（Token Bijutsu No.593）

Nihon Koto Shi

(History of Koto)

By Dr. Honma Junji

 (39)

(P.27)

17. Sa School

(Succeeding to the previous period)

The Sa school of Chikuzen Province produced many skilful smiths in the Nambokucho Period. All of the students of Samonji (Yasuyoshi, Yukihiro, Yoshisada, Yoshihiro, Kunihiro, Hiroyasu and Sadayoshi) left extant works with their mei and there are many o-suriage mumei katana attributed to them. ‘Mei Zukushi’ says that Yoshisada was a son of Yasuyoshi, Yoshihiro was a direct student of Samonji and Kunihiro was a son of Yoshihiro. ‘Kokon Mei Zukushi’ says that Kunihiro was a son of Sadayuki, who was a student of Samonji, Hiroyasu and Yoshihiro were sons of Kunihiro, and Yukihiro was a direct student of Samonji. An oshigata of Kunihiro, with the inscription of ‘Chikushu Ju Ikihama Ju ……’ is listed in ‘Umetada Oshigata’.

However, the lineage mentioned has yet to be confirmed. Amongst their extant works with production dates, Kan-o 1 (1350) by Yukihiro is the oldest production date of the school, followed by Shohei 10 or Bunwa 4 (1355) by Yasuyoshi, Shohei 17 or Joji 1 (1362) by Kunihiro and Shohei 3 or Enbun 3 (1358). In addition, an oshigata of Hiroyasu with a production date of Shohei 13 or Enbun 3 (1358) is listed in ‘Umetada Oshigata’.

(Reference oshigata)

Tokubetsu Juyo Token : Wakizashi Mei “SHU NAGAMASA YOSHISADA SAKU”

                                     “SHOHEI 13 NEN 9 GATSU HI”

(P.28)

All of their extant works with mei are tanto, except for a tachi by Sadayoshi and they succeeded to the workmanship of their teacher faithfully. Amongst them, a tanto by Yukihiro, with a production date of the Kan-o Era, shows a workmanship that has a close resemblance to that of Samonji. They temper gunome-midare that is somewhat different from the Shizu school and a unique boshi called ‘Samonji-boshi’ (midare-komi creeps up then turns back with pointed tip and long kaeri). In addition, they occasionally make kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri that was never done by the Shizu school. It must be noticed here that two different mei of Yasuyoshi exist, one is ‘Sa Yasuyoshi’ and other made in Choshu. The jigane of the former looks very powerful and the hamon is midare-ba in nie-deki and the boshi becomes Samonji-boshi. A theory says that Samonji also used a smith name of Yasuyoshi, though, this theory has yet to be studied, as well as the theory of two Yasuyoshi (Sa Yasuyoshi and Choshu Yasuyoshi).

(Reference photos)

Tokubetsu Juyo Token : Wakizashi mei “YASUYOSHI”

(P.29)

In addition ‘Mei Zukushi’ says that there was a school called ‘Kongo Hyoe (or Kongobei)’ that was related to Samonji. The head family had succeeded to the smith name of Moritaka for generations. As far as I have ever seen their works, a sword with the mei of ‘Kongo Hyoe no Jo Minamoto no Moritaka’ with a production date of ‘Shohei 4 Nen 2 Gatsu 1 Nichi’, is the oldest work of Moritaka. It is followed by a tanto with a production date of the Oei Era. There is an extant work with the mei of ‘Chikushu Ju Reizei Sadamori’. The hamon is sugu-ha, the jihada is running itame-hada and the nakago has a unique shape like sotoba-gata.

(Reference oshigata)

“YASUYOSHI”

  “KUNIHIRO SAKU”  “HIROYASU SAKU”

      “SA  YASUYOSHI”

         “NAGAMASA YOSHISADA SAKU”  “SHOHEI 13 NEN 9 GATSU HI”

            “CHIKUSHU JU YUKIHIRO”  “KAN-O 1 NEN 8 GATSU HI”

“KONGO HYOE (NO) JO MINAMOTO (NO) MORITAKA” 

“SHOHEI 4 NEN 2 GATSU 1 NICHI”