It has arrived, it has arrived—a *hira-zukuri* masterpiece *wakizashi* by the master smith of Oei Bizen, Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu, whom every sword enthusiast admires. Featuring *horimono* on the blade, this is said to be a special-order item from an ancient *daimyo* family. The swordsmiths of Oei Bizen left behind masterpieces with particularly excellent and refined *jigane*, and as a result, they are a group of master smiths exceptionally prized by enthusiasts in the sword world. In particular, the master smiths of Oei Bizen (Yasumitsu, Morimitsu, and Moromitsu) are great masters who have been honored since ancient times as the "Oei no Sanko" (Three Lights of Oei). This *wakizashi* is a precious work by Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu, one of these three lights of Bizen Osafune. It is a masterpiece from the Muromachi period, dated Oei 33 (1426), an old era from 600 years ago. That time was a peaceful and gorgeous era symbolized by the Kinkaku-ji temple, where Kitayama Culture flourished during the reigns of the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and the fourth shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi. This *wakizashi* is a special-order item crafted with particular care, something sword enthusiasts feel a deep affection for. It remains as the *sho* (small) *wakizashi* of a *daisho* pair extant in a *daimyo* family, displaying a wonderful *wakizashi-sugata* in *hira-zukuri* that fits comfortably at the waist. The *jigane* clearly exhibits the *mokume-hada* characteristic of Oei Bizen, and a *bo-utsuri* appears along the edge from the *saki* on both sides, possessing a wonderful elegance. The *horimono* are magnificent: the *omote* features a *bonji* and a *dokko-tsuki-ken* (sword with vajra handle), while the *ura* features a *bonji* and an unusual carving said to represent the *shikui* (four stakes at the corners of an altar) of an Esoteric Buddhist *daidan*, symbolizing Fudo Myoo. The *hamon* is a beautiful and splendid *suguba* style in *nioi-deki*. We were told this Yasumitsu *wakizashi* has been handed down through generations of a prestigious family in Kyoto. Having received it through a fortunate connection long ago, they cherished it until today; however, as they have finally grown old, they entrusted it to us to be passed on cheaply to someone who will treasure it in the future. Therefore, we are offering it at a special bargain price. Please enjoy this *hira-zukuri* masterpiece *wakizashi*, an ancient *daimyo-dogu* by Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu, one of the "Oei no Sanko" of the Bizen Osafune orthodox line.
NihontoWatchsigned · Koto · nagasa 39.1cm · sori 0.3cm
Bizen-den · Bizen
20 pieces on the market now
The Oei-Bizen and Eikyo-Bizen smiths represent the resurgence of the Osafune school in Bizen Province during the early Muromachi period, an era in which a conscious revival of Kamakura-period aesthetics transformed the character of Bizen swordmaking after the bold, expansive forms of the Nanbokucho period. The school's foremost representatives are Yasumitsu and Morimitsu, described by the NBTHK as the "twin pillars" of Oei-Bizen, both active around the Oei era (1394--1428). Morimitsu is held by one tradition to have been the son of Moromitsu, a representative smith of the late Nanbokucho ko-zori group, and his earliest dated works bridge the transitional character of his father's generation and the fully developed Oei-Bizen idiom. The name Yasumitsu was successively inherited through as many as five generations, while the succeeding Eikyo-Bizen phase -- centered on the fourth-generation Norimitsu and his contemporary Sukemitsu -- carried the tradition forward into the mid-Muromachi period. Related smiths such as Tsuneie of the Hatakeda branch worked in a manner so closely aligned with Osafune production that the NBTHK observes there are "no grounds -- whether in workmanship, the character of the signature, or any other point" by which their work could be distinguished from the main line. Within the Oei-Bizen manner, two principal modes of tempering are recognized. " In both modes the school's identity is revealed through shared forging characteristics: itame-hada mixed with mokume in which the grain stands out conspicuously, with dark lines resembling chikei entering the jihada and midare-utsuri or bo-utsuri standing prominently in the ground. " The boshi assumes the idiosyncratic form popularly termed the "candlewick" (rosoku no shin), becoming pointed at the tip -- a diagnostic hallmark of the school.
A further point of connoisseurship is the finishing of bo-hi with rounded ends (maru-dome) above the machi. The transition from Oei-Bizen to Eikyo-Bizen is marked by Norimitsu's development of a somewhat intermediary character, retaining the koshi-biraki gunome and bright nioiguchi of the earlier masters while introducing tighter grain and elements that point toward the eventual Sue-Bizen style. Moromitsu's earlier production establishes the bridge from the opposite direction, his ko-zori period works showing "signs foreshadowing the style of Oei-Bizen" in their more flamboyant midare passages. The ideal pursued by the Oei-Bizen and Eikyo-Bizen smiths "appears to have been a revival of the Kamakura period," visible in their elegant tachi proportions and in the deliberate re-creation of choji tempering that had fallen out of favour during the Nanbokucho period. Yet the NBTHK consistently emphasizes that the school's own distinctive character is always discernible beneath this revivalist surface. " Both masters' works are consistently described as kenzen -- sound and well-preserved -- with a jigane of superior quality possessing an urumi richness. The school's influence pervaded early Muromachi sword production, and the Eikyo-Bizen continuation through Norimitsu ensured that the Osafune tradition maintained vitality and refinement well into the fifteenth century. Whether in the commanding vigour of the large-pattern choji-midare or in the quiet classical elegance of the suguha mode, the Oei-Bizen and Eikyo-Bizen smiths collectively represent one of the most accomplished chapters in the long history of Bizen swordsmithing. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yasumitsu康光 | 1394-1428 | 49 |
| Morimitsu盛光 | 1394-1428 | 60 |
| Yasumitsu康光 | 1424-1443 | 6 |
| Sanemitsu實光 | 1394-1428 | 4 |
| Tsuneie經家 | 1394-1428 | 2 |
Bizen in the Muromachi period
In the Muromachi period Osafune ran a two-tier trade: kazuuchimono bundle swords for the ranks, and chūmon-uchi custom orders bearing the patron’s personal name in the inscription. The best late Sukesada work stands with anything the school ever made.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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.
NBTHK official siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
¥1,200,000
It has arrived, it has arrived—a *hira-zukuri* masterpiece *wakizashi* by the master smith of Oei Bizen, Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu, whom every sword enthusiast admires. Featuring *horimono* on the blade, this is said to be a special-order item from an ancient *daimyo* family. The swordsmiths of Oei Bizen left behind masterpieces with particularly excellent and refined *jigane*, and as a result, they are a group of master smiths exceptionally prized by enthusiasts in the sword world. In particular, the master smiths of Oei Bizen (Yasumitsu, Morimitsu, and Moromitsu) are great masters who have been honored since ancient times as the "Oei no Sanko" (Three Lights of Oei). This *wakizashi* is a precious work by Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu, one of these three lights of Bizen Osafune. It is a masterpiece from the Muromachi period, dated Oei 33 (1426), an old era from 600 years ago. That time was a peaceful and gorgeous era symbolized by the Kinkaku-ji temple, where Kitayama Culture flourished during the reigns of the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and the fourth shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi. This *wakizashi* is a special-order item crafted with particular care, something sword enthusiasts feel a deep affection for. It remains as the *sho* (small) *wakizashi* of a *daisho* pair extant in a *daimyo* family, displaying a wonderful *wakizashi-sugata* in *hira-zukuri* that fits comfortably at the waist. The *jigane* clearly exhibits the *mokume-hada* characteristic of Oei Bizen, and a *bo-utsuri* appears along the edge from the *saki* on both sides, possessing a wonderful elegance. The *horimono* are magnificent: the *omote* features a *bonji* and a *dokko-tsuki-ken* (sword with vajra handle), while the *ura* features a *bonji* and an unusual carving said to represent the *shikui* (four stakes at the corners of an altar) of an Esoteric Buddhist *daidan*, symbolizing Fudo Myoo. The *hamon* is a beautiful and splendid *suguba* style in *nioi-deki*. We were told this Yasumitsu *wakizashi* has been handed down through generations of a prestigious family in Kyoto. Having received it through a fortunate connection long ago, they cherished it until today; however, as they have finally grown old, they entrusted it to us to be passed on cheaply to someone who will treasure it in the future. Therefore, we are offering it at a special bargain price. Please enjoy this *hira-zukuri* masterpiece *wakizashi*, an ancient *daimyo-dogu* by Bishu Osafune Yasumitsu, one of the "Oei no Sanko" of the Bizen Osafune orthodox line.
NihontoWatchsigned · Koto · nagasa 39.1cm · sori 0.3cm
Bizen-den · Bizen
20 pieces on the market now
The Oei-Bizen and Eikyo-Bizen smiths represent the resurgence of the Osafune school in Bizen Province during the early Muromachi period, an era in which a conscious revival of Kamakura-period aesthetics transformed the character of Bizen swordmaking after the bold, expansive forms of the Nanbokucho period. The school's foremost representatives are Yasumitsu and Morimitsu, described by the NBTHK as the "twin pillars" of Oei-Bizen, both active around the Oei era (1394--1428). Morimitsu is held by one tradition to have been the son of Moromitsu, a representative smith of the late Nanbokucho ko-zori group, and his earliest dated works bridge the transitional character of his father's generation and the fully developed Oei-Bizen idiom. The name Yasumitsu was successively inherited through as many as five generations, while the succeeding Eikyo-Bizen phase -- centered on the fourth-generation Norimitsu and his contemporary Sukemitsu -- carried the tradition forward into the mid-Muromachi period. Related smiths such as Tsuneie of the Hatakeda branch worked in a manner so closely aligned with Osafune production that the NBTHK observes there are "no grounds -- whether in workmanship, the character of the signature, or any other point" by which their work could be distinguished from the main line. Within the Oei-Bizen manner, two principal modes of tempering are recognized. " In both modes the school's identity is revealed through shared forging characteristics: itame-hada mixed with mokume in which the grain stands out conspicuously, with dark lines resembling chikei entering the jihada and midare-utsuri or bo-utsuri standing prominently in the ground. " The boshi assumes the idiosyncratic form popularly termed the "candlewick" (rosoku no shin), becoming pointed at the tip -- a diagnostic hallmark of the school.
A further point of connoisseurship is the finishing of bo-hi with rounded ends (maru-dome) above the machi. The transition from Oei-Bizen to Eikyo-Bizen is marked by Norimitsu's development of a somewhat intermediary character, retaining the koshi-biraki gunome and bright nioiguchi of the earlier masters while introducing tighter grain and elements that point toward the eventual Sue-Bizen style. Moromitsu's earlier production establishes the bridge from the opposite direction, his ko-zori period works showing "signs foreshadowing the style of Oei-Bizen" in their more flamboyant midare passages. The ideal pursued by the Oei-Bizen and Eikyo-Bizen smiths "appears to have been a revival of the Kamakura period," visible in their elegant tachi proportions and in the deliberate re-creation of choji tempering that had fallen out of favour during the Nanbokucho period. Yet the NBTHK consistently emphasizes that the school's own distinctive character is always discernible beneath this revivalist surface. " Both masters' works are consistently described as kenzen -- sound and well-preserved -- with a jigane of superior quality possessing an urumi richness. The school's influence pervaded early Muromachi sword production, and the Eikyo-Bizen continuation through Norimitsu ensured that the Osafune tradition maintained vitality and refinement well into the fifteenth century. Whether in the commanding vigour of the large-pattern choji-midare or in the quiet classical elegance of the suguha mode, the Oei-Bizen and Eikyo-Bizen smiths collectively represent one of the most accomplished chapters in the long history of Bizen swordsmithing. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yasumitsu康光 | 1394-1428 | 49 |
| Morimitsu盛光 | 1394-1428 | 60 |
| Yasumitsu康光 | 1424-1443 | 6 |
| Sanemitsu實光 | 1394-1428 | 4 |
| Tsuneie經家 | 1394-1428 | 2 |
Bizen in the Muromachi period
In the Muromachi period Osafune ran a two-tier trade: kazuuchimono bundle swords for the ranks, and chūmon-uchi custom orders bearing the patron’s personal name in the inscription. The best late Sukesada work stands with anything the school ever made.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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.
NBTHK official siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
¥1,200,000
