Yamakichibei — also recorded as Yamasaka Kichibee — is regarded, together with Hōan, as one of the representative tsubakō of Owari. He worked in the Momoyama period, and while it has long been circulated that the first generation was a disciple of Nobuie, the NBTHK notes that "there are no documents or firsthand examined works that substantiate a master–pupil relationship." Points held in common with Nobuie are in fact scarce; rather, there are many similarities with Hōan, giving a stronger sense of connection to that line. The name was inherited over several generations, distinguished by the calligraphic style of the chisel-cut signature: those signed in full as "Yamasaka Kichibee" are considered stylistically the earliest, while the third generation further adds a cherry-blossom seal alongside the provincial designation Bishū.

Yamakichibei's iron guards are characterized by commanding presence, excellent forging, and the prominent emergence of tekkotsu (iron bones) through yaki-namashi (annealing), which imparts what the NBTHK describes as an elegant taste while also evoking a sense of strength. The Amida-yasuri (radiating file marks) for which the school is celebrated represent "the very essence" of the second generation's art; it is said that "whether among earlier or later works, no one equals Yamakichibei in Amida-yasuri." The file marks appear as though cut in double lines, integrating with tsuchime-ji (hammered ground) and fire-finished surfaces to produce grounds whose appearance "changes with remarkable freedom and variety." Representative openwork designs include geese-and-sickle (gankama sukashi), wheels, chrysanthemums, and fence motifs — all rendered with an unpretentious, rustic sukidashi treatment. The robust uchikaeshi-mimi (turned-back rim) further tightens the silhouette, and the tekkotsu densely set within it proclaim the beauty of iron tsuba.

The NBTHK repeatedly identifies Yamakichibei's works as guards that "appear all the more striking when mounted on the uchigatana-koshirae that were in vogue at the time," affirming their essential unity with Momoyama-period martial culture. Across designated examples, evaluative language converges on a distinctive rustic charm and deep, subdued elegance — a beauty described as "solitary and aloof," residing within formidable workmanship, that "resonates with the spirit of bushidō." The interplay of powerful tekkotsu, richly nuanced hammering, and restrained openwork constitutes an aesthetic inherited from the earliest armorer's and swordsmith's guards, elevated to a level "fully worthy of demonstrating Yamakichibei's true value" within the Owari iron-plate tradition.

Yamakichibei — also recorded as Yamasaka Kichibee — is regarded, together with Hōan, as one of the representative tsubakō of Owari. He worked in the Momoyama period, and while it has long been circulated that the first generation was a disciple of Nobuie, the NBTHK notes that "there are no documents or firsthand examined works that substantiate a master–pupil relationship." Points held in common with Nobuie are in fact scarce; rather, there are many similarities with Hōan, giving a stronger sense of connection to that line. The name was inherited over several generations, distinguished by the calligraphic style of the chisel-cut signature: those signed in full as "Yamasaka Kichibee" are considered stylistically the earliest, while the third generation further adds a cherry-blossom seal alongside the provincial designation Bishū.

Yamakichibei's iron guards are characterized by commanding presence, excellent forging, and the prominent emergence of tekkotsu (iron bones) through yaki-namashi (annealing), which imparts what the NBTHK describes as an elegant taste while also evoking a sense of strength. The Amida-yasuri (radiating file marks) for which the school is celebrated represent "the very essence" of the second generation's art; it is said that "whether among earlier or later works, no one equals Yamakichibei in Amida-yasuri." The file marks appear as though cut in double lines, integrating with tsuchime-ji (hammered ground) and fire-finished surfaces to produce grounds whose appearance "changes with remarkable freedom and variety." Representative openwork designs include geese-and-sickle (gankama sukashi), wheels, chrysanthemums, and fence motifs — all rendered with an unpretentious, rustic sukidashi treatment. The robust uchikaeshi-mimi (turned-back rim) further tightens the silhouette, and the tekkotsu densely set within it proclaim the beauty of iron tsuba.

The NBTHK repeatedly identifies Yamakichibei's works as guards that "appear all the more striking when mounted on the uchigatana-koshirae that were in vogue at the time," affirming their essential unity with Momoyama-period martial culture. Across designated examples, evaluative language converges on a distinctive rustic charm and deep, subdued elegance — a beauty described as "solitary and aloof," residing within formidable workmanship, that "resonates with the spirit of bushidō." The interplay of powerful tekkotsu, richly nuanced hammering, and restrained openwork constitutes an aesthetic inherited from the earliest armorer's and swordsmith's guards, elevated to a level "fully worthy of demonstrating Yamakichibei's true value" within the Owari iron-plate tradition.