Description

(Recorded in Kubikiri Asaemon Token Oshigata, Volume 2, P149) It has appeared, it has appeared! A famous meito recorded in the oshigata of the Yamano family—the Shogunate’s official tameshigiri practitioners of the Edo period—and later the Yamada family (Kubikiri Asaemon). In the 4th year of Jokyo (1687) (338 years ago), Yamano Kichizaemon-no-jo Hisatoyo used this sword to cut through two human bodies at the waist (the hardest part) with a single stroke. Later, in the 1st year of Kaei (1847) (178 years ago), Naito Keinosuke of the Mito Domain Shoinban (the Lord’s bodyguard) brought this sword to the Yamada family on behalf of the 10th Lord of the Mito Tokugawa, Tokugawa Yoshiatsu, to request a test as the Lord’s sashiryo. Upon testing, it cut through the wakige (the area across both breasts) in one stroke. The evaluation stated that the workmanship and sharpness are generally good, though a crack on the mune was repaired and there are some kizu within the hi. It notes, "I recall seeing this sword several years ago when it was presented by another Daimyo." While it is a strict evaluation without flattery for a sashiryo of the Great Daimyo Mito Tokugawa Yoshiatsu, that is precisely what makes this sword’s history so fascinating. Naito Keinosuke, who brought the sword, served as a study companion to Tokugawa Yoshinobu and later distinguished himself by suppressing the Tengu-to during the fierce civil war between the Tengu-to and the Shosei-ha (conservatives) in the Mito Domain. He became a professor at the Mito Kodokan, but was later imprisoned, escaped Mito amidst the chaos, and in the Meiji era became a government official in Yamagata Prefecture, a middle school principal in Gunma, and in Meiji 19, a professor at Tokyo University as a historian. The Echizen Yasutsugu family of this sword is a prestigious lineage of swordsmiths treated as samurai with a 400 koku stipend (equivalent to an annual salary of 80 million yen today) by Yuki Hideyasu. This sword is a precious work by Shimosaka Shirouemon, the third son of the famous Shogunate smith, Shodai Echizen Yasutsugu. After the Shodai Yasutsugu passed away in Genna 7 (1621) (404 years ago), the eldest son, Nidai Shimosaka Ichinojo Echizen Yasutsugu, succeeded him. Following the Nidai’s death in Shoho 3 (1646) (379 years ago), a succession dispute erupted because the Nidai’s son, Umanosuke, was still a child. Due to the intervention of the Hatamoto Abe Shirogoro with the Roju, stating "this is a lineage established by Gongen-sama (Ieyasu)," a reconciliation was reached. The Nidai’s son Umanosuke became the Edo Echizen Yasutsugu Sandai, while the Shodai’s third son, Shimosaka Shirouemon, inherited the Echizen residence and the Echizen Yasutsugu house, becoming the Echizen Yasutsugu Sandai in Echizen. His works exist from the Kanbun era (1661, 364 years ago) to the Enpo era (1680, 345 years ago). This sword exhibits a sugata with a thick motokasane and a distinct difference between the motohaba and sakihaba with sori. The jigane is forged in itame-hada, displaying abundant jinie and chikei, and the carving features a bo-hi. The hamon is an ambitious o-notare in nioi-deki with nie, mixed with gunome and many kinsuji. This sword was likely a special order for a Daimyo related to the Tokugawa family. On this occasion, an elderly collector has asked us to pass this famous meito, recorded in the Kubikiri Asaemon Token Oshigata, to the next generation at a low price. We are offering it at a special bargain. Please enjoy this historically precious meito, significant both in the history of swords and the history of the Mito Tokugawa family.