Kanshi - The Zodiac System

The Zodiac is an ancient and complex system that is based on a combination of Chinese astronomy, cosmology, and divination. It is a system used for counting the years and months, days and even hours. The Zodiac system is based on a 60-year cycle and is important still to collectors of Nihonto as it can help us date of swords and fittings made throughout the periods.

It is generally believed that the Zodiac originated in China sometime before 1100 BC and has grown from those humble beginnings to it's present incarnation over many centuries. It's popularity was such that is was a huge sucess all over Asia and when Buddhism arrived in Japan in the mid-6th century,the calendar followed and was officially adopted in 604.

In Japan, this Zodiac system is know as Jikkan Jûnishi \Šฑ\“๑Žx, also called Eto ‚ฆ‚ฦ. Jikkan-jûnishi literally means ten stems and twelve branches. This calendar is also known in modern times as Kanshi ŠฑŽx.

Following are the 10 Stems or Elemental signs known as the Jikkan \Šฑ. After these are the twelve animal signs of the Jûnishi \Šฑ\“๑Žx.

The Ten Stems or the Elemental Signs - Jikkan \Šฑ

b
Kinoe
‰ณ
Kinoto
•ธ
Hinoe
’š
Hinoto
•่
Tsuchinoe
Œศ
Tsuchinoto
M
Kanoe
K
Kanoto
p
Mizunoe
แก
Mizunoto


The Twelve Animal signs of the Zodiac - Junishi \“๑Žx

Žq
Ne
The Rat
‰N
Ushi
The Ox
“ะ
Tora
The Tiger
‰K
U
The Hare
’C
Tatsu
The Dragon
–ค
Mi
The Snake
Œ฿
Uma
The Horse
–ข
Hitsuji
The Goat
\
Saru
The Monkey
“ั
Tori
The Cock
œ๚
Inu
The Dog
ˆๅ
I
The Boar

When we put these together, we get the Zodiac readings that can be used to find dates in time as apposed to using the standard Nenki. These readings are used in conjunction with 60 year cycles to accurately pinpoint these dates. To find the western equivalent of these zodiacal dates it is necessary to know the beginning year of each cycle.

Somethines, Zodiac readings are mixed in with standard Nenki dates and sometimes, the Zodiac dates are on their own so finding the date for a sword with only a Zodiac inscription can be a bit of back tracking, as we need a reference point to know what year the sword was made in. If dated, the sword will most likely be signed. Find the smith or smiths that sign that way, and through Kantei, determine the period of the sword, then try to dertimine the correct period of the Zodiac reading.

This list of 60 Year Cycles begins at the year 1024 and are as follows:

1024
1084
1144
1204
1264
1324
1384
1444
1504
1564
1624
1684
1744
1804
1864
1924
1984
-
-
-


List of Years within the 60-year Cycle

1.
bŽq
Kinoe Ne
2.
‰ณ‰N
Kinoto Ushi
3.
•ธ“ะ
Hinoe Tora
4.
’š‰K
Hinoto U
5.
•่’C
Tsuchinoe Tatsu
6.
Œศ–ค
Tsuchinoto Mi
7.
MŒ฿
Kanoe Uma
8.
K–ข
Kanoto Hitsuji
9.
p\
Mizunoe Saru
10.
แก“ั
Mizunoto Tori
11.
bœ๙
Kinoe Inu
12.
‰ณˆๅ
Kinoto I
13.
•ธŽq
Hinoe Ne
14.
’š‰N
Hinoto Ushi
15.
•่“ะ
Tsuchinoe Tora
16.
Œศ‰K
Tsuchinoto U
17.
M’C
Kanoe Tatsu
18.
K–ค
Kanoto Mi
19.
pŒ฿
Mizunoe Uma

20.
แก–ข
Mizunoto Hitsuji
21.
b\
Kinoe Saru
22.
‰ณ“ั
Kinoto Tori
23.
•ธœ๙
Hinoe Inu
24.
’šˆๅ
Hinoto I
25.
•่Žq
Tsuchinoe Ne
26.
Œศ‰N
Tsuchinoto Ushi
27.
M“ะ
Kanoe Tora
28.
K‰K
Kanoto U
29.
p’C
Mizunoe Tatsu
30.
แก–ค
Mizunoto Mi
31.
bŒ฿
Kinoe Uma
32.
‰ณ–ข
Kinoto Hitsuji
33.
•ธ\
Hinoe Saru
34.
’š“ั
Hinoto Tori
35.
•่œ๙
Tsuchinoe Inu
36.
Œศˆๅ
Tsuchinoto I
37.
MŽq
Kanoe Ne
38.
K‰N
Kanoto Ushi
39.
p“ะ
Mizunoe Tora

40.
แก‰K
Mizunoto U
41.
b’C
Kinoe Tatsu
42.
‰ณ–ค
Kinoto Mi
43.
•ธŒ฿
Hinoe Uma
44.
’š–ข
Hinoto Hitsuji
45.
•่\
Tsuchinoe Saru
46.
Œศ“ั
Tsuchinoto Tori
47.
Mœ๙
Kanoe Inu
48.
Kˆๅ
Kanoto I
49.
pŽq
Mizunoe Ne
50.
แก‰N
Mizunoto Ushi
51.
b“ะ
Kinoe Tora
52.
‰ณ‰K
Kinoto U
53.
•ธ’C
Hinoe Tatsu
54.
’š–ค
Hinoto Mi
55.
•่Œ฿
Tsuchinoe Uma
56.
Œศ–ข
Tsuchinoto Hitsuji
57.
M\
Kanoe Saru
58.
K“ั
Kanoto Tori
59.
pœ๙
Mizunoe Inu
60.
แกˆๅ
Mizunoto I

Copyright 2006. Richard Turner.