BIZEN YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

/////////map/YOSHIOKA, river with other towns near by



               ///////////////////////


Technical: SUGATA - KOSHIZORI much like FUKUOKA although 
                    shallower. 
             HADA - Like FUKUOKA, fine MOKUME or ITAME and with 
                    O-HADA.
            HAMON - FUKUOKA O-CHOJI MIDARE becomes small pattern 
                    KO-CHOJI with TOGARI and KO-GUNOME. Leaning 
                    SAKA-CHOJI MIDARE BA. TANTO: Height lessens.
            BOSHI - MIDARE, little turnback.
           NAKAGO - Long signatures preceded with "ICHI."

Old records convey a history in early KAMAKURA times, but the 
significant work was late-KAMAKURA when the BIZEN spotlight falls
on YOSHIOKA. FUKUOKA SUKEFUSA line smiths transfer with ICHIMONJI
style. YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI period from SHO-O 1288 to GEN-KO 1331.
Energy at FUKUOKA ceases in the late KAMAKURA as attention shifts
to YOSHIOKA and OSAFUNE. 
________________           
FUKUOKA SUKENORI 
  |______________________________ _______________________        
__|______                    ____|____               ____|____   
SUKEYOSHI(1)                 SUKESHIGE               SUKEMITSU(1)
  |________________ ______       |____________       SUKEMITSU(2)
__|______      ____|____  |  ____|____     ___|____  SUKEMITSU(3)
SUKEYOSHI(2)   SUKEYOSHI  |  SUKESHIGE(2)  NORISUKE             
  |____________           |
__|______  ____|____      |
SUKEYOSHI  SUKEYOSHI      |______________________________
                __________|___              _____________|___ 
                IWATO YOSHIUJI              YOSHIOKA YOSHINAO
                SHOCHU ICHIMONJI 1324                YOSHIKUNI(1)
                                                     YOSHIKUNI(2)
                                             OSAFUNE YOSHIKUNI(3)

Main Names: SUKEYOSHI dominates KA-GEN work period
            SUKEMITSU holds the flame from GEN-O to GEN-KYO 1321
            SUKEYOSHI attains prominence from GEN-TOKU 1329
            SUKEHIDE work is found in SHO-HEI 1346

YOSHIOKA: Wide TACHI with somewhat narrow OBUSA CHOJI MIDARE BA
are earlier work. The later pieces will be the narrow TACHI with
SUGUHA, GUNOME or GUNOME-CHOJI BA. TANTO may show TOGARI placing
in KO-CHOJI BA which becomes more evenly laid with time. The 
better TANTO are generally SUGUHA with refined KO-ASHI. A MU-MEI
consideration: SUGUHA TANTO were also a contemporary product of
OSAFUNE School KAGEMITSU and CHIKAKAGE. Note: SAKA or leaning 
ICHIMONJI CHOJI forms place one's focus from FUKUOKA to YOSHIOKA.

YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI
____________________                _________   
UMA-no-SUKE SUKEFUSA                SHIGENORI 
KO-AN 1278 to GEN-O 1319            SHO-O 1288  
________   
SUKETAKE KA-GEN 1303
________________           
FUKUOKA SUKENORI           
  |________________ _________________________
__|______      ____|____                 ____|____               
SUKEYOSHI(1)   SUKESHIGE EN-KEI 1308     SUKEMITSU(1) GEN-O 1319 
  | KA-GEN 1303    |____________         ____|____               
  |            ____|____     ___|____    SUKEMITSU(2) KEM-MU 1334
  |            SUKESHIGE(2)  NORISUKE    ____|____    
  |            TEI-WA 1345   KEM-MU 1334 SUKEMITSU(3) EN-BUN 1356
  |___________________________ ______________
__|______                 ____|____          |
SUKEYOSHI(2) KO-EI 1342   SUKEYOSHI          |
  |____________           GEN-TOKU 1329      |
__|______  ____|____                         |
SUKEYOSHI  SUKEYOSHI                         |
           _______________________ __________|
__________|___                ____|___
IWATO YOSHIUJI SHO-CHU 1324   YOSHINAO EN-KEI 1308 (f: SADATOSHI)
See SHOCHU ICHIMONJI          ____|____               
                              YOSHIKUNI(1) KEM-MU 1334
                              ____|____
                              YOSHIKUNI(2) O-AN 1368
                      ____________|____
                      OSAFUNE YOSHIKUNI(3) O-EI 1394

YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI
_______                
IYENORI SHO-O 1288     
   |___________        
___|____    ___|___    
IYEYOSHI    IYEYASU    
GEN-O 1319  BUN-EI 1264

________    
SUKENOBU BUN-PO 1317
BISHU SUKENOBU SAKU
________                (NORIFUSA) 
SUKEHIDE SHO-HEI 1346    SANETOSHI 



________                    
NORINARI KEN-JI 1275        
________
SUKENAGA BUN-PO 1317 to TEI-JI 1362

NORINARI KEN-JI: Also in FUKUOKA. ASAKI-NOTARE with ASHI and YO.

_________
SHIGENORI SHO-O (f: FUKUOKA IYEYOSHI): IYEYOSHI was a student of
        FUKUOKA SUKENORI.
    MEI: BISHU OSAFUNE SHIGENORI


IYENORI SHO-O: Tight KO-ITAME HADA. KO-CHOJI MIDARE BA. 

IYEYOSHI GEN-O (f: IYENORI): To SHO-CHU 1324. KO-ITAME. KO-CHOJI.
    MEI: BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU IYEYOSHI

_____________|____             
YOSHIOKA CHIKAKANE SHO-CHU 1324
 ____________|____             
 OSAFUNE CHIKAMURA KEM-MU 1334
 ____________|___
 OSAFUNE MURANAGA O-EI 1394

CHIKAKANE SHO-CHU: OSAFUNE JU. KO-MIDARE of SUGU CHOJI MIDARE BA. 
    MEI: CHIKAKANE
         BISHU OSAFUNE CHIKAKANE


________
IYETSUGU O-EI: MOKUME HADA. SUGUHA and GUNOME-MIDARE or GUNOME-
        CHOJI BA.
    MEI: BIZEN-no-KUNI JU IYETSUGU
         BIZEN-no-KUNI JUNIN IYETSUGU

YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

SUKETAKE KA-GEN: GUNOME-CHOJI BA, SUGU CHOJI-MIDARE and SUGUHA
        with ASHI-IRI.
    MEI: BIZEN-no-KUNI JUNIN SABEInoJO KI SUKETAKE

SUKEYOSHI(1) KA-GEN (br: SUKEMITSU): YOSHIOKA Founder. SHINTARO.
        YOSHI form: KICHI. Work from SHO-O 1288 to EN-KEI 1308.
        Swords resemble brother, YOSHIOKA SUKEMITSU. 
        Early: FUKUOKA influenced CHOJI-MIDARE BA. Later finds
        reserve: SUGUHA with ASHI is comparatively quite. There 
        is also another SUKEYOSHI, a student of SUKENORI in 
        FUKUOKA, KEN-JI 1275.
    MEI: SUKEYOSHI
     BIZEN-no-KUNI SUKEYOSHI
     BIZENnoKUNI JUNIN SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI
     BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JUNIN SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI
     ICHI BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JUNIN SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI

SUKEYOSHI(2) KO-EI: Work from KEM-MU 1334. CHOJI-MIDARE BA. 

YOSHIKUNI(1) KEM-MU (f: YOSHINAO): MOKUME. CHOJI-MIDARE BA.
    MEI: BISHU YOSHIOKA YOSHIKUNI
         ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU YOSHIKUNI


SUKEYOSHI GEN-TOKU (f: SUKEYOSHI 1): YOSHI: GI, "Justice." Work 
        to TEI-WA 1345. SABEInoJO. A TANTO OSHIGATA has helped 
        place GEN-TOKU 1329, although one theory states these 
        signatures are different names of the same man. The hand
        resembles SUKEMITSU. HOSO-SUGUHA has KO-ASHI.
    MEI: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEYOSHI
         BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI


SUKESHIGE EN-KEI (f: SUKENORI, br: SUKEYOSHI): SHIGE form: MO 
        "thick luxury". SHINTARO and SABUROBEI. Work from EN-KEI
        1308 to TEI-WA 1345.
     ICHI SUKESHIGE
     BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKESHIGE
     BIZENnoKUNI YOSHIOKA-SHO SABEInoJO KI SUKESHIGE

        KANMURI-OTOSHI, IHORI-MUNE, UCHIZORI TANTO. Running 
        KO-ITAME HADA shows UTSURI. A swell in the BOSHI drops to
        a HOSO-SUGUHA that raises gently in the mid to find 
        KO-ASHI drawing delicate KO-CHOJI in the line. UBU NAKAGO
        has three MEKUGI-ANA from several mountings.

           OMOTE: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEYOSHI
               URA: GEN-TOKU SAN NEN SAN GATSU HI

YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

SUKEMITSU GEN-O (f: SUKEYOSHI): From EI-NIN 1293 to KA-REKI 1326.
        CHU-KISSAKI that seems elongated. MOKUME HADA has 
        standing MIDARE-UTSURI. Early work shows large pattern 
        NIOI O-CHOJI MIDARE BA, FUKUOKA style. Middle work 
        becomes smaller patterned CHOJI and GUNOME having some 
        TOGARI. Late work finds SUGUHA with ASHI or SAKA-ASHI.
        See KOKUHO SUKEMITSU following
    MEI: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEMITSU
         ICHI BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU SAKON SHOGEN KI SUKEMITSU

        SHINOGI-TSUKURI, IHORI-MUNE, deeply curved TACHI. Width 
        brings strength for the long, CHU-KISSAKI late-KAMAKURA
        SUGATA. MOKUME has MIDARE-UTSURI that sways in gentle 
        currents. MONOUCHI has very full hardening, with high 
        reaching OBUSA CHOJI BA falling away quickly to a complex
        and small patterned GUNOME and KO-CHOJI defined of ASHI
        and YO. Larger rises stake claims in the leisurely mid 
        where SAKA figures, and some JUKA, peek and peer as if 
        looking for friends. KINSUJI lays across KO-ASHI in the 
        HABUCHI while SHIMA-BA sieves from heads. A small TOBI 
        floats in the OMOTE. One of the striking features in 
        SUKEMITSU's work is the blending of contrasting YAKIBA 
        elements. Excited GUNOME falls to a highly defined and 
        NIOI shrouded KO-CHOJI, TOGARI crush in the OMOTE 
        YAKIDASHI. URA BOSHI is very full, its wide MIDARE has 
        KINSUJI and NIOI drawing triple lines near the KO-SHINOGI.
        KO-MARU takes a moderate turnback but smoky NIOI walks on
        toward the point. BOSHI-OMOTE is high, angular GUNOME that
        march straight for the SAKI but cuts a very short KAERI 
        into the MUNE. This piece has been shortened, and is 
        probably MACHI-OKURI. The JIRI cuts through the remnants
        of a lower ANA allowing the full MEI to remain unmolested. 
        Two MEKUGI-ANA sit in the center of the NAKAGO. 
        Note: ICHI is placed on the OMOTE above the ANAs, 
        otherwise this sword is considered URA-MEI. 
        Date: 3rd month of 1322.
TACHI-OMOTE:
  ICHI   NAMU HACHIMAN DAIBOSATSU  GEN-KYO NI NEN SAN GATSU HI
         NAMU MYOKEN   DAIBOSATSU
  TACHI-URA:
         BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU SAKON SHOGEN KI SUKEMITSU

YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

SUKEHIDE SHO-HEI: KATAOCHI "Stooped-shoulders" GUNOME HA.
    MEI: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEHIDE

SUKESHIGE EI-NIN: CHOJI-MIDARE BA.

SUKESHIGE EN-KEI: SABUROBE NYUDO. SHIGE: MAO, "Grass." Work from
          EN-KEI 1308 to KEM-MU 1334. 2nd generation helped in 
          his late years. Late KAMAKURA/early NAMBOKUCHO SUGATA.
          MOKUME HADA shows standing MIDARE-UTSURI. Undulating 
          NIOI O-CHOJI MIDARE with ASHI and YO. Large TACHI-MEI
          in thin strokes.
    MEI: SUKESHIGE
         ICHI SUKESHIGE
         ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKESHIGE
         BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU KI SUKESHIGE SAKU
         BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA SHO SABEInoJO KI SUKESHIGE

SUKESHIGE(2) TEI-WA: Grandson of SABUROBEI. Joined the OSAFUNE.
    MEI: ICHI SUKESHIGE
         ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKESHIGE
         (OSAFUNE) BISHU OSAFUNE SUKESHIGE