Tantō - Tamahagane, Holz, Baumwolle, Bronze, Stahl - YoshiHisa - Japan - Koto-Periode (1504–1521)

Beautiful Tanto (Kikuchi Yari) in Koshirae (Saya does not belong to it)

Signed: Yoshihisa (吉久) - Subject to authentication

About Yoshihisa:
ID: YOS172
Province: Mutsu
Era: Eisho (1504 - 1521)
Active Period: (1504 - 1521)
School: Gassan

Ratings:
Hawley: 20 - YOS172
Toko Taikan - ¥2.8M - 741


Kashirae in Copper with 2 Monks and 1 Goat with Gold accents
Fuchi: Copper with 2 Monks drinking and 1 Monk playing an instrument and a Horse jumping around with Gold accents
Menuki: (Only 1 Menuki) Bird flying in Copper with Gold feet and beak
Shark/Ray skin
Mekugi: 1 Bamboo
Seppa: 2 Bronze
Habaki: Bronze
Tsuba: Folded Steel with Silver accents
Hamon: Ito-Suguha (Straight)


Total Length: 42,5 cm
Tanto Length: 37,5 cm
Nagasa: 23 cm
Tsuka Length: 11,8 cm
Saya Length: 30 cm
Kozuka Length: 21 cm
Width Tsuba: 5,5 cm

Periode: JAPAN - Koto-periode, (1504 - 1521).

The Kikuchi Yari (菊池槍) is a rare, historically significant Japanese spear originating from the Nanboku-cho period, characterized by its single-edged blade that closely resembles a tantō (short sword) mounted on a long shaft. Developed by the Kikuchi clan, these practical, armor-piercing weapons were often used in close combat, with blades ranging from 6 inches to over 2 feet.

Origin:
Said to have originated in 1336 during the Battle of Chikugo River (or Battle of Hakone-Takenoshita), where the Kikuchi clan attached swords to bamboo poles to fight.
Structure: Unlike traditional double-edged yari (spears), the Kikuchi yari is single-edged, essentially a long-shafted tantō. It is unique among yari for typically featuring a habaki (blade collar).

Usage:
Used as a weapon for hacking and piercing, often favored by, or used to identify, squad leaders.

Production:
Primarily manufactured by the Enju school in Higo Province (modern-day Kumamoto Prefecture).

Legacy:
Many original Kikuchi yari were later converted into tantō or yoroi-doushi (armor-piercing daggers).
Because they were practical, "field-expedient" weapons, they are considered quite rare today, with many surviving examples converted into tantō.

Kikuchi Takeshige in 1335 led a 1000 man force against a 3000 man army which was led by Ashikaga Naoyoshi at the Battle of Hakone at the base of Mt. Fuji.
According to this legend after the Kikuchi ran out of arrows, Takeshige instructed his men to cut bamboo shafts and tie their Tanto to the end.
They then ambushed the Ashikaga force in the bamboo groves around the base of Mt. Fuji moving as a unified force against them causing them to scatter.
This organizational tactic is credited with beginning to change the face of combat in Japan from a series of arrow led, honor duels to an organized mass-fighting event between armies.
The time honored traditional rules of engagement had been broken!

This legend spawned an Uta (poem) called KIKUCHI-NO-SENBON-YARI found in the Knutsens’ book Japanese Spears celebrating this remarkable achievement (pg.35):
Yari means One-thousand Spears
Outside castles, eagles gather
Raise, raise a shout of victory!
Yari means one-thousand spears.
In the mountains of Hakone,
The pride we have forever
For Kikuchi Bushi.

Due to the continuing evolution to the style of warfare in Japan and the addition of firearms during the late Muromachi period, many polearm blades from the previous era were no longer practical, this included the legendary Kikuchi-yari. Perhaps in order to channel the original act of desperate courage, some Samurai decided to modify the Yari blade, by radically shortening the tang (Nakago) and converting (Naoshi) it "back to" a Tanto, taking the Kikuchi-yari full circle back to its origins. Some historians speculate that this Naoshi process for the Kikuchi-yari, so many years after the fact, helped to keep the memory of the bravery of the Kikuchi clan alive long after the clan had died out.