Month: May 2025

The 3rd Mito Token Ichi was held over two days, May 23rd (Fri) and 24th (Sat), at Mito City Civic Centre. Mito City Civic Center is an arts and culture facility located in a lively area with three facilities lined up: Keisei Department Store and Art Tower Mito, affectionately known as “MitoriO”. Not only sword collecters but also many people interested in sword culture visited. We also received encouragements from local sword dealers participating in the Noda-kai Sword Auction, making it a very successful two days. It is not easy for me to exhibit attractive swords made by swordsmiths and sword fittings from Mito that will catch the eye of Mito sword enthusiasts, but I will do my best next time to meet their expectations!

The 38th general meeting of the Japan Sword Dealers Association (Fiscal Year Ending March 2025) was held. I was appointed as MC. Chairman Mr. Fukami, president of Ginza Choshuya, moderated the meeting, during which the business report for the previous year and the business plan for this year were approved. The board of directors were re-elected every two years, and I was reappointed as a director. Yoshio Iida, president of Iidakoendo, was elected as the new chairman of the Japan Sword Dealers Association. The new executive team will inherit the trust and achievements that former chairman Mr. Fukami built up. I renewed my determination to play my part, however small, in the sword dealers association led by new chairman Mr. Iida.

The 4th Morioka Token Ichi was held for three days from Friday, May 9th at the Aina, Iwate Prefectural Information Exchange Center near Morioka Station. It has been held every year for three years to convey the Artistic beaty of Japanese swords to the three northern Tohoku prefectures of Iwate, Aomori, and Akita. Since the results have been not successful so far, we were prepared to withdraw if the results were poor this year as well. On the morning of Thursday, the 8th, the day before the event, we visited Hiraizumi, surrounded by fresh greenery, and toured the national treasure “Golden Hall [金色堂]” of Chusonji Temple [中尊寺]. We were touched by the expression of the paradise of the Heian period as envisioned by the Oshu Fujiwara clan, and prayed for the success of the event. As a result, we received a response like never before, as seen in newspaper advertisements and an article in the local Iwate Nippo newspaper. 92-year-old swordsmith Kiyofusa Yamaguchi [山口清房], who is a Mukansa [無鑑査] swordsmith, came to the venue for two days in good spirits and talked about swordsmithing. I have decided to hold the event again in May next year in order to meet the expectations of sword enthusiasts who are looking forward to the event.