Tokubetsu Jūyō Yukimitsu Katana

Number

S-ML-019

Smith Name

Yukimitsu

Active Period

Kagen (嘉元, 1303-1306)

School

Sōshū

Province

Sagami

Mei

kinzogan-mei (removed)

Rating

Tokubetsu Jūyō Tōken

Nagasa

71.5

Yukimitsu (行光), Kagen (嘉元, 1303-1306), Sagami, his first name was Tōzaburō (藤三郎), according to transmission the son and/or student of Shintōgo Kunimitsu, traditionally his activity period is dated between Kagen (嘉元, 1303-1306) and Kenmu (建武, 1334-1338). Yukimitsu displayed the most Sōshū typical workmanship of all early Sōshū smiths and so he is named as founder of the Sōshū tradition by some who want to nail the founding down to an individual smith, in general we can say that he was quasi the link from the Awataguchi school over Shintōgo Kunimitsu to the fully developed Sōshū style at Masamune and Sadamune, it is also said that he was the younger brother of Daishinbō (大進房), publications like the Kōsei-kotō-meikan (校正古刀銘鑑) and the Nōami-bon mei-zukushi (能阿弥本銘尽) say that there were two generations Yukimitsu active, but this is dismissed in the meanwhile. Tokaido (東海道), saijō-saku.

Tokubetsu Jūyō Yukimitsu Katana: nagasa: 71.5 сm; sori: 1.6 сm; motohaba: 2.98 сm; sakihaba: 2.45 сm; kissaki nagasa: 5.26 сm; nakago nagasa: 18.4 сm; nakago sori: 0.1 сm.

Designated as Tokubetsu Jūyō Tōken at the 8th tokubetsu jūyō-shinsa held on the 23d of April 2012.

This sword is unsigned, attributed to “Sagami (no) Kuni Yukimitsu”; Hon’ami kinpun-mei and origami attributed to Yukimitsu (lost), designated “Sagami (no) Kuni Yukimitsu” in 1928 by Hon’ami Kōson and estimated at 200 mai; sayagaki and polishing by Hon’ami Kōson, the second part of December in 1928; tōrokushō No. 3780, dated March 22, 1951, (presumably) the family heritage of the Ōkubo clan (大久保); daimyō Odawara (小田原藩); was polished by Tsukasa Saitō (the best disciple of Nagayama Kōkan–Ningen Kokuhō). Provenance: Takahashi Seiichi (高橋政一) and Kurokawa Seikichi (黒川精吉—the owner virtually one of the best collection of swords in Japan and the owner of “Sōkendō”).

Publications: NBTHK, Jūyō Tōken Nado Zufu, Volume 8; NBTHK, Tokubetsu Jūyō Tōken Nado Zufu, Volume 22.

One problem with many swords of the Kamakura period is that their blade body gets extremely worn down after being polished so many times. As a result, the sword looks somewhat different from the way it was initially conceived by the master who forged it hundreds of years ago. Some old works, despite their value and importance, do not reveal the master’s original design, due to numerous polishings, battles that a sword endured in its past, and the ravages of time itself. This sword, however, is completely free of such problems. Like an anatomy textbook, it allows us to study what the old great masters and founders of the Sagami School put in their works.

Along with many swords presented in this book, this one, in addition to its unique preservation, has some other features that form a kind of riddle. This riddle will be always present in this sword and probably will be solved one day.

The first feature relates to this sword being attributed to Yukimitsu. If “Ikeda Yukimitsu” is truly a work by this master, made at the peak of his creative abilities, it is evident that the sugata of this sword is somewhat untypical of the works that date back to the late Kamakura period. The first feature worthy of attention is the ō-kissaki, the shape of which refers to the early Nanbokuchō period. Yukimitsu made no swords with an ō-kissaki: this opinion can be found in any source describing the style of this master’s works. Surely, it does not mean that there were no such works at all; however, they are extremely unusual for him. In the Edo period, this sword had Hon’ami origami and kinpun-mei, attributing it to Yukimitsu. Traces of the master’s name written in gold varnish are still visible on the sword tang. In addition, there is an old tōrokushō dating back to 1951 that contains the following record: Yukimitsu, kinpun-mei (金銘). It means that at the moment of its registration in 1951, the sword had a clearly readable kinpun-mei “Yukimitsu.”

It is quite possible that before this sword was exhibited at Jūyō shinsa, the kinpun-mei had been removed to obtain another attribution (for example, one to Masamune). Nevertheless, the archives have preserved the information that this sword was evaluated by Hon’ami as Yukimitsu’s. In their conclusion, NBTHK experts wrote that this sword could beattributed to Sadamune. However, the combination of its features and the expert opinion of Hon’ami of the Edo period determine that this sword was made by Yukimitsu. In his time, Hon’ami Kōson also agreed with the old expert opinion and made a corresponding record in the form of sayagaki: 相模國行光。長サ貮尺参寸六分余有之。代金子貮百枚。昭和三年戊辰師走中浣研成記之。本阿弥光遜。 “Sagami (no) Kuni Yukimitsu. Nagasa 2 shaku 3 sun 6 bu a bit more. Value 200 gold coins (mai). Polished and [sayagaki] written in the mid-third of December 1928, Year of the Dragon. Hon’ami Kōson + Kaō.”

Hon’ami Kōson polishing a sword.

Hon’ami’s valuation at 200 mai is a very high one. Although it was given much later than during the mid-Edo period, the common principles that Hon’ami applied for this purpose are still the same, but the reference numbers have undergone some changes.

Thus, summing up, we can say that this sword was most likely a work by Yukimitsu, created using all his abilities and once again confirming the very many variations in this master’s works, which still make experts puzzle over them during kantei.

<.....>The sword by Yukimitsu presented here will always be accompanied by the secret of its origin. One big step has already been taken to solve this secret (see investigation in the Japanese Swords: Sōshū-den Masterpieces book). Today, no one can say how many more steps need to be taken and whether they are possible at all. Yet one thing is quite clear: this sword will always attract attention to itself, due not only to the existence of the secret, but to the possibility of solving it. Few works can boast of this, because, for most of them, such opportunities are lost irrevocably and can arise again only by rare chance.


(excerpt from Chapter 4, pp. 60-105, of the Japanese Swords: Sōshū-den Masterpieces )