After the Ōnin War broke the Ashikaga order, a century of Sengoku warfare armed nearly every province in Japan. The era rewards a discriminating eye: routine work exists in quantity, and beside it stand custom blades of the first rank.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis blade is attributed to the work of a member of Chiyozuru school(千代鶴). It is estimated it was forged during the last years of the Nanbokucho-early Muromachi period(late 14th century-early 15th century). Chiyozuru school The founder of Chiyozuru school was Kuniyasu(國安). It is said that Kuniyasu was the grandson of Kunimatsu, a younger brother of Rai Kunitoshi. Rai Kunitoshi was one of the most famous swordsmiths in Yamashiro province(Kyoto). Kuniyasu is known as the prominent figure of the Echizen Rai school. Kuniyasu was forging swords in Yamashiro province but moved to Echizen prefecture and founded Chiyozuru school. The name of Chiyozuru(千代鶴) came from the fact that Kuniyasu’s name during his childhood was Chiyozurumaru. The school prospered during the last years of the Nanbokucho-early Muromachi period(late 14th century-early 15th century). Rai school＆Yamashiro province Yamashiro province was famous for its sword-making style called YAMASHIRO-DEN. YAMASHIRO-DEN’s origin dates back to the Heian period(794 A.D), when the capital city was moved from Nara to Kyoto. The swordsmiths in Yamashiro province initially prospered by forging swords for court nobles and imperial families. Later on, they also forged swords for feudal lords after Samurai military government took control of Japan. There are so many renowned swordsmiths from this region. It is said that the founder of YAMASHIRO-DEN was Sanjo Munechika. And there are seven prestigious schools in this region. One of them is Rai school is one of the most prestigious ones among YAMASHIRO-DEN. And swords forged by members of Chiyozuru school have characteristics of Rai school. The significance of the school’s name Chiyo(千代) means one thousand years, and Zuru(Tsuru:鶴) means crane in Japanese. The name Chiyozuru sounds very auspicious in Japanese. Therefore, the sword forged by this school were popular for any ceremony or events such as weeding from ancient times. There is a proverb that says cranes and turtles live a long life. It says cranes have even one thousand years lifespan; therefore, cranes and turtles have been considered as the symbol of longevity since a long time ago. Also, as cranes make compatible couples, it represents happy marriage. This blade is appraised as a Hozon Token(保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). Fuchi-Kashira The wave pattern is engraved at the Fuchi part. As described in the Menuki part (please check the explication below), the motif of this Tsuka (handle)’s Menuki is also related to the wave pattern. The combination of the same motif makes the unity for the entire appearance of the Tsuka. Waves’ movements continue endlessly; therefore, people thought the wave pattern represents eternity, immortality, longevity, and birth, etcetera. Also, since tides repeatedly change the shape and terrain of rocks, some people hoped for a strong will by using this motif. People used this pattern wishing for an indomitable spirit to rechallenge time and time without giving up. This motif has been appreciated due to its dynamic design. It is favored especially for men’s Kimono (traditional Japanese costume). Tsuka and Menuki This Menuki’s design is called the Nami Chidori (波千鳥) pattern. It is a combination of waves and small birds. Nami means waves, and Chidori means plovers in Japanese. In this work, birds are colored with gold and remain in good condition. The details are carefully curved so that you could even see the direction of the wings one by one. Waves are also depicted in detail; we hope you would enjoy its maker’s high-quality skill. The Nami Chidori pattern represents happy marriage and family safety. People have treated it as a good omen design in Japan since the Nara period (648-781). Waves are compared to the world, meaning it describes the determination: overcoming difficulties with a partner even if there are small or big waves (difficulties/ troubles). Also, the plover pattern is used as a prayer for victory or achievement of a goal. Tsuba and Habaki It is an antique Tsuba that has the Kozuka hole. This Tsuba does not have ornamental decorations such as gold or silver inlay. However, thanks to its simple design, it goes well with other sword mountings when this Tsuba is put into the handle. Also, you would enjoy the texture of this Tsuba’s material itself instead of the gorgeous look. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on Aug 17th in the 23rd year of Heisei (2011). They appraised it as Hozon Touken, the blade worth preserving for Japanese society.
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Yamashiro-den · Echizen
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The Chiyozuru lineage took root in Echizen Province during the Nanbokuchō period, and the setsumei consistently trace its origin to Rai Kuniyasu (来国安). He is said to have been born in Yamashiro Province, with one tradition holding him a grandson of Rai Kunisue; he later moved to Echizen, where the meikan place him around the Jōji and Sadaji eras (ca. 1362 to 1368). A parallel tradition, recorded on the signed tachi attributed to Morihiro, names Chiyozuru Kuniyasu[[c:1]] as a disciple of Rai Kuniyasu and the founder of the line. From this root descend the smiths the blades document: Morihiro (守弘), placed in the Kuniyasu line across two generations, the first set in the Ōei era (1394 to 1428) and the second in the Kakitsu (1441 to 1444) and Bun'an (1444 to 1449) eras; and Mitsuyuki of Tsuruga[[c:2]], recorded as a student of Echizen Kuniyuki and known from a rare Kakei-dated tantō. The Yamashiro inheritance runs through the whole group, even as the workmanship moves away from the Kyoto homeland into a provincial Hokuriku register. Two stylistic strands run through the corpus, and recognizing the hand means reading where a given blade falls between them. The Rai-derived work, seen in the katana attributed to Rai Kuniyasu, shows itame mixed with mokume and nagare-hada, the grain tending to stand (hada-dachi) with thick ji-nie and frequent chikei; the steel carries a whitish or, in places, slightly blackish cast that the setsumei read as a provincial inflection of Yamashiro.
The hamon on these is a chū-suguha mixed with ko-gunome, the edge breaking into hotsure, kuichigai-ba, and nijūba, with ashi, yō, kinsuji, and sunagashi running through and a bright nioiguchi; the bōshi enters midare-komi or shallow notare-komi, turning in ko-maru with hakikake, at times vigorous enough to give a flame-like (kaen) impression. The Morihiro strand turns toward a gunome-based midareba with a chōji tendency, tobiyaki, and muneyaki, the forging moving toward masame near the edge; the setsumei mark this gunome-toned, nie-laden manner as differing in character from the Rai style and proper to the later line. For kantei, the setsumei set the diagnostic problem plainly: a Chiyozuru blade can at first glance resemble the orthodox Yamashiro Rai work, particularly around Rai Kunimitsu, yet careful reading of the standing grain, the whitish or blackish jigane, and the rustic activity in the bōshi beyond what the Kyoto homeland shows directs the attribution to Echizen. The boldest Nanbokuchō pieces, wide in mihaba with ō-kissaki and muneyaki, invite comparison with Hokuriku contemporaries such as Etchū Tametsugu (越中為継), but the character of ji and ha keeps them within the Chiyozuru fold. Signed examples anchor the line: Morihiro tachi and a Kakitsu 1 (1441) dated wakizashi carrying his Tōzaemon no Jō name, and the Mitsuyuki tantō whose Kakei date makes it documentary material of high value, dated works of the group being extremely scarce. The Morihiro tachi of Jūyō-Bijutsuhin standing is recorded in the Kōzan Oshigata, Kokon Kajibikō, and Kantō Zuiroku. Across the corpus the line holds a distinct place among Nanbokuchō and early Muromachi Hokuriku smiths, carrying a Yamashiro pedigree into a workmanship the appraisers read as its own. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kuniyasu國安 | 1345-1350 | 4 |
| Ieyoshi家善 | 1487-1489 | 0 |
| Kagemori景守 | 1394-1428 | 0 |
| Munemitsu宗光 | 1441-1444 | 0 |
| Iemasa家正 | 1492-1501 | 0 |
The Muromachi period (1392 to 1573)
After the Ōnin War broke the Ashikaga order, a century of Sengoku warfare armed nearly every province in Japan. The era rewards a discriminating eye: routine work exists in quantity, and beside it stand custom blades of the first rank.
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
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