SHINTO 1600  * The Tokugawa Shogunate Brought Permanent Peace *

As peace followed the long period of strife called the "Hundred Year Wars" (the O-NIN WARS  forward), a nation-wide revolution of spirit enveloped the country. Japan became a raging  creative storm. This dynamic social engine drove the new sword makers of SHINTO to produce supremely crafted works of the highest quality. These new swords were as different from KOTO as the times.

Peace brought an explosion of freedom and affluence. Iron was not held but traded, and a new kind of steel was imported from foreign sources.
As war no longer dictated sword style a wide variety of shapes and new HAMON patterns were produced.

EARLY - MOMOYAMA Translated
Early SHINTO swords were made in the shape of existing KOTO, many having  been altered to repair battle damage. Nicks or breakage in the deep SORI of the older weapons had been routinely removed by reducing the length. Many swords left to posterity had become relatively short and straight point sections of old blades.
The first SHINTO pieces emulated these. The MOMOYAMA, a time named for HIDEYOSHI's hill-top Castle and government, produced broad, large, strong swords, Proud SUGATA of a new and proud moment. SHINTO also produced reverent portrayals of the past, artistically married to the new.
Copies of old and famous swords or styles from history  in a bright new suit - with new steel, and new signatures.

MIDDLE
In the 1660s a particular style grew from early SHINTO and developed, supposedly around the requisites of sword fencing technique. The KAN-BUN sword is a weapon of little curve, which has been thought to have been for thrusting, or "TSUKI". Such styles, however, may start from martial demands, but are soon swept along by simple popularity.
This easily recognized shape became a banner style of the mid TOKUGAWA era.
When cutting, a sword with less curve will make contact with a target before one with deep curve, but the techniques of TSUKI, direct thrust and SUKI, finding a weakness or thrust to advance upon a weakness were, in part, the martial cause of the famous "KAN-BUN" shape.

Swords from the town centers  of the  big three are usually called by town name, where this is unusual  for the other four. One hears of an "OSAKA blade" or a "KYOTO sword."

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YAKIDASHI
  OSAKA and KYOTO have similar YAKIDASHI.

OSAKA  (SETTSU Province)
  OSAKA YAKIDASHI can be a SUGU but starting out close to the  HA then graduating to the width of the YAKIBA with only a few and usually subtle NOTARE seen.

KYOTO  (YAMASHIRO Province)
  KYOTO YAKIDASHI appear as a SUGUHA of some width in which a MIDARE is seen. This MIDARE can be subtle or fairly pronounced, but always segregated within the YAKIDASHI.
 

   ////ARTWORK///// Compare KYOTO with OSAKA YAKIDASHI
 

BOSHI

OSAKA  (SETTSU Province)
  The BOSHI of OSAKA and KYOTO differ. Generally, at the time of manufacture, an OSAKA BOSHI had a greater width of YAKIBA in the KISSAKI or a greater width of YAKIBA from the point. Seeing  MARU in a BOSHI reminds one to ask, "OSAKA?"

 /////ARTWORK/////OSAKA BOSHI

KYOTO  (YAMASHIRO Province)
  Many examples of KYOTO BOSHI display MIDARE.  JIZO-like  shapes are often  encountered, with KO-MARU. Some KYOTO blades  have a MIDARE figure saddling the YOKOTE. One expects less YAKIBA  above the KYOTO BOSHI than that of OSAKA.
  APPRAISAL NOTE: MISHINA School had distinctive BOSHI.

 ////ARTWORK//// KYOTO and MISHINA BOSHI   MIDARE at YOKOTE
 

STEEL
  When comparing OSAKA with KYOTO, KYOTO should have  stronger JI-HADA. A reverence for the tradition of YAMASHIRO surface steel was carried in the KYOTO products, "KYOTO Steel."

  OSAKA smiths, however, prided their work as the finest worked steel  of the period. Often the surface of an OSAKA blade will have a wet, glistening appearance and little discernible grain from the finely worked HADA.

  BOTH OSAKA AND KYOTO DISPLAY FINELY WORKED STEEL.
 

  The initial appraisal technique  is the grouping of  provinces other than OSAKA - KYOTO with ECHIZEN - MUSASHI.

  Occasionally, work displaying YAKIDASHI similar to that of the OSAKA or KYOTO schools is found, but usually the YAKIDASHI from elsewhere is, essentially, a match or perhaps a weak match for the general pattern of the Hamon. Lack of the distinctive YAKIDASHI, coupled with a pronounced grain, point away from OSAKA - KYOTO.

  The following are some points that mark a separation from the OSAKA - KYOTO schools:

  When one finds a strong or pronounced JI-HADA, one should think
to look to the ECHIZEN - MUSASHI group. One should look for MASA in the SHINOGI. MASAME at the SHINOGI (typical of SHINTO) will be seen made strongly in the ECHIZEN - MUSASHI group.

  BOSHI of the ECHIZEN - MUSASHI group often have more area of hardening in the KISSAKI (excepting of the distance to the tip). There may be wider turnback. There may be deeper turnback. There may be more MIDARE and JIZO-like shapes.