"YOSHINDO" YOSHIHARA, DESCENDS FROM A DISTINGUISHED LINE ( MON) OF "NIHON TO KAJI" ( JAPANESE SWORD MAKERS ). HE WAS EXPOSED TO THE ART OF SWORD MAKING SINCE CHILDHOOD. HE BEGAN STUDYING SWORD MAKING AT THE AGE OF "12", UNDER THE TUDOR SHIP OF HIS GRAND FATHER, WHO FOUNDED THE "YOSHIHARA MON" ( SCHOOL )!
YOSHINDO, IS PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS SWORD MAKER OF OUR TIME. THIS IS ONE OF HIS MOST MAGNIFICENCE MASTER PIECES. IT IS "HIRA ZUKURI" (FLAT SIDES), AND IS VERY WIDE: "1 5/8 INCHES", 4.3 cm.! THE WIDTH FROM THE PEAK OF THE MUNE AT THE MACHI, TO THE CUTTING EDGE IS APPROX. 1 3/4 th INCHES. THE AVERAGE KATANA ( LONG SWORD ) IS APPROX. 1 1/4". THE NAGASA, ( LENGTH ) IS 16 1/4 th. INCHES, 41.2 cm.. IT'S GRANDEUR IS ALMOST BEYOND COMPREHENSION, WHEN ONLY VIEWING IT FROM THE PHOTO'S! THROUGH PAINSTAKING EXPERIMENTATION, AND METHODICAL PERSISTENCE HE HAS NOT ONLY "REDISCOVERED" MANY OF THE "LOST SECRETS" OF THE KAMAKURA PERIOD OF ART SWORD MAKING, BUT IMPROVED ON SOME OF THEM. ONE OF HIS FIRST MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WAS THE SUCCESSFUL RECREATION OF "UTSURI" (LIKE VIEWING THE REFLECTION OF THE TEMPERING PATTERN, IN THE WATERS OF A TRANQUIL POND). THE CREATION OF THE ANCIENT STYLE OF "UTSURI" HAS ELUDED ALL BUT A VERY FEW OF THE FINEST SWORDSMITHS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS!
Yoshindo Yoshihara
HE RECEIVED HIS OFFICIAL SWORD MAKING LICENSE IN 1965. AT THE NATIONAL SWORD MAKING CONTEST, HE PROCEEDED TO WIN; FIVE THIRD PRIZES, TWO SECOND PRIZES, AND "7" SEVEN FIRST PRIZES! IN 1982, HE WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS TITLE OF " MUKANSA " (ABOVE AND BEYOND ENTERING SWORD MAKING COMPETITIONS)! ONE OF HIS BLADES UNDERWENT A CUTTING TEST, DONE BY "TERUTAKA KAWABATA" A FAMOUS SWORD TESTER. IT SUCCESSFULLY CUT A FINELY MADE "IRON KABUTO" ( HELMET ) OVER 2" - 5.0 cm. DEEP. THIS IS TRULY AMAZING! HE MADE AND PRESENTED KING CARL GUSTAF XVI OF SWEDEN WITH A TANTO. THE KING (A SWORD ENTHUSIAST) VISITED YOSHINDO'S FORGE AND WORKSHOP, AS WELL AS THE N.B.T.H.K.. YOSHINDO CO-AUTHORED THE BOOK "THE CRAFT OF THE JAPANESE SWORD" WITH LEON KAPP. HE WAS MADE AN HONORARY CITIZEN OF "DALLAS TEXAS", WHERE HE HELD A PRIVATE EXHIBITION, IN 1980. HE EXHIBITED FOR THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, IN 1981. THE MARINE UNIVERSITY OF CALF. IN 1982. THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT GALLERY IN 1983. IN 1989 HE EXHIBITED A TANTO THAT WAS MADE FROM A METEORITE, AT THE TAKASHIMAYA DEPARTMENT STORE. YOSHINDO POSSESSES, SUPERB SKILL, A REMARKABLY ARTISTIC EYE, AND VAST KNOWLEDGE OF METALLURGY AND SCIENCE.
YOSHINDO'S SENSEI (TEACHER) WAS HIS GRAND FATHER "KUNIIE ( KATSUYOSHI ) YOSHIHARA", WHO WAS BORN IN "IWARAKI PREFECTURE, IN 1894, HE MOVED TO TOKYO AS A YOUNG MAN AND BECAME THE STUDENT OF "SHIGETSUGU KASAMA", AND "AKIHIDE (HIKOSABORO) KUNIHARA", HE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THERE FINEST STUDENTS. HIS WORKS ARE MAINLY DONE IN THE KOTO STYLE. DURING WW II, HE TRAINED SWORDSMITHS FOR THE ARMY, A POSITION OF GREAT HONOR. HE PASSED AWAY IN SHOWA 45, AT AGE 76.
THE FATHER OF YOSHINDO IS, "KUNIIE MASAHIRO" A WELL KNOWN SWORD MAKER. HIS OLDER BROTHER IS THE FAMOUS "KUNIIE SHOJI" WHO CARRIES HIS GRAND FATHERS NAME. HE IS AN EXTREMELY ACCOMPLISHED SWORDSMITH. HE ALSO HOLDS THE COVETED TITLE OF " MUKANSA" (ABOVE ENTERING ANY CONTEST). HE HAS MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ART OF SWORD MAKING. I HAVE SEEN A BLADE BY HIM, DONE IN THE KAMAKURA BIZEN STYLE. THE HADA (BLADE GRAIN STRUCTURE), AND CHOJI HAMON (TEMPERING), ARE MARVELOUS.
