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YAMASHIRO
YAMASHIRO RAI KUNITSUGU School




__________________________
"Two-characters" KUNITOSHI
________|____ 
RAI KUNITSUGU "Ten Students" GEN-TOKU 1329 See Ten Students
________|____   
RAI KUNITSUGU(2) (KUNIHIDE) SHO-KEI 1332 
        |__________________ ________________________________ 
________|____          ____|____                ____________|____
RAI HIDETSUGU TEI-JI   SADAMITSU -RYAKU-O 1338- ECHIZEN MUNEMITSU
    ____|___     1362                    ___________________|    
    SUYEYUKI(1) BUN-WA 1352         ____|____ -brothers-____|____
        |____________ __________    SHIGEKUNI    SETTSU YOSHIKUNI
    ____|___     ____|____  ____|____      - EN-BUN 1356 -
    SUYEYUKI(2)  SUYETSUGU  SUYEYOSHI 
             - EI-TOKU 1381 -

"The Ten Students"
RAI KUNITSUGU(1) GEN-TOKU (t: KUNITOSHI): SABUROUEMON. Cousin or
        brother-in-law of KUNIMITSU. Work from KA-REKI 1326 to
        SHO-KEI 1332 making MITSU-MUNE, HIRA-TSUKURI O-TANTO and
        wide KO-WAKIZASHI of slight SORI. There are few TACHI. 
        Standing ITAME-HADA shows CHIKEI under strong JI-NIE. 
        KINSUJI cuts ASHI within KO-NIE FUKASHI KO-MIDARE or 
        GUNOME-MIDARE that holds to a gentle NOTARE roll. YAKIBA
        is clear and may flare outside the HAMON as TOBI-YAKI or
        SHIMA-BA. Or in the JI as YUBASHIRI. KINSUJI "feet" face
        each other from the reach of falling ASHI. In the classic
        view,  these are called SAGARI-ASHI "falling" and 
        AGARI-ASHI "rising." They may connect forming long 
        KINSUJI. SUGUHA to KO-MARU BOSHI or perhaps MIDARE with 
        TOGARI-KAERI. Carved HI and HORIMONO of BONJI, KEN or 
        GOMABASHI, usually along the MUNE. His works of TANTO 
        having GUNOME within an ASAKI-NOTARE line reflects his 
        SOSHU School experience. See Tokubetsu Juyo Rai Kunitsugu 

Remember:

Rai Kunitoshi Rai Kunimitsu Rai Kunitsugu






KOKUHO RAI KUNITSUGU 

NAGASA: 1 SHAKU 8 BU 
SORI: 3 RIN 
NAKAGO: 3.1 SUN
MOTO-HABA: 1 SUN 9 RIN
MOTO-KASANE: 2 BU

HIRA-TSUKURI, MITSU-MUNE, slight SORI. A groove-lined BO-HI mimics an absent SHINOGI enhancing the stately appearance which follows its wide, straight lines. 

The very fine ITAME HADA has CHIKEI and clear, profuse JI-NIE. 

TOGARI finds roosts on uneven GUNOME. KINSUJI and SUNAGASHI draw a flat plain through far and near jutting rises. TAMA rolls down the BOSHI while SHIMA-BA hangs lazily. KINSUJI furrows the MONOUCHI. 

KO-MARU pulls a reticent KAERI onto the MUNE. UBU NAKAGO with two MEKUGI-ANA. 

Signed in the lower:
                         RAI KUNITSUGU




Rai Kunitsugu - Kokuho

Rai Kunitsugu - Kokuho
Nagasa:82cm
Moto-Haba: 3.1cm


Large and strong Shino-gi-Tsukuri, Ihori-Mune, Chu-Kissaki Tachi.
Standing Itame Hada has Rai Hada and Ji-Nie.
Gunome Ko-Midare Ba in Nie and Nioi-Fukashi striated with Sunagashi creating small Tobi and Nijuba and Kuzure Ba effects.
Ubu Kurijiri with one Mekugi-ana. Signed in the upper Ji.

     Rai Kunitsugu


Juyo-Bijutsu-Hin  Rai Kunitsugu                   Possession of the TOKUGAWA


JUYO BIJUTSU HIN RAI KUNITSUGU      
~ Handed down through the SHOGUNATE ~ 

NAGASA: 29.7cm 
NAKAGO: 10.6cm

Late-KAMAKURA/early NAMBOKUCHO OTANTO SUGATA where RAI sings the SOSHU song. While similar to the JI-DAI, its withered FUKURA imparts a slender appearance. 

RAI HADA has JI-NIE and CHIKEI.

A quiet serenity is achieved in its SOSHU GUNOME within NOTARE undulations. NIOI-GUCHI is FUKAi with KO-NIE. SUNAGASHI brushes while KINSUJI inscribes. 

Many mounted: two MEKUGI-ANA, several filled. Straight falling NAKAGO is signed at the bottom: 
                                                          RAI KUNITSUGU




Bunkazai Rai Kunitsugu

NAGASA: 32.7cm 
  SORI: 0.3cm 
NAKAGO: 9.9cm

HIRA-TSUKURI, MITSU-MUNE. Wide bodied, the BO-HI resolving low helps perpetuate the length and reach to its elongated KISSAKI. The FURISODE NAKAGO adds an aristocratic feel. 

ITAME HADA has JI-NIE covering CHIKEI. 

A particularly strong YAKIBA has ASAKI-NOTARE with CHOJI-MIDARE and GUNOME crushed and competing. ASHI pulls and cuts through a NIOI-FUKASHI and KO-NIE SUNAGASHI and KINSUJI war. 

Small RAI KO-MARU pulls against a TSUKI-AGE rush at the SAKI. 

SURIAGE FURSODE, two MEKUGI-ANA NAKAGO is signed at the bottom: 
                              RAI KUNITSUGU



YAMASHIRO RAI KUNITSUGU School
KUNITSUGU(2) SHO-KEI: RAI HIKOTARO. Also signed RAI KUNIHIDE 
to a 3.6 SUN YARI. ITAME-HADA has JI-NIE.
SUGU NOTARE-CHOJI and NIE-DEKI ASAKI-NOTARE YAKIBA with
SHIMA-BA. KUNIHIDE SHO-KEI:  Same as RAI KUNITSUGU(2). MOKUME with
JI-NIE. SUGU and NOTARE line of CHOJI BA.  SADAMITSU RYAKU-O (f: KUNIHIDE): Work from TOKU-JI 1306.
A member of the SOSHU RAI stylists. MUNEMITSU RYAKU-O (f: RAI KUNIHIDE): Moved for the ECHIZEN
RAI.          MOKUME with MASAME. SUGUHA. See ECHIZEN. SHIGEKUNI EN-BUN (f: MUNEMITSU, br: YOSHIKUNI): AWAJI RAI.
MOKUME with MASAME. SUGUHA. YOSHIKUNI EN-BUN (f: MUNEMITSU, br: SHIGEKUNI): Moved to
SETTSU. ITAME with MASAME. SUGUHA. HIDETSUGU TEI-JI: It is taught that HIDETSUGU was the son of       KUNIHIDE, who actually was KUNITSUGU(2). There is also        the proposal that the dates run close enough that all       three are the same man. Another support of this is the       KUNITSUGU mark of JI-BA and GUNOME within NOTARE. It is       not unexpected of students, however. His birth is
listed as EN-KEI 3. Made 9 SUN TANTO. Running SHIRA-KE
ITAME HADA.        GUNOME-MIDARE or HAKO forms within a KO-NOTARE line.        SHIMA-BA. KINSUJI signs, while SUNAGASHI runs.
The BOSHI is NOTARE KO-MARU KAERI. Can be large MEI
with bold strokes or small with thin. SUYEYUKI(1) BUN-WA (f: YAMATO SHIGEYASU, t: RAI HIDETSUGU):
From YAMATO SENJUIN to RAI School. A part of the YAMATO,
 - RAI romance. Changed his signature in honor of his
style: RAI KUNIYUKI. KO-ITAME HADA. KO-NIE KO-GUNOME
with SUNAGASHI through the line.


Rai Kunitsugu
NAGASA: 69.2cm
SORI: 2.1cm
NAKAGO: 16.6cm

HIKOTARO KUNIHIDE was the second master of the RAI KUNITSUGU School and is the same as RAI HIKOTARO KUNITSUGU(2). His influences are the first KUNITSUGU's blend of stately RAI and exuberant SOSHU.
His sons moved through
the RAI expansions in SETTSU, ECHIZEN and SAGAMI.
RAI HIDETSUGU is thought
possibly a later signature.

   ~ A truly great sword ~
Excellent JI-NIE dresses pronounced and moving MOKUME HADA exemplified with strong
CHIKEI.
Long running KINSUJI and SUNAGASHI gently interlace within a moving KO-MIDARE  where KO-ASHI defined GUNOME mixes in. UCHI-NOKE and strung HOTSURE form a SHIMABA that skirts along the HABUCHI. MUNE-YAKI frosts the back.
UCHI-NOKE and NIE collide and sweep through a YAKI-KUZURE BOSHI to KO-MARU and medium turnback.
O-SURIAGE NAKAGO has two MEKUGI-ANA.

Rai Kunitsugu


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