© Copyright Robert Cole 2015 - No copying or distributing
BIZEN		 




BIZEN OSAFUNE KAGEMITSU School

O-KANEMITSU KEM-MU (f: KAGEMITSU): See KANEMITSU School

SHIGEMITSU(1) O-CHO (t: KAGEMITSU, f: NAGAMITSU): This son of 
        NAGAMITSU is considered student and stylist under 
        KAGEMITSU. The major OSAFUNE line always named a son 
        SHIGEMITSU. Look for KATAOCHI GUNOME HA.
    MEI: BISHU OSAFUNE JU SHIGEMITSU

SHIGEMITSU(2) RYAKU-O (f: KAGEMITSU): MOKUME. KATAOCHI GUNOME HA
        in the style of his father and namesake uncle. ]
        See also KANEMITSU School.
    MEI: BISHU OSAFUNE SHIGEMITSU

NAGACHIKA GEN-KYO (t: NAGAMITSU): CHIKA form: "Intimate relative"
        From GEN-KYO to KEM-MU 1334. This nephew of NAGAMITSU 
        made SHOBU-TSUKURI TANTO in a style resembling KAGEMITSU
        or CHIKAKAGE. ITAME HADA. Undulating ASAKI KO-NOTARE with
        KO-ASHI IRI. GUNOME-CHOJI BA.
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU NAGACHIKA

KAGEMASA BUN-PO (f: NAGAMITSU, br: KAGEMITSU): SHINSHI-ZABURO. 
        UEMONnoJO. Swords much like his brother, KAGEMITSU. Work
        spans from BUN-PO 1317 to KO-EI 1342. MU-SORI TANTO are
        seen. MOKUME HADA with BO-UTSURI. Evenly set KATAOCHI 
        "Stooped shoulders" GUNOME KO-CHOJI BA with ASHI-IRI. 
        NOKOBA and forms that appear NOKO-like. 
     BISHU OSAFUNE KAGEMASA
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU KAGEMASA
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU UEMONnoJO KAGEMASA
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU SHINSHIZABURO KAGEMASA
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU NOBUKOTO-SABURO KAGEMASA


KAGEMITSU(2) KEM-MU 1334

KAGEMITSU(3) O-AN 1358
          O-EI: Large MEI.
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU KAGEMITSU






Juyo Bijutsu-Hin
Akechi Chikakage
NAGASA: 68.2cm

SURIAGE Late-KAMAKURA TACHI. KO-ITAME HADA has standing MIDARE-UTSURI. 

SUGUHA with GUNOME-MIDARE BA of SAKA-ASHI IRI, or leaning. 

Typical SAN-SAKU BOSHI to KO-MARU KAERI.
SURIAGE NAKAGO has four MEKUGI-ANA.

TACHI-MEI:
             BISHU OSAFUNE JU CHIKAKAGE 
KINZOGAN MEI:
            AKECHI HYUGA-no-KAMI SHOSHOJI 
TACHI-URA:
            RYAKU-O SAN-NEN


The Akechi Chikakage

Sword of AKECHI MITSUHIDE
         - Assassin of ODA NOBUNAGA
                                            See history

AKECHI MITSUHIDE -
SHOGUN of Thirteen Days 
 KYO-ROKU 1528 to TEN-SHO 10,1582

They served the SAITO until TATSUOKI revolted. MITSUHIDE's uncle joined but the plot was put down by NOBUNAGA. Freed up thereby, MITSUHIDE took employment with the ASAKURA and then HOSOKAWA, finally joining the ODA stable, EI-ROKU 9, 1566. 

He received SAKAMOTO, OMI and HYUGA-no-KAMI. He brought TAMBA under the ODA umbrella by conducting SEIBATSU against the HATANO at YAKAMI. While there he took HIDEHARU's mother hostage and agreed to relinquish her for compliance. HIDEHARU surrendered. 

It was NOBUNAGA's style, however, to instill utter fear to all who would resist. He had them put to death, including the mother. The HATANO retainers conspired a revenge where MITSUHIDE's mother was 
killed in TEN-SHO 5. 

It is believed this loss was the basis for MITSUHIDE's coup. 



OSAFUNE KAGEMITSU School - CHIKAKAGE
Nagamitsu San-Saku 
CHIKAKAGE GEN-O (t: NAGAMITSU, f: KAGEMASA): SABUROZAEMON.
        Several sources say CHIKATSUNE was the father under the
        following lineage:
_________
CHIKAFUSA KO-AN 1278  Born: 1209, dies: 1283
    |_________________________
____|_____                ____|____
CHIKATSUNE SHO-O 1288     YOSHIKAGE SHO-O 1288 dies: 1316
____|____
CHIKAKAGE GEN-O 1319          See:  Tokubestu Juyo Chikakage 
    |________________________
____|____                 ___|____
YOSHIKAGE(1) KEM-MU 1334  HIDEKAGE TEI-WA 1345
                          ___|____
                          SHIGEHIDE MEI-TOKU 1390

         There is a high chance that this was a confusion of 
        generations. CHIKAKAGE working dates start at KA-GEN 
        1303, but would be earlier. 
        Born: BUN-EI 3 1266, Died: TEI-WA 1345. He is considered
        among the younger wave following KAGEMITSU. SUE-KAMAKURA
        TACHI and TANTO. KO-MOKUME HADA with standing MIDARE-
        UTSURI. NIOI KO-GUNOME HA with ASHI. ASAKI-NOTARE 
        undulation to SUGU CHOJI BA. SUNAGASHI.
        Appraisal points: MIDARE-UTSURI 
                          SAKA-ASHIIRI 
                          SAN-SAKU BOSHI
        A sword dated TEI-WA 3, 1347, of course, fuels argument 
        for later generations. NAMBOKUCHO pieces with beautiful
        ICHIMONJI like CHOJI may be found. Their YAKIBA will show
        a difference in height. A NAGAMITSU SAN-SAKU smith, along
        with KAGEMITSU and SANENAGA, CHIKAKAGE is one with the 
        SAN-SAKU BOSHI, which he made wide. 
        The SAN-SAKU BOSHI: HAMON dips for the edge above the
        YOKOTE, swells in width and dips again to a KO-MARU. 
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU CHIKAKAGE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU CHIKAKAGE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU TAIRA CHIKAKAGE

NAGASA: 80.5cm  
SORI:  2.8cm 

SHINOGI-TSUKURI, IHORI-MUNE KOSHIZORI TACHI SUGATA has CHU-KISSAKI.  KO-ITAME HADA with beautiful, standing HANAYA "Flower" MIDARE-UTSURI.  The HAMON is KO-MIDARE of  KO-CHOJI-MIDARE BA with SUNAGASHI, ASHI and  YO in NIOI-FUAKSHI and fine KO-NIE. The YAKIBA is complex and figures appear striated. A sand-storm.  SAN-SAKU BOSHI that runs YAKIZUME on OMOTE and KO-MARU URA. 

UBU, KURIJIRI NAKAGO with three MEKUGI-ANA. 
Signed near the MUNE:
                BIZEN no KUNI OSAFUNE JU CHIKAKAGE
     TACHI-URA:
                KA-REKI YO-NEN - GATSU-HI


Kokuho Chikakage
Yoshikage Nagamaki Naoshi





Yoshikage
Nagasa: One Shaku four Sun, six Bu

Shinogi-tsukuri, altered Nagamaki Sugata. Suken and carved Kurikara Dragons Hori, both sides.
Tightly knit and running Mokume Hada has Ji-Nie and Utsuri.
Soden Gunome O-Midare where the Habuchi seems flung and excited.
O-Suriage Kengyo-Jiri Nakago has three Mekugi-ana.
 


OSAFUNE KAGEMITSU School - CHIKAKAGE
YOSHIKAGE(1) KEM-MU (t: CHIKAKAGE, f: KAGEMITSU): Part of the
        OSAFUNE royal house. Grandfather: NAGAMITSU. Brothers 
        were KANEMITSU and YOSHIMITSU. His son-in-law was CHOGI
        (NAGAYOSHI). Work from KEM-MU 1334 to O-AN 1368. Made 
        wide blades with elongated KISSAKI. Early period finds 
        CHIKAKAGE style work. KO-ASHI in GUNOME-CHOJI BA. NIE 
        seems more pronounced with time. MOKUME HADA has standing
        MIDARE-UTSURI. GUNOME-MIDARE, KO-CHOJI MIDARE are seen.
        Said to resemble KANEMITSU. Small TACHI-MEI in the NAKAGO
        SHINOGI-JI. YOSHIKAGE(2): See KANEMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU YOSHIKAGE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU YOSHIKAGE

YOSHIKANE MEI-TOKU (t: YOSHIKAGE): MOKUME HADA. KO-MIDARE BA,  
           GUNOME-MIDARE and GUNOME KO-CHOJI MIDARE BA. 
     BISHU OSAFUNE YOSHIKANE
HIDEKAGE TEI-WA (f: CHIKAKAGE): ASHI-IRI in KATAOCHI "Stooped-
        shoulders" GUNOME in the style of CHIKAKAGE/KAGEMITSU 
        line. HIDEKAGE in O-EI making O-EI style. See O-EI.
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU HIDEKAGE
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU HIDEKAGE TSUKURU

SHIGEHIDE MEI-TOKU (f: HIDEKAGE, grf: CHIKAKAGE): O-EI stylist.
        MOKUME HADA. GUNOME-CHOJI with ASHI-IRI.
     BISHU OSAFUNE SHIGEHIDE
     BISHU OSAFUNE TAIRA SHIGEHIDE

HIDEYUKI HO-TOKU 1449: HIDEKAGE School
     BISHU OSAFUNE HIDEYUKI
_______
YASUIYE BUN-PO 1317

YASUIYE(1) BUN-PO: MOKUME HADA. KO-CHOJI KO-MIDARE BA with ASHI.
           YASUIYE in KAN-O 1350, EI-WA 1375 and O-EI BIZEN. 

YOSHIKAGE(1) KEM-MU (t: CHIKAKAGE, f: KAGEMITSU): See NAGAMITSU 
           School. His teacher was CHIKAKAGE. YOSHIKAGE(2) under 
           KANEMITSU, CHOGI was his son-in-law.

YOSHIKAGE(2) EI-WA (t: O-KANEMITSU): See KANEMITSU School



KAGENORI GEN-KO (t: KAGEMITSU): KO-MOKUME HADA. KO-MIDARE BA and
CHOJI-MIDARE BA. 
    MEI: BISHU OSAFUNE JU KAGENORI
         BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU KAGENORI

KAGEZANE SHO-CHU (t: KAGEMITSU): KO-MOKUME. CHOJI-MIDARE BA.
    MEI: BISHU OSAFUNE JU KAGEZANE
Juyo Bunkazai
Yoshikage Nagamaki

Yoshikage Nagamaki
Nagasa: 2 Shaku 4 Sun 5 Bu (74.39cm)
Sori: 3 Bu (0.91cm)
Moto-haba: 1 Sun (3.03cm)
Saki-haba: 8 Bu 8 Rin (2.67cm)
Kissaki-naga: 2 Sun 9 Bu (8.94cm)
Moto-kasane: 1 Bu 8 Rin (0.55cm)
Saki-kasane: 1 Bu 5 Rin (0.45)
Nakago: 6 Sun 5 Bu 3 Rin (19.78cm)

Shinogi-tsukuri, Ihori-mune, shallow Sori and O-Kissaki.
Standing Itame and Mokume mix has Ji-Nie and standing Utsuri.
A long, wide, rippling Notare holds Ko-Nie Gunome-Midare Ba in Sunagashi, with Ashi and Yo. The Yakiba falls toward the ha in the Monouchi area below the Yokote. The Nioi-guchi is generally tight.
Midare-Komi Boshi resolves Yakizumi.
Suriage Nakago shows the remainder of its Nagamaki Koshi-hi. One Mekugi-ana and signed in the bottom:
    Bizen-no-Kuni Osafune Ju Yoshikage


Sho-shin
Glossary