Blade for a Tachi (Slung Sword), known as "Dai Hannya Nagamitsu"
By the artist Nagamitsu.
"Esteemed as being meibutsu, or a "famous piece," it was given by Ashikaga Yoshiteru (r. 1545–65) to Miyoshi Nagayoshi, a powerful daimyo. Later Oda Nobunaga gave it to Tokugawa Ieyasu to honor his success at the Battle of Anegawa (July 30, 1570). Ieyasu then gave it to Okudaira Nobumasa as a reward for his services in the Battle of Nagashino (June 29, 1575), and he in turn passed it to his son Matsudaira Masaaki, in whose family it was ultimately passed down. The sword is thus especially valuable as a well-documented example of a blade being exchanged among military houses as an expression of gratitude. "
Tokyo National Museum.
Kamakura period, 13th century.
Steel; L. 29 in. (73.6 cm)
Blade for a Tachi (Slung Sword), known as "Ō-Kanehira" (Great Kanehira)
By the artist Kanehira.
Kanehira was one of the smiths of the oldest province of Bizen, the most productive site of sword production from the Heian through the Muromachi period. The steel is layered so many times the blade developes visible steel crystals, the silver edge. This peice is famous for being the longest sword that Kanehira produced, naming it "Ō-Kanehira" (Great Kanehira). It was a treasured possession of Ikeda Terumasa, lord of Okayama Castle, and was long the most important sword in his family's collection.
Tokyo National Museum.
Heian period, 12th century
Steel; L. 35 1/8 in. (89.2 cm)
Blade for a Tantō (Dagger)
A Tanto is a handheld dagger used most commonly by women and peasants, in fact the only weapon a woman was allowed to posses during this period. However, the most well-crafted of them went to the samurai as secondary weapons to thier swords.
This work evolved from the heavily curved blade to the straight tempering pattern, the speciality of the artist Kunimitsu. The progression shows how knowledge was passed down from master to student, then expanded upon by craftsmen.
Tokyo National Museum
Kamakura period, 14th century.
Steel; L. 10 3/8 in. (26.2 cm)
Early Mounted Short Sword
by the artist Rai Kunitoshi.
The golden age of swords in Japan is commonly considered to be the Kamakura period. During this time there were many great smiths in the schools of Yamato, Bizen, and Yamashiro that were the common grounds of many infamous samurai, shoguns, and daimyos who came to request arms and armor from the prestigious schools.
Rai Kunitoshi, who worked in Tokyo, was among the most famous swordsmiths of the late thirteenth to the early fourteenth century. His dagger and sword blades were virtually unbreakable and visually unique to his style.
Traveling exhibition Lethal Beauty: Samurai Weapons and Armor
Kamakura period, late 13th century
Eboshi-Shaped Kabuto (Helmet) with Maedate (Crest) in the Form of a Mantis
This helmet was commission as a family heirloom to represent their power as samurai. Its large form is crafted from an iron base, with paper-mache covered in gold, laquered, then sprinkled with more gold dust. The huge crest resembles the shape of a mantis with its wings spread out in a battle-ready stance. Although the helmet would never have been worn in a real battle situation, it gave the family honor to keep this symbol of valor and strength pristine.
Edo period, 17th century.
Iron, lacquer, cord, silk, wood, gold, and papiermache.
Haramaki with Multicolored Lacing, Ridged Helmet, and Large Shoulder Guards.
This particular peice of armour was influenced by not only comabtive requirements, but religion as well. The stylized antlers would normally embody an animalistic spirit, but these resemble kaji leaves, revered since ancient times and often used as offerings to Shinto dieties. This artistic fusion of the discipline of the gods and of combat was common in peices of armor and weaponry, as both were vital peices to the Japanese.
Sata-jinja Shrine, Shimane Prefecture
Muromachi period, 15th century.
Iron, leather, gilt copper, lacquer, braid, and cord
Helmet (Suji Kabuto)
The bowl of the helmet, constructed of fifty-two ridged plates, is inscribed with the character Kami, used by the Haruta school of armorers in Nara. The badge on the turnbacks of the neck guard is that of the Sanada family, daimyo of Ueda. This is physical evidence that prominent families were the patrons of the schools of arms and armor during the reign of shoguns. The assiduousness of the creator and the uniqueness of each warrior led to beautifully crafted pieces, shifting them from mere cumbersome armor from the Kofun period to elegant pieces of art.
Tokyo National Museum
Muromachi period, 15th century.
Lacquered iron, silk, stenciled leather, gilt copper.
Hōryū-ji
Temple complex of Hōryū-ji in Nara, Japan.
Horyu-ji is a Buddhist temple complex in Japan and contains some of the oldest wooden structures in the world. Located in Ikaruga, Horyu-ji was first built around 607 C.E. but most of the existing buildings come from around 670 C.E. The individual buildings of Horyu-ji show an influence of Chinese architecture, from the use of the multi-tiered pagoda form, stepped eaves, tile roofs, and elaborate, bracketed internal support structure.
The "kondo," or golden hall, aligns with the four cardinal points - a feature that is commonly seen in Buddhist temples from India and China - and holds various sacred objects and wall paintings. The pagoda, likewise, is a foreign form that was introduced into Japan. Based upon the shape of the Indian stupa (a rounded mound), the pagoda is stands as a symbolic Buddhist monument and is often used to house sacred relics and writings. The pagoda form became popular in Japan once rulers like prince Shotoku set out to spread Buddhist relics and ideas throughout the land.
Illustrated Tale of Genji - The 44th quire Takekawa, 12th Century
The aerial view depicted in the 44th chapter is a great compositional device rarely seen in China but greatly utilized by Japanese artists.
http://www.tokugawa-art-museum.jp/english/index.html
Japanese
Illustrated Tale of Genji - The 49th quire Yadorigi, 12th Century
Yamato-e is traditionally conceived as a Tang-Dynasty stylistic device, but through the popularization of hand-scroll narratives within the imperial court, Japanese painters were able to refine this decorative technique into something stylistically their own. The tree depicted in the bottom right hand corner is reflective of this Japanese style attention to detail depicting every branch as a graceful extension from its base, showing the beauty of nature.