AS21523 Yari(Kagoyari): Muneshige Saku

Ordering number: AS21523
Yari(Kagoyari) in Koshirae

Signature: Muneshige Saku
宗重作

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku, Jyo saku, and regular saku)
This sword belongs to the Jyo-jyo saku ranking.
The blade is polished.
Blade length:24.3cm or 9.56inches.
Mekugi:1
Width at the hamachi:1.85cm or 0.72inches.
Kasane:0.92cm or 0.36inches.
The weight of the sword:265grams.
Era: The late Edo period.
Shape: Seldom seen, very rare shape.
Jigane: Koitamehada gets closer well to be well-grained, and to be plain.
Hamon: From Notare, it becomes small Gunomemidare.

Special Feature: This work is called “Kagoyari”, a weapon for people who ride on a palanquin, to be used from inside the palanquin by them when they were attacked suddenly and had to
fight back. It used to be very beautiful but it had faded. So we repaired it by widing cloths and painting by Urushi.

Koshirae: Wound by cloths and painted by Urushi. Saya is old-fashioned and Ishimeji. Oak is used for inside. Opposite tip is reinforced by iron, with which they can stab.

From Aoi Art: It is slightly different from Jumonji Yari, it has kind of sharpness with its shape. Koshirae was nearly broken, so we repaired it. We wonder what the warriors were thinking about while they were carried by the palanquin. They must have been always careful and ready for the attack by the enemies, because it is really hard to fight back in narrow streets.

Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata by Ayaka Tsuruta