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Juyo Yasusada

w/ 3 body cutting test

Musashi & Echizen Province’s C- 1640 AD

Student of Yasutsugu 1st & Kaneshige 1st

Yasusada Katana with 3 body Tameshigiri

ERA: 1660

APPROXIMATE AGE OF BLADE: 346 Years

THE NAKAGO (tang): Ubu (original, untouched)

MEI: (makers signature): Yamato (no) Kami Yasusada

JIRI: (tang end): kuri

MEKUGI ANA: (hole in tang for retaining peg): 1

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BLADE STYLE: Shinogi-Zukuri (most popular style)

MUNE: (back ridge): Iori (peaked)

NAGASA: (length of cutting edge): 74.3 cm / 29 5/16”

SORI: (curvature): 0.8 cm / 1/4”

MOTOHABA: (width): 3.0 cm / 1 ¼”

BOSHI: (tempering in point): Notare Komaru

KISSAKI: (point style): Ikubi (medium point)

HAMON: (tempering, martensite): Notare mixed with Gonome, small Nie, Sunagashi

HADA: (blade grain style): KoItame w/ Jinie, Ohada mixed near machi

——————————————————————

CONDITION: Pristine

KIZU: (flaws): None

POLISH: 100%

HABAKI: Two piece gold

SHIRA SAYA (storage case)

Description

“YAMATO NO KAMI YASUSADA”, IS ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER KAJI (SWORD SMITH) OF THE SHINTO PERIOD. RECENT RESEARCH BY THE “NBTHK” HAS REVILED SOME HERETOFORE UNKNOWN FACTS ABOUT HIM. THESE DISCOVERIES ENHANCE THE VALUE OF HIS WORKS, INCREASE THERE DESIRABILITY, AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE SIMILARITIES IN WORKMANSHIP WITH KAZUSA KANESHIGE, ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SWORD SMITHS OF THE “SHOGUN IEYASU GROUP” OF PERSONAL RETAINERS.

IT WAS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT “YASUSADA” WAS BORN IN ECHIZEN, AND STUDIED ONLY UNDER “YASUTSUGU 1st”. HIS PLACE OF BIRTH HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE “KISHU” (Kii PROVENCE) WERE HE STUDIED UNDER “KAZUSA KANESHIGE” (MAKER TO THE “TODA” FAMILY), WHO WAS AN INSTRUCTOR (SENSEI) WITH THE “ISHIDO SCHOOL”. “YASUSADA” THEN MOVED TO “EDO” (TOKYO), AS DID “KANESHIGE” WERE BOTH OF THEM ALONG WITH “TSUGUHIRA” BECAME STUDENTS OF THE FAMOUS “YASUTSUGU 1st” GENERATION (PLEASE SEE GENEALOGY CHART), WHO WAS THE PERSONAL, AND FAVORITE SWORD SMITH TO “TOKUGAWA IEYASU”. “KANESHIGE”, HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE “YAMANO” FAMILY OF SWORD TESTERS (SEE THE KANESHIGE PICTURED HEREWITH). HE WORKED CLOSELY WITH “NAGAHISA” WHO PERFORMED THE MAJORITY OF THE TEST’S ON HIS BLADES. THIS RELATIONSHIP WAS PASSED ON TO “YASUSADA”. NAGAHISA YAMANO, PERFORMED THE TEST ON THIS BLADE, AND THE MAJORITY OF HIS TESTED BLADES. IT IS MOST EXTRAORDINARY, THAT 3 BLADES WITH CUTTING TEST’S BY THESE FAMOUS MAKERS WHO STUDIED, WORKED, AND IN ALL PROBABILITY SOCIALIZED TOGETHER OVER 350 YEARS AGO, WOULD BE UNITED TOGETHER TODAY. PLEASE SEE THE GENEALOGY CHART, AND PHOTOS.

History of Tameshigiri

The oldest “Tameshigiri” documented in Japanese history goes back to Heian era (794-1185). Two swords were made by renowned swordsmiths at that time by order of Tada Mitsunaka. One was called “Hige Kiri” since it cut through beard and the other was called “Hiza Maru” since it cut through knee joint of the bodies of executed criminals used for test cutting. Both swords were designated as family treasures of Genji clan. The story was cited in the first chapter of “Heike Monogatari (A Story of Heike Clan)” and several other sword specialty books written during the following centuries. However, who made these swords and who actually tested them is not clear. Neither sword exists any longer.

During Kamakura era (1185*-1333), several stories about Tameshigiri using stone as target evolved. Stones and rocks that were said to be tested with swords made by Kanenaga, Munechika and others still exist. However, most of these tories are fictional legends without reliable documentation. *Officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shōgun, Minamoto no Yoritomo.

List of Wazamono or Token no Wazamono Ichiran(刀剣の業物一覧) is a list of 228 sword smiths. FROM THE LIST PUBLISHED BY: “YAMANO ASAEMON”, IN 1805.

Ryowazamono (GREAT MASTER WORKS)

Osafune Nidai Iesuke (長船二代家助)
Wakasa no kami Ujinobu (若狭守氏房)
Jiro Saemon Katsumitsu(次郎左衛門勝光)
Ukyo Susumu Katsumitsu (右京進勝光)
Sandai Kanesada(三代兼定)
Seki Kanefusa(関兼房)
Seki Kanetsune (関兼常)
Kouzukenosuke Kaneshige (上総介兼重) <——————–“KANESHIGE”
Echizen Kaneue (越前兼植)
Echizen Kanenori(越前兼則)
Aizu Kanesada (会津兼定)
Echigo no kami Kunihiro (越後守国儔)
Nidai Yamashiro no kami Kunitsutsu (二代山城守国包)
Yamashiro Dairoku Shodai Kunitsugu (山城大椽初代国次)
Okayama Kunimune (岡山国宗)
Daiyogo Kunishige (大与五国重)
Musashi Dairoku Shodai Koreichi (武蔵大椽初代是一)
Iga no kami Sadatsugu (伊賀守定次)
Nanki Shodai Shigekuni (南紀初代重国)
Tsudayoshi Sukenao (津田好助直)
Osafune Sukemitsu (長船祐光)
Yokoyama Sukesada (横山祐定)
Osafune Tadamitsu (長船忠光)
Ichi Saoshi Tadatsuna (一竿子忠綱)
Settsu no kami Shodai Tadayuki (摂津守初代忠行)
Mutsu Tadashige (陸奥忠重)
Soshu Shodai Shigehiro (相州初代綱広)
Tsushima no kami Tsunehiro (対馬守常光)
Tango no kami Naomichi (丹後守直道)
Osafune Shodai Norimitsu (長船初代則光)
Sukeuemon Norihiro (助右衛門則光)
Osafune Shonidai Norimitsu (長船初二代法光)
Osafune Hidesuke (長船秀助)
Omi no kami Shodai Hisamichi (近江守初代久道)
Kanehusa Shoshin (金房正真)
Itakura Shonidai Masatoshi (坂倉初二代正利)
Yamato Dairoku Shodai Masanori (大和大椽初代正則)
Oshu Masanaga (奥州政長)
Hioki Mitsuhira (日置光平)
Sakyo Susumu Munemitsu (左京進宗光)
Hioki Munehiro (日置宗弘)
Omiya Munekage (大宮盛景)
Shonidai Yasutsugu (初二代康継) <——————————– “YASUTSUGU 1st”
Yamato no kami Yasusada (大和守安定) <————————- “YASUSADA”
Bicchu no kami Yasuhiro (備中守康広)
Takada Yukinaga (高田行長)
Kyo Shonidai Yoshimichi (京初二代吉道)
Osaka Shonidai Yoshimichi (大阪初二代吉道)
Musashi no kami Yoshikado (武蔵守吉門)
Ise Dairoku Yoshihiro (伊勢大椽吉弘)

PLEASE NOTE; THE WORKS OF “TSUGUHIRA”, IS RATED IN THE NEXT GROUP, FOR SHARPNESS.

Juyo Zufu translation:

Jūyō-Tōken at the 23rd Jūyō Shinsa from July 1, 1975

katana, mei: Yamato no Kami Yasusada (大和守安定)

kinzōgan-mei: Manji sannen gogatsu nijūninichi – Mittsu-dō kiri-otoshi – Yamano Ka’emon no Jō Nagahisa + kaō (万字三年五月廿二日・三ッ胴切落・山野加右衛門尉永久「花押」) – “Yamano Ka’emon no Jō Nagahisa cut [with this blade] on the 22nd day of the fifth month of Manji three (1660) through three bodies + monogram”

Tochigi Prefecture, Ozawa Masaharu (小沢正晴)

Measurements

nagasa 74.3 cm, sori 0.8 cm, motohaba 3.0 cm, sakihaba 2.05 cm, kissaki-nagasa 3.1 cm, nakago-nagasa 20. 7cm, no nakago-sori

Description

Keijō: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, noticeable taper, shallow sori, compact chū-kissaki

Kitae: ko-itame that features ji-nie and that is mixed towards the base with ō-hada

Hamon: ko-nie-laden notare-chō that is mixed with gunome and sunagashi

Bōshi: notare with a ko-maru-kaeri

Nakago: ubu, kurijiri, ō-sujikai yasurime, one mekugi-ana, the sashi-omote side bears below of the mekugi-ana and towards the nakago-mune a goji-mei, the ura side bears in three columns the gold-inlaid result of a cutting test

Explanation

Traditionally, it has been believed that Yamato no Kami Yasusada came from Echizen province, but recent studies have revealed that his origins were actually with the Ishidō School (石堂) which was based in Kii province. In terms of blade shapes, workmanship, tang finish, and his relation to the Yamano family of sword testers, the theory that his master was Izumi no Kami Kaneshige (和泉守兼重) has become widely accepted. This blade is hardened in Yasusada’s typical hamon, i.e., in a ko-notare that is mixed with gunome, and its cutting test performed by Yamano Ka’emon Nagahisa in Manji three (1660) makes it a very valuable reference.

Gallery

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