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Overview·Historical importance·Designations·Provenance·Lineage·School
OverviewHistorical importanceDesignationsProvenanceLineageSchool
  1. Schools
  2. Ichimonji
  3. Fukuoka Ichimonji
  4. Yoshimochi

Fukuoka Ichimonji Yoshimochi

吉用

Jūyō Bijutsuhin
Vol. 4, No. 472 · Tachi

Fukuoka Ichimonji Yoshimochi

吉用

1 ranked works

Notable smith
ProvinceBizenEraShoo (1288–1293)PeriodKamakuraSchoolIchimonji>Fukuoka IchimonjiTraditionBizen-denTypeSwordsmithCodeYOS485
1Jūyō Bijutsuhin

Overview

Yoshimochi (吉用) worked within the Fukuoka lineage of Province during the period. The Fukuoka group represents one of the most celebrated schools of the tradition, and Yoshimochi is recognized as a smith whose temperament distinguishes him from his peers through a comparatively restrained approach to the flamboyant style for which the school is renowned. Among his works, examples rendered in are also encountered, setting him apart from the more exuberant output typical of the Fukuoka mainstream.

Yoshimochi's blades characteristically present an forging, at times mixed with , upon which stands out distinctly -- a hallmark of high-quality workmanship. His tends toward , often taking a -based pattern enriched with - elements, into which and enter abundantly. In his more ornate works, the temperline broadens into a wide with kaeruko ("tadpole") features that produce a decorative, showy effect. The in his -oriented works tends toward tightness (), yielding a refined and controlled impression. Signed examples retain elegant proportions with pronounced and , finished with a compact .

Yoshimochi occupies a distinctive position within the Fukuoka school as a smith whose versatility bridges the restrained and the flamboyant. His works demonstrate that the school's mastery extended beyond the bold for which it is most famous, encompassing quieter modes of expression executed with equal technical command. Blades bearing his name have been transmitted through notable collections, including the Tokugawa Reimeikai Foundation and the Mitsui family, attesting to the esteem in which his work has long been held.

Historical importance

Where Yoshimochi 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 Bijutsuhin1
Gyobutsu—
Tokubetsu Jūyō—
Jūyō Tōken—

Elite Standing

Provenance

Currently Available

Lineage

Yoshimochi
Student
  1. 1.Yoshisada吉貞

Fukuoka Ichimonji School

Other artisans of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school

  1. 1.Sukezane助眞42designated
  2. 2.Yoshifusa吉房1 for sale45designated
  3. 3.Norimune則宗8designated
  4. 4.Yoshihira吉平17designated
  5. 5.Tamekiyo爲清6designated
  6. 6.Sukekane助包6designated
  7. 7.Norikane則包7designated
  8. 8.Yoshimochi吉用10designated
  9. 9.Tameto爲遠5designated
  10. 10.Yoshimune吉宗1 for sale6designated
  11. 11.Naganori長則17designated
  12. 12.Ichi一7designated

Yoshimochi

Yoshimochi(吉用) was a Japanese swordsmith of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school in Bizen province, active during the Shoo (1288-1293) period.

The work follows the Bizen-den tradition.