（Token Bijutsu No.557）

Nihon Koto Shi

(History of Koto)

By Dr. Honma Junji

(11)

(P.6)

7. Early Soshu Swords

There was no important smith in this province at all before the Kamakura shogunate was established. Regent of the Kamakura shogunate, Hojo Tokiyori called up Awataguchi Kunitsuna from Kyoto around the Kencho Era (12439-1255) also later Saboro Kunimune from Bizen Province and Ichimonji Sukezane. They came to be the founders of Kamakura smiths (old Soshu smiths). Shintogo Kunimitsu is a very late son of Kunitsuna and Kunimune was his teacher. According to one theory, Masamune was also a student of Kunimune. The lineage mentioned above is what old sword directories written in the Muromachi Period say and not reliable from the view point of sword history. To make sure of it, let me explain the workmanships of these smiths here. If it is fact that Awataguchi Kunitsuna moved to Kamakura around the Keicho Era, Shintogo Kunimitsu made an extant tanto with date of Einin 1 (1293) about fifty years after Kunitsuna moved to the Kamakura. The precise active term of Kunimune and Sukezane is uncertain but it is speculated that they were active at a different time to Kunimitsu who was active in the Einin Era and Masamune who was active in the Showa and Kareki Eras. Also the workmanship of Kunimune and Sukezane is quite different from that of Kunimitsu and Masamune. That is to say, Kunimune and Sukezane temper most gorgeous choji-midare of Bizen-den. They forge relatively powerful jigane amongst Bizen smiths but it is different from that of Kunimitsu and Masamune. The character of ‘Mune’ of Masamune has some resemblance to that of Kunimune in chiselling style but I suppose that Masamune just followed the style of Kunimune as the character of ‘Masa’ has a resemblance to that of Ko-Bizen Masatsune showing respect for his great predecessors. Considering what I described above, the theory that the lineage of these smiths is to be neglected. Though, Shintogo Kunimitsu demonstrates a workmanship similar to that of Awataguchi smiths and it looks more like Awataguchi style than Kunitsuna as far as looking into the workmanship of meibutsu ‘Oni-maru Kunitsuna’.

Shintogo Kunimitsu makes tanto with slight uchi-zori and forges dense and fine ko-itame-hada with abundant ji-nie then tempers sugu-ha in ko-nie-deki. It looks like Awataguchi swords at a glance but more chikei and kinsuji are emphasised in his ji and ha. It is said that Kunimitsu had three sons, Kunishige, Kunihiro and Kuniyasu and that all of them signed Kunimitsu later, though, apart from Kunihiro, there is no extant work by them. Meanwhile, there are many extant works of Kunimitsu, therefore, this theory may be affirmed inferring from that his sons substituted for the father.

(Reference photos and oshigata)

“KUNIMITSU” (‘Aizu Shintogo’)

“SUKEZANE”

“SUKEZANE” (‘Nikko Sukezane’)

“KUNIMUNE BIZEN (NO) KUNI JU OSAFUNE ? ?”

“KUNITSUNA” (‘Oni-maru Kunitsuna’)

“KUNIMUNE”

“KUNIMUNE

“KAMAKURA JU SHINTOGO KUNIMITSU SAKU”

“EININ 1 NEN 10 GATSU 3 KA”

(P.7)

Taking a look at the dates of extant works of Kunimitsu, they range from Einin 1 (1293) to Showa 2 (1313) also there are extant works with the date of Enkei 2 (1309) and the mei of ‘Shintogo Kunimitsu Hoshi’ also with the date of Showa 2 (1313) and the mei of ‘Shintogo Kunimitsu Homyo Koshin’. As mentioned before, there are few extant works of Kunishige and Kuniyasu but a work of Kunishige with the date of Kareki 2 is listed in an old sword directory. Also there a extant tanto by Kunihiro with the date of Genkyo 4 (1325) and his two swords with the dates of Kareki 4 (1330) and Gentoku 3 (1332) are listed in the directory.

(Reference photos and oshigata)

Kokuho : Tachi Mei “KUNIMUNE” (Owned by the Terukuni Shrine)

“YUKIMITSU” (Imperial collection)

“YUKIMITSU”

“KUNIHIRO KAMAKURA JUNIN”

“GENKYO 4 NEN 10 GATSU 3 KA”

(P.8)

Yukimitsu was a student of Kunimitsu and Masamune was his son. There is no extant work of Yukimitsu with signature apart from tanto. He makes various sugata of tanto with short ha-watari and uchi-zori or no sori, extended ha-watari, and wide mi-haba and no sori. He forges dense ko-itame-hada with many chikei and thick ji-nie then tempers sugu-ha, sugu-ha mixed with notare or gentle notare in thick nie-deki accompanied with thick nioi-guchi then many kinsuji are seen inside the hamon. Thus the lineage between Kunimitsu, Yukimitsu and Masamune is to be affirmed.

There is a smith called Daishinbo Yukei who is said to be an elder brother of Yukimitsu and lived in Mt. Nikko who was also a master carver. We occasionally see his works with mei but there are few swords that are recognised as his genuine work.

As described above, Kunitsuna, Kunimune and Sukezane who moved to Kamakura had no influence on the workmanship of native Soshu smiths. Kunimitsu created jihada with lots of impressive chikei, Yukimitsu and Masamune succeeded to the forging technique of Kunimitsu, and Masamune emphasised the hataraki of nie and tempered hamon in a large pattern and then he finally accomplished the workmanship of Soshu swords.

(Reference photos)

Kokuho : Tachi Mei “SUKEZANE” (Owned by the Tokyo National Museum)

(P.9)

(Reference photos)

Juyo Bunka Zai : Tachi Mei “KAMAKURA JUNIN SHINTOGO KUNIMITSU SAKU”

“EININ 1 NEN 10 GATSU 3 KA”

(P.10)

Kokuho : Tanto mei “YUKIMITSU” (Owned by the Tokyo National Museum)