Rather interesting sword

[arashi]

Ran across this while I was researching yari, thought I would share the link and see if anyone knew anything about this other than what is listed on the page.

swordforum.com/fall99/token-kai-3.html

Arashi

[Takeda Sanjuichiro]

Pretty much sums it up pretty good.

For a while very long straight cutting spears were popular, I believe right about the time of the Onin War, and early sengoku. SOme were quite good blades. As the fad passed, and yari blades regressed back to a more normal length (6inches-12inches) and became much thicker again; the old long blades tended to be put up in storehouses and remained unmounted.

Enter Edo period...
While blades of high caliber and noted smiths were always highly valuable and collectible, the idea of collecting realy took off in the Edo period... (lots of armchair warriors) The systems of classification and percetions of value became quite codified. Also with the lack of armored combat, there was a change in how swordsmanship was practiced and used. This led to a desire by some folks of straighter blades, and since a yari blade by a noted smith was just as valuable (by edo standard) as a katana/tachi blade my the same maker... A good number of the long yari had their tangs shortened and mounted up as wakizashi, and some as katana.

The ones mounted up as katana and chisagatana, are pretty rare though, I think the majority I have seen in these category while of shortened tang, are primarily in shirazaya or votive mounts (temple offerings).

-Takeda

[arashi]

Interesting, I had never seen an omi-yari blade in a sword mounting before. Thanks for the rundown on the history of this interesting variation.

Arashi