia Nakamura della locanda Kanagawa, Genbei ne era il proprietario."

 

Riporto per completezza e per i posteri anche l'articolo originale del sito e l'immagine del giornale pubblicato (credits Paul Martin - Paul mi ha detto che a breve dovrebbe pubblicare un articolo al riguardo, quindi appena possibile lo integrerò).

"幕末期に活躍した新選組の局長、近藤勇が所持していたとされる愛刀「虎徹（こてつ）」がネットオークションに出品され、研究者の間で話題になっている。専門家の見立てで刀は「偽物」。ところが鞘に書かれていた文字から、これが「近藤勇の刀」であった可能性が高いという。

　オークションに出品されたのは、江戸時代の刀工「長曽祢虎徹興正」（二代目虎徹）の銘が入った刀と木製の鞘。昨年７月に出品され、約９５万円で落札された。鞘には近藤の刀を持っていたと伝わる明治の政治家、金子堅太郎伯爵の筆とみられる文字で、近藤が神奈川宿の中村家に渡したものを当主の源兵衛から手に入れたと書かれている。"