_____________
RAI KUNITOSHI SHO-O 1288
_________|___
RAI KUNIMITSU(1) SHO-WA 1312 through KA-REKI 1326
         |_________________________
_________|___                  ____|____
RAI KUNIMITSU(2) KEM-MU 1334   SUYEYOSHI RYAKU-O 1338
 (MITSUSHIGE)

RAI KUNIMITSU(1) KA-REKI (f: KUNITOSHI): JIROBE. Second son of 
        RAI KUNITOSHI whose known swords date between KA-REKI and
        KAN-O 1350. Records state his work began in SHO-WA 1312.
        Another boiling controversy has arisen over this long 
        career. Indistinguishable by MEI, one proposition put 
        from written rolls finds two: 
                                      JIROBE KUNIMITSU - 1st

                                       BEIJO KUNIMITSU - 2nd  

        The signature of RAI BEIJO KUNIMITSU appears from a 
        KAN-O 1350 sword. KUNIMITSU(2) is held to be a KEM-MU
        signature of RAI MITSUSHIGE. Writing and arguments must 
        acquiesce before actual pieces. 

A noted TANTO maker, KUNIMITSU also made TACHI. TANTO may be wide 
or somewhat narrow but will be thick at the back, and are likely 
MITSU-MUNE. There are KANMURI-OTOSHI. KO-ITAME with JI-NIE veil. 
May show the RAI dappling of YOWAI-patches or "Thin-skin." JI-NIE 
may vary on the HADA like NIE-UTSURI. 

TACHI may have a fairly wide CHU or HIRO-SUGU KO-GUNOME KO-MIDARE 
or KO-CHOJI defined of slight falling ASHI and SAKA-ASHI. His work 
banners the reserve found of the later work from his father, 
RAI KUNITOSHI. The HAMON may undulate gently. 

One expects to see SUGUHA TANTO, but some pieces show the 
unmistakable and also masterfully executed style of the SOSHU that 
ran through all of the supporting and subordinate schools up and 
down the archipelago. This style is a GUNOME, occasionally peaked, 
within a varying or NOTARE-like line. Such a piece may show MUNE-
YAKI, or may not. There will be KINSUJI and perhaps SUNAGASHI. 
SUGU KO-MIDARE, or KO-CHOJI MIDARE with ASHI. GUNOME-MIDARE becoming 
"open" with valleys. 

KUNIMITSU has "low" BOSHI (wide from the point) and possibly deep 
turnback in TANTO. Carvings are simple BO-HI, SU-KEN and GOMABASHI. 

His signature is easily recognized. TACHI-MEI are small while TANTO 
might seem large. MITSU is the character, KUANG - a man carrying a 
torch. With KUNIMITSU, it looks like a waiter about to spill his 
tray. Forgers needn't a good hand. See Tokubetsu Juyo Kunimitsu Tanto 

KUNIMITSU(2) KEM-MU: RAI MITSUSHIGE of GEN-TOKU 1329. SAZABEInoJO
        MOKUME HADA. SUGUHA and NOTARE BA.

SUYEYOSHI RYAKU-O 1338: Student of KUNIMITSU. 

SHINOGI-TSUKURI, IHORI-MUNE, TORI-ZORI TACHI is tapered with CHU-KISSAKI - Late-KAMAKURA style. BO-HI drops from the YOKOTE to KAKU-DOME at the HABAKI-MOTO. KO-ITAME HADA with thin veil of JI-NIE.
NIOI-GUCHI has KO-NIE through sweeping HIRO-SUGU where jostling KO-CHOJI are defined of KO-ASHI that descends in softly SAKA angles. There is YO, and KINSUJI striates at the bases. 
HIRO-SUGU BOSHI has RAI "pinched head" KO-MARU KAERI. UBU, two MEKUGI-ANA NAKAGO curves to HA-AGARI JIRI.

Signed in the upper:
                   RAI KUNIMITSU
Dated in the lower:
                   KA-REKI NI-NEN NI GATSU-HI
                                  1327, 2nd month 

Note: MUNE-YAKI, such is seen with forebears, KUNIYUKI and NIJI. 
It is only occasionally seen with SANJI and KUNIMITSU. 

SURIAGE, HA-AGARI NAKAGO was signed high above the ANA, but his three character MEI now resides at the bottom: 
                                  RAI KUNIMITSU

ODA NOBUNAGA's brother, NAGAMASU took the priest name: YURAKUSAI-JOAN. The "YURAKU RAI KUNIMITSU" TANTO had been passed from his benefactor, TOYOTOMI HIDEYORI. 
After the events of the winter and summer campaigns on OSAKA, NAGAMASU divided his estate with his sons and retired to KYOTO becoming Sensei of the tea ceremony.

There is power to this thick HIRA-TSUKURI, MITSU-MUNE TANTO. Made in the wide style, simple KEN HORI holds half its length. 

A refined KO-ITAME produces JI-NIE. 

SOSHU style is unmistakable as GUNOME-CHOJI plays different parts within a NOTARE vellum. A NIOI ravine-faceted KOSHIBA rises in the lower to be supplanted through the mid where a NOTARE skin holds CHOJI, as competing SUNAGASHI cuts TAMABA to its unsubmissive figures. 

Rippling GUNOME escapes from the MONOUCHI as the BOSHI disappears in the NIE-KUZURE chaos of an ear-shaped, fractal current. Long-falling KAERI. 

UBU NAKAGO has one MEKUGI-ANA below several filled. 

Signed in the lower:
                          RAI KUNIMITSU 

NAGASA: 60.5cm 
NAKAGO: 10.0cm

KANMURI-OTOSHI TSUKURI with MITSU-MUNE and NIGINATA-HI. A light veil of JI-NIE bathes RAI-HADA patching which contrast an otherwise quiet JI. 

KO-ASHI exemplified KO-GUNOME MIDARE BA push NOTARE waves into a deeply FUKAi NIOI-GUCHI of KO-NIE. SUNAGASHI runs along and KINSUJI makes occasional entries.

MIDARE-KOMI BOSHI is NIE-HAKIKAKE in the TSUKI-AGE head. MIDARE-KAERI. 

Straight falling, UBU NAKAGO has two MEKUGI-ANA from several mounts and rounded HA-AGARI JIRI.

Signed:
     RAI KUNIMITSU 

Naomasa - Ei-roku 3 to Kei-cho 7,  1602. 
Great stalwart of the TOKUGAWA, the Ii Family were KAMONnoKAMI for all generations until NAOSUKE, the 14th Lord Ii was assassinated on the 24th of March 1860, precipitating the fall of the SHOGUNATE. 
KOZUKE resident of MINOWA Castle until 1598, Naomasa moved to TAKASAKI, WADA-JO. 

At SEKIGAHARA he defeated SHIMAZU YOSHIHIRO, who fled south to SATSUMA, and proceded to arms manufacturing center, SAWAYAMA in OMI, trapping ISHIDA KAZUSHIGE's Family. The lot there committed suicide, after which IYEYASU gave Naomasa the castle and province. 

They soon moved to HIKONE where the Ii Family resided until the Restoration.

RAI KUNIMITSU TACHI in classic SUE-KAMAKURA style, BO-HI and wide HIRO-SUGU CHOJI MIDARE BA. 
SURIAGE NAKAGO with two MEKUGI-ANA and signed:
                                              RAI KUNIMITSU

_________
SHIGETAKA KEN-GEN 1302
_____________
1st SHIGEFUSA TOKU-JI 1306
_____________
2nd SHIGEFUSA TEI-JI 1362
       ________                       ________
       KUNITAKE GEN-O 1319            SUKEYASU GEN-KYO 1321


  __________ ________           ________             ______
  YOSHICHIKA HIDESUKE           MUNENAGA             KUNITO 
    - SHO-KEI 1332 -           KEM-MU 1334        KO-KOKU 1340

       __________ ________               ________ _________
       SHIGEYOSHI NAGAMASA               KUNIKAZU HIDETOSHI   
         - KO-EI 1342 -                   - TEI-WA 1345 -    


          ________ ________ __________ _______ _________
          KUNISUYE KANEYASU SHIGETSUGU KUNIAKI MUNESHIRO 
                         - BUN-WA 1352 -
               ________ _________ ________ _______
               KUNITOMO YOSHIKUNI KUNIHIRO IYEZANE 
                         - EN-BUN 1356 -
________                                 _________
NORIKANE O-AN 1368                       KUNIYOSHI O-AN 1368
____|____                                 ________ _________
YOSHIMUNE MEI-TOKU 1390                   KANEYASU HIROTSUGU
________                                    - KA-KEI 1387 -
NARIMUNE MEI-TOKU 1390 

__________                              ________                
MITSUSHIGE (JUJU) O-EI 1394             YUKIHIDE(1) EI-TOKU 1381
_________                               ___|____                
MITSUKATA(1) (JUMEI) O-EI 1394          YUKIHIDE(2) O-EI 1394   
____|____
MITSUKATA(2) (JUMEI) BUN-AN 1444

          ________ ________ __________ _________ _________
          HIROKUNI YUKIMUNE YOSHITSUNA YOSHIMUNE SADAMITSU
                          - O-EI 1394 -
   ________                                ________
   KUNIFUSA HO-TOKU 1449                   KUNISADA O-NIN 1467
                     _______ ________ _______
                     IYEZANE KUNINOBU NAOMUNE
                          - BUN-MEI 1469 -
________
KUNIYASU EI-SHO 1504