江戸中期（新刀後期）
Mid-Edo (Late Shintō)
As Genroku-era peace continued, swords grew distant from combat and became increasingly formulaic. Hon'ami appraisal culture matured and sword fittings reached their artistic zenith.
Description
The mid-Edo period from the Genroku era (1688-1704) through Tenmei saw over a century of unbroken peace, during which swords were rarely used in actual combat. Consequently, shintō workmanship gradually became formulaic and technically stagnant. However, the world of sword appraisal flourished: the Hon'ami family's origami (certificate) system was firmly established, clarifying swords' authority and economic value. Swords received formal 'rankings,' and played an important role as diplomatic gifts between daimyō. This era also saw sword fittings (tsuba, menuki, kozuka, kōgai, fuchi-kashira) reach their artistic peak. Yokoya Sōmin revolutionized metalwork by establishing the machi-bori (town carving) technique. The Gotō family's house carving tradition competed with the Yokoya school, and many accomplished groups—Nara school, Ishiguro school, Iwamoto school—flourished. While blade innovation stagnated, the surrounding cultural ecosystem matured greatly, completing the image of the Japanese sword as a total art form. Blades from this era vary widely in quality, but the sword fittings are celebrated worldwide as masterpieces of metalcraft.
Characteristics of This Era
- Over a century of peace distanced swords from actual combat
- Late shintō workmanship trended toward formulaic patterns
- Hon'ami origami (certificate) system fully established
- Sword ranking and daimyō gift-giving culture matured
- Sword fittings (tsuba, menuki, fuchi-kashira) reached artistic zenith
- Yokoya machi-bori and Gotō ie-bori metalwork traditions competed
- Hizen swords (Tadayoshi lineage) maintained steady quality and popularity