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Overview·Historical importance·Designations·Blade Forms·Signatures·Lineage·School
OverviewHistorical importanceDesignationsBlade FormsSignaturesLineageSchool
  1. Schools
  2. Sa
  3. Sue-Sa
  4. Yasuyoshi

Sa Yasuyoshi

安吉

Jūyō
Vol. 13, No. 151 · Wakizashi

Sa Yasuyoshi

安吉

3 ranked works

Major smith
ProvinceNagatoErac. 1394–1428PeriodMuromachiSchoolSa>Nagato SaTraditionSoshu-denGeneration3rdTeacherSaFujishiroJo-jo sakuTypeSwordsmithCodeYAS594
3Jūyō Tōken

Overview

Yasuyoshi, the son of O-, succeeded as the second generation of the lineage and is traditionally said to have moved from to Choshu (Nagato Province). This account is supported by an extant dated Shohei 17 (1362) bearing the inscription "Choshu-ju Yasuyoshi," whose manner of signing matches his usual style. Subsequent works explicitly stating "Choshu Yasuyoshi" include examples dated to the Eiwa and Oei eras. The Oei-dated pieces are judged to be by a successor generation on the basis of workmanship and signature style, while whether the Eiwa-dated works represent late production by the first generation or early work by a successor remains a subject for future research. Descendants and students continued the Yasuyoshi name for several generations from the late through the early period, collectively known as "Choshu ."

In the forge, Yasuyoshi's work typically displays mixed with and , with the grain sometimes standing and adhering. A whitish is a hallmark of the school, and tightly forged pieces show extremely fine with delicate and clear steel. The most characteristically takes the form of shallow mixed with , with entering and a that is bright and clear. The temper is primarily -dominant with , accompanied by fine and . The typically enters in with a pointed tendency and a long . Compared with O-, the consistently note that Yasuyoshi's work does not exhibit the degree of brilliance in both and temper, though certain pieces with strong and demonstrate a broader range within his oeuvre.

Yasuyoshi's blades are generally of larger and more imposing than those of his father, with wide and thin . Among his finer works, the forging is well-refined and compact, with the school's characteristic features clearly retained. Pieces of distinguished provenance, including examples transmitted in the Inshu Ikeda and Maeda collections, attest to the esteem in which his work has long been held.

Historical importance

Where Yasuyoshi stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.

随一
Foremost
屈指
Leading
有数
Major
著名
Notable

Select a lens to see how it's measured.

Designations

Kokuhō—
Jūyō Bunkazai—
Jūyō Bijutsuhin—
Gyobutsu—
Tokubetsu Jūyō—
Jūyō Tōken3

Elite Standing

0.01 across 3 designated works

Top 34% among smiths

Blade Forms

Distribution across 3 ranked works

Signatures

Signature types across 3 ranked works

Currently Available

Lineage

TeacherSa
Yasuyoshi
Students (4)
  1. 1.Akikuni顯國4designated
  2. 2.Akikuni顯國2designated
  3. 3.Yasuyoshi安吉1designated
  4. 4.Yukiaki行觀2designated

Nagato Sa School

Other artisans of the Nagato Sa school

  1. 1.Akikuni顯國4designated
  2. 2.Akikuni顯國2designated
  3. 3.Haruakira治劍1designated
  4. 4.Yasuyoshi安吉1designated
  5. 5.Yasuyoshi安吉1designated
  6. 6.Yasuyuki安行1designated
  7. 7.Akikuni顯國1designated
  8. 8.Yukiaki行觀2designated

Yasuyoshi

Yasuyoshi(安吉) was a Japanese swordsmith of the Nagato Sa school in Nagato province, active during the Shohei (1346-1370) period.

The work follows the Soshu-den tradition.

Designated works by Yasuyoshi include 3 Jūyō.