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March 19 to June 19, 2005
Three swords.
Made by Yoshindo Yoshihara
Photograph courtesy of Leon Kapp and
Aram Compeau.
The Japanese sword is the most efficient, intrinsically beautiful,
meticulously hand-crafted icon in the world. Their method of manufacture
has remained relatively unchanged for over a thousand years. Once
forged, a sword undergoes a rigorous polishing procedure which
brings out the qualities of the blade – a
wood grain type pattern in the steel – and the crystalline
structure
(hamon) along the blade’s edge. Hamon gives the blade a tough
resilient edge that remains sharp even with heavy use.
The sword
has always been highly revered within Japanese society. In Japanese
mythology the first sword was found in the tail of a dragon and
was
brought down from heaven with the ancient gods to begin the imperial
line
of Japan. Swords are often dedicated to shrines and temples as
gifts for the
residing kami (gods) or as vessels in which they reside. In many
cases, it was the sword that wrote Japanese history. Later, during
the peaceful Edo period (1603-1868), swords were viewed as instruments
of guidance for warriors seeking enlightenment, steering the
samurai on ethics of conduct and self-improvement.
Yoshindo
Yoshihara with a sword.
With the restoration
of power from the Shogun (military commander) to the
Emperor Meiji in the latter part of the 19th century, the samurai
became a
relic of Japan’s ancient past. As Japan modernized, the call
for swords
declined and the art of swordmaking was almost lost. In 1933, in
an effort to
save the craft, Kurihara Hikosaburo, a sword enthusiast and a member
of the
National Diet, began a project to recruit and train swordsmiths
from all over
Japan. The first member to sign up for this project was a toolmaker,
Yoshihara Katsukichi. Katsukichi was later to use the art name
Yoshihara Kuniie and become one of the most famous swordsmiths
of the Shôwa
period (1926-1989).
To this day, Kuniie’s descendants continue
to produce Japanese swords in the traditional manner. The exhibition
displays examples of several generations of his family and their
former apprentices. The current head of the Yoshihara school is
Yoshihara Yoshindo who has recently been appointed an Important
Intangible Cultural Property of Tokyo. The exhibition includes
work by twelve award-winning swordsmiths, four of whom have been
elevated to the rank of mukansa (above competition level) by the
Agency of Cultural Affairs of Japan. The swords will be exhibited
to emphasize their spiritual and artistic qualities and illustrate
the different styles of workmanship and the expression of the individual
artist.
Related Events:
- March 19th, 2005, 1pm to 2pm
The Life of a Master Swordmaker
Yoshihara Yoshindo, a third generation swordsmith of the Yoshihara lineage, will
talk about his craft and give visitors a glimpse into his life as a Mukansa level
smith who has been named Prefectural Living Important Cultural Property by the
Japanese government. Free with museum admission. In case of rain, this program
will be postponed to Sunday, March 20, 2005, 11:30am to 12:30pm.
- March 20th, 2005,1:30pm to 2:30pm
The Art of the Japanese Sword:Beauty
and Spirituality
Exhibition curator Paul Martin will give an informative tour of The Art
of the Japanese Sword as he guides visitors on an exploration of the religious
and social symbolism of this beautiful art from. Free with museum admission.
- April 16th, 2005, 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Lecture
Swordplay: Making and Breaking the Japanese Sword
This lecture, with Professor Bruce Coats of Scripps College, Claremont, will
examine the fabrication of Japanese swords and the Shinto rituals involved in
their production. This program is part of the April Teacher
Program and is sponsored by the Freeman Foundation. Free with museum admission.
- Saturday May 21, 2pm
Leon Kapp
Lecture: Appreciating the Japanese Sword
Leon Kapp, co-author with his wife Hiroko Kapp of The Craft of the
Japanese Sword and Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths, will
speak about the history and traditional craft of Japanese swordmaking.
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