Vargas skrev:Jag satt och hade någon stor ceremoni i tankarna, med byråd, smed och beställare närvarande för att se svärdet testas. Som en korsning mellan highlander och nobelmiddagen. Den fantasin kan jag dock kanske glömma då inget sådant omnämns någonstans.
Fast lite fint hade det varit att se något sådant ändå....
// Han som borde ta och ägna sig åt det han skall göra.
Ett exempel på beskrivning av ceremonielet runt ett officiellt svärdstest på avrättad brottsling:
... Corpses which are used for tests are supplied by the Machibugyô on the demand of Okoshi no mono Bugyô. On the day of the test two dodan are built, the examiner's seat (kenshiba) is one single thin mat, the ground between the kenshiba and tameshiba is sanded, and on it stand Yamada Asayemon and his followers (tedai, deshi).
"At a fixed time, when an execution (Shioki) is completed, the officials return to their offices, while corpses are lying on the Tameshiba with their heads. Honami the sword expert and his pupils come then, and also the Tachiai Okachi Metsuke (consultant Metsuke).
"The Okoshimono Bugyô comes later and is received by the Metsuke at the entrance to the Sensakusho (searching office). When everything is ready an announcement to that effect is made by a gaoler. All people assemble at the Kenshiba with the Okoshimono Bugyô and his assistant, together with Ondôgu bako (swords in boxes). The Okachi Metsuke is seated on the side of the Tameshiba, together with the prison watchman (Ishide Tatewaki in those days), Okobito Metsuke, Uchiyaku, Yamada Asayemon and his assistants dressed in Noshime Asakamishimo (black kimono with a band of check or stripe at the edge of the sleeves and waist), the others all in Asakamishimo. The entrance is guarded by Machikata Toshiyori Dôshin, Rôya Uchiyaku Dôshin, and the public kept out. The main gate is also guarded by two Rôya Dôshin.
"The corpse is then adjusted on the dodan by two kinin directed by Yamada Asayemon, one man hands the blade (ha awase) to Asayemon, who lifts it to his forehead and fits it into the Kiri tsuka, then he takes off the upper part (Kataginu) of his Kamishimo and his Kimono, faces the dodan and places the back (mune) of the sword on the corpse, holding the tsuka in the right hand, with the left he touches the ground and salutes the examiner. Then he stands up, grasps the sword with both hands thrown back over his head (the blade almost vertically downwards), and when all his muscles are taut he cuts the corpse with an exclamation (yah!). Hinin take off the corpse, Okoshimono Bugyô and other officials approach and examine the dodan, then return to their seats. Subsequently, Asayemon reports in writing about the condition of the blade.
Most shitoka could cut through four bodies piled on top of each other, but two shitoka, Matsumoto Chodayu and Yamano Kanjuro, went down in the annals of tameshigiri history for having successful cuts through six and seven bodies respectively. Criminals were often executed in public and if they had been guilty of murder their bodies were given to the sword tester. However, if beheaded for lesser crime, the body was returned to the family."
