-, 55th Session — Designated October 16, 2009
, : Ayakōji school (綾小路)
Measurements 70.2 cm, 2.2 cm, 2.9 cm, 1.8 cm, 3.2 cm, 17.9 cm, 0.1 cm
Description Keijō: , ; somewhat wide with a clear difference between base and tip width; rather deep with ; . : finely packed , exquisitely forged; adheres well, with fine , presenting a highly refined texture. : a mixture of , , and tendencies; and enter frequently; adheres well; in places small and appear around the crests, forming a partial -like effect; with and some ; the is bright and clear. : tempered with a tendency, becoming somewhat -like, with the tip slightly . : None. : ; ; : (former) unclear, (later) ; two ; unsigned.
Artisan Ayakōji school
Era period (traditionally placed around the Bun’ei era)
Explanation Sadatoshi (定利) was a swordsmith resident on Ayakōji in Kyōto. Sword reference works place his period of activity around the Bun’ei era (1264–1275). One tradition further relates that he enjoyed close association with Kuniyuki, and that—depending on circumstances of supply and demand—they at times produced substitute works for one another.
However, surveying extant works, the style has an archaic flavor that seems to carry forward the production sphere of the old Kyōto makers of the and Gojō lineages. The is a densely spaced, small-scale, intricately complex , and along the crests of the temper there appear additional minute patches of temper that continue intermittently, creating a -like appearance. Moreover, the shows an (moist/soft) tendency, all of which gives the impression of an even earlier dating.
Although this sword is and , its temper overall is small-patterned and complicatedly broken up, and the intermittently appearing and that emerge in a crest-like manner—together with the slightly —clearly bring out noteworthy points of the Ayakōji group. The somewhat wide produces a powerful , and in addition the and are both (sound and well-preserved), demonstrating an excellent level of workmanship.
