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OEI BIZEN		 

   * The Three MITSUs * 
       MOROMITSU 
          MORIMITSU
            YASUMITSU


-MITSUTADA
-NAGAMITSU
-KAGEMITSU
-KANEMITSU
-TOMOMITSU
-MOROMITSU
-OEI MORIMITSU O-EI 1394		 OEI: A major marker in the long OSAFUNE master line. Graceful Kamakura Sugata returns. SUNNOBI-TSUKURI "Stretched" TANTO or short swords are seen. The O-EI is marked by the lively, exuberant HAMON patterns of KANEMITSU descendant, MORIMITSU, the new BIZEN star. His KOSHI-HIRAKI GUNOME-CHOJI MIDARE BA ignites the country. 
Technical: SUGATA - Some TACHI but mostly KOSHIZORI KATANA. 
                    Graceful tapering finds a small or medium 
                    BIZEN KISSAKI. The blades have a certain 
                    thickness when compared with KANEMITSU school.
                    Note: O-EI shows a sudden rise in BO-HI. Wide 
                    and thin grooves abound. Deeply carved SU-KEN
                    and BONJI abound. 
                    Note: 1 SHAKU 2 or so SUN, thick and 
                    noticeably narrow KO-WAKIZASHI, called SUNNOBI
                    -TSUKURI appearing to be an altered NAMBOKUCHO 
                    DAMBIRA is peculiar to the O-EI and known as 
                    the OEI BIZEN O-TANTO. 
                           SUNNOBI-TSUKURI = OEI
             HADA - MOKUME with O-MOKUME or ITAME MOKUME mix is 
                    pronounced. OEI BIZEN known for BO-UTSURI.
            HAMON - NIOI-DEKI. KOSHI-HIRAKI "Open-valleys" GUNOME
                    and grouped GUNOME-CHOJI BA may appear 
                    NOTARE-like on evenly-spaced, thumb sized 
                    swells with ASHI and YO. Some HOTSURE or 
                    UCHINOKE like forms.
            BOSHI - Like KANEMITSU, MIDARE with some TOGARI and
                    some MARU. Short KAERI (turnback).
           NAKAGO - Usually BIZEN NAKAGO with long 
                    signatures and dates. Legend states  
                    that signatures of the Three MITSUs, 
                    MOROMITSU - MORIMITSU - YASUMITSU were signed
                    (or seem signed) by the same hand. 
OEI BIZEN:
-Classic TACHI SUGATA / OEI SUNNOBI-TSUKURI
-BO-UTSURI 
-KOSHI-HIRAKI GUNOME-CHOJI BA
 

_______________
KANEMITSU SODEN 
____|____  
TOMOMITSU (br: O-KANEMITSU)           
    |_________________________        
____|____                 ____|____   
MOROMITSU                 MORIMITSU(1)        _________________  
    |_________________________                KOZORI SHIGEYOSHI  
____|____     ________________|____        ______________|____   
MOROMITSU(2)  SHURInoSUKE MORIMITSU(2)     UEMONnoJO YASUMITSU(1)
                          ____|____      ________________|____   
____________________      MORIMITSU(3)   SAKYOnoSUKE YASUMITSU(2)
IYESUKE and TSUNEIYE                     ____________________
                                         SHINZAEMON SANEMITSU

Note: O-EI is a time. OEI BIZEN is a school and style.
 




OEI BIZEN     OEI MORIMITSU  The Three MITSUs

_______________
KANEMITSU SODEN
___|___________                                    OEI BIZEN  
SODEN TOMOMITSU EN-BUN 1356 (br: O-KANEMITSU)   "The Three MITSUs"  
   |____________________ __________________________________
___|_____            ___|_____                  ___________|_____
MOROMITSU(1)         MORIMITSU(1)               EI-TOKU TADAMITSU 
   | EI-TOKU 1381    SHI-TOKU 1384       __________________|_____
   |                                     GOROZAEMONnoJO TADAMITSU
   |__________________________________ _________________________
___|_____                   __________|___                      |
MOROMITSU(2) O-EI 1394      OMIYA MORIKAGE(2) SHI-TOKU 1384     |
___|_____                             |__________ ________      |
MOROMITSU(3) HO-TOKU 1449   __________|__    ____|____ ___|___  |
___|_____                   OEI MOERIKAGE(3) HARUMITSU IYESUKE  |
MOROMITSU(4) MEI-O 1492        - See OEI MORIKAGE Group -       |
                    _________________________ __________________|
    _______________|_____   - brothers -  ___|______ 
    SHURINOSUKE MORIMITSU(2) O-EI 1394    YOSHIMITSU(1) O-EI 1394
          _________|_____________ __________ ___________________
      ___|___   ___|_____     ___|_____  ___|____               |
      MORIUJI   MORIMITSU(3)  MORISHIGE  MORIMOTO(4)            |
      O-EI 1394            - EI-KYO 1429 -   ___________________|
                                        ____|___              
                                        KUNISUKE KA-KEI 1387  
                                        ____|____           
                                        KUNIMITSU(1) OEI period 
                                        ____|____         
                                        KUNIMITSU(2) SHO-CHO 1428


                  Note: MOROMITSU son, MORIKAGE is second OMIYA
                      stylist - see OEI MORIKAGE Group, OMIYA 
                                               and KOZORI IYESUKE


OEI BIZEN Roots: The SODEN
TOMOMITSU EN-BUN (f: KAGEMITSU, br: KANEMITSU): Student of his
        elder brother and therefore considered a member of the
        SODEN. See KANEMITSU School

TADAMITSU(4) EI-TOKU (t: TOMOMITSU): Possibly GOROZAEMON, or the
        father of GOROZAEMON, from TOMOMITSUs' KANEMITSU SODEN. 
        The 5th TADAMITSU, IYEMORI son, JIROZAEMON, touches 
        KOZORI before the line flows to SUE-BIZEN. ]
        See KANEMITSU School, KOZORI IYEMORI and SUE-BIZEN

GOROZAEMON TADAMITSU O-EI: A prolific maker, this last of the 
        SODEN line resides in the O-EI. MOKUME HADA. CHOJI BA.
     BISHU OSAFUNE GOROZAEMONnoJO TADAMITSU


Tokyo National Museum
Oei Morimitsu
Nagasa: 68cm
Sori: 1.7cm
Shinogi-tsukuri, Ihori-mune Tachi Sugata. Chu-Kissaki. Bo-hi RenBi.
Saka Gunome Choji-Midare in his Koshi-Hiraki, Oei Hamon style.
Strong, slightly altered Nakago.
Signed:
             Bishu Osafune Morimitsu
             Oei NiJu Sannen Hachi Gatsu-Hi - 1416
 



OEI BIZEN - MORIMITSU  The Three MITSUs

The Three MITSUs
MOROMITSU(1) EI-TOKU (f: TOMOMITSU): EI-TOKU 1381 to MEI-TOKU
        1390. Brings KANEMITSU roots for the OEI masters.Father
        of OEI MORIMITSU. MOKUME HADA. NOKOBA and GUNOME-CHOJI 
        MIDARE with ASHI. MIDARE-BOSHI to KO-MARU.
     MOROMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE MOROMITSU


MOROMITSU(2) O-EI (f: MOROMITSU 1): from O-EI 20 to EI-KYO 1429.
        OEI style GUNOME-MIDARE BA undulates gently.
     BISHU OSAFUNE MOROMITSU

MORIMITSU(1) SHI-TOKU (f: TOMOMITSU, br: MOROMITSU): Younger son
        of TOMOMITSU, MOROMITSU is the elder brother. Work from 
        O-AN 1368 to the O-EI. MOKUME HADA. O-MIDARE BA. Said to
        have signed mostly two character MEI.
     MORIMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMITSU

KUNISUKE KA-KEI (t: MORIMITSU): From BITCHU to the OEI. EI-TOKU
        1381 to MEI-TOKU 1390. OEI smith, OEI style.
     BISHU OSAFUNE KUNISUKE
     GOROSABURO NYUDO KUNISUKE

KUNIMITSU(1) OEI (t: KUNISUKE): MOKUME HADA. KOSHIHIRAKE GUNOME-
        MIDARE BA in the OEI style.
     BISHU OSAFUNE KUNIMITSU
     BIZENnoKUNI JUNIN KUNIMITSU

KUNIMITSU(2): SHO-CHO: OEI stylist with his father.
     BISHU OSAFUNE KUNIMITSU
Oei Morimitsu
OEI BIZEN - MORIMITSU  "The Three MITSUs"

"The Three MITSUs"
MORIMITSU(2) O-EI: SHURInoSUKE. Noted as working from O-EI 10,
        1403 through O-EI 31, 1424. His father is accepted as 
        MOROMITSU. Other stories state MORIMITSU(1), the father 
        and another has YASUMITSU his brother - both erroneous.
        MORIMITSU returned the grandeur of KAMAKURA style, lost 
        of the NAMBOKUCHO. He birthed the OEI renaissance and his
        work is considered the highest development and hallmark
        of the time.

           - CHU-KISSAKI TACHI. Some SAKI-ZORI. 
           - 1 SHAKU 3 to 4 SUN, HIRA-TSUKURI WAKIZASHI 
           - 1 SHAKU 6 to 7 SUN, SHINOGI-TSUKURI WAKIZASHI 
           - 9 SUN, MU-SORI TANTO

        FUNBARI TACHI or KATANA style that remains strong to the
        KISSAKI. Note: Famous OEI BIZEN TANTO style is the 
        elongated SUN-NOBI TSUKURI or seemingly "Stretched." 
        Simple HORIMONO can be BO-HI, BO-HI ni SOE-BI, SU-KEN and
        BONJI. HI resolves in MARU-DOME. 
       -Standing ITAME - MOKUME mix that shows JI-NIE and the OEI
        BIZEN mark of BO-UTSURI which, with MORIMITSU, undulates
        gently, teasing the tops along his HAMON. 
       -NIOI-DEKI KOSHI-HIRAKI "Open-waist" or open-troughed 
        GUNOME-CHOJI MIDARE BA with ASHI and YO. It is noted that
        the MORIMITSU HAMON will show a dynamic rise and fall of
        figures with rounded tops when compared with OEI BIZEN 
        YASUMITSU, where an even height has TOGARI marking the 
        line. 
       -BOSHI: GUNOME falls to SUGUHA that finds KO-MARU, or 
        MIDARE-KOMI. Note: An often repeated claim states an 
        O-EI sword signer inscribed for many including all of 
        The Three MITSUs. See OEI YASUMITSU, following.
     MORIMITSU
     SHURInoSUKE MORIMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU MORIMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE SHURInoSUKE MORIMITSU

   MORIMITSU: 
            - Strong SUGATA to the KISSAKI.
            - Rounded, almost billowing KOSHI-HIRAKI 
              "Wide-troughed" GUNOME/CHOJI MIDARE BA
            - ASHI and YO

  YASUMITSU:
            - A comparative narrowing in the MONOUCHI
            - An evenly laid, somewhat simpler pattern with 
              TOGARI
            - Fewer ASHI and YO, more TAMA and TOBI




Oei Morimitsu

Oei Morimitsu
Nagasa: 2 Shaku 3 Sun 7 Bu (71.81cm)
Sori: 9 Bu (2.58cm)
Moto-haba: 1 Sun (3.03cm)
Saki-haba: 6 Bu 4 Rin (1.94cm)
Kissaki-naga: 9 Bu 6 Rin (2.91cm)
Moto=kasane: 2 Bu 6 Rin (0.79cm)
Saki-kasane: 1 Bu 8 Rin (0.55cm)
Nakago: 5 Sun 6 Bu (16.97cm)
Nakagozori: 7 Rin (0.21cm)
Shinogi-tsukuri, Ihori-mune, deeply curved, Chu-Kissaki.
Ko-Itame Hada has standing Utsuri.
Togari heads push through O-Gunome Midare, Ko-Choji Ba and valleys in his Koshi-hirake Oei Hamon. Ko-Ashi and Yo define while Sunagashi runs.
Midare-Komi Ko-Maru and Togari turn on Ura.
Typical Bizen Nakago falls fat and even to Kurijiri.
Signed Tachi-Mei:
     Bishu Osafune Morimitsu
     Oei Ju Ni-nen Hachi Gatsu Hi
OEI BIZEN MORIMITSU  The Three MITSUs



BUNKAZAI OEI MORIMITSU
        NAGASA: 2 SHAKU 5.1 SUN              MOTO-HABA: 9.8 BU
          SORI: 1.1 SUN                                    SAKI-HABA: 6 BU
        NAKAGO: 6.1 SUN

        The long honored and long prized.
        SHINOGI-TSUKURI, IHORI-MUNE, Koshizori, Funbari Tachi. 
        A certain presence prevents a competition of line as 
        a tapering MONOUCHI meets a subtle straightening to
        the upper. Its CHU-KISSAKI rising strongly above a wide BO-HI
        that tethers the YOKOTE.
        BO-UTSURI drifts like a ribbon over always changing
        Koshi-Hiraki GUNOME-CHOJI mounds. The mid becomes
        DAIBO as tall juts push and lean. YO props figures while
        NIOI-ASHI drop.  Occasional TAMA stand motionless.
        A deep MIDARE-KOMI  BOSHI finds TOGARI in the head.
        UBU, BIZEN  NAKAGO with one MEKUGI-ANA center-
        placed above his nearly even KURIJIRI, another newly given
        BIZEN gift.
        Signed  TACHI-MEI in O-EI 23, 1416.

    TACHI-OMOTE:BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMITSU
       TACHI-URA:O-EI NIJU SAN NEN JU NI GATSU HI


 
OEI BIZEN - MORIMITSU School

YOSHIMITSU(1) O-EI (br: MORIMITSU): YOSHI form: GA "Celebration."
        Another last of the SODEN, he is the father of KANSHO 
        UEMONnoJO YOSHIMITSU. See SUE-BIZEN MOKUME. YAKIBA: NIOI
        GUNOME-CHOJI MIDARE BA. Signed small.
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE YOSHIMITSU
     BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE JU YOSHIMITSU

MORIMITSU(3) EI-KYO (f: MORIMITSU 2): MOKUME. HAMON resembles his
        father's KOSHI-HIRAKI GUNOME-CHOJI MIDARE BA.
     BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMITSU

MORIMITSU(4) MEI-O: MOKUME HADA. GUNOME-TOGARI BA.
     BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMITSU
     BISHU OSAFUNE JU MORIMITSU

MORIMOTO(4) EI-KYO (t: MORIMITSU): MORI form: SHU "Protector." 
           MOKUME. KOSHI-HIRAKI GUNOME-MIDARE HA. 5th MORIMOTO in 
           KAN-SHO 1460.
     BISHU OSAFUNE MORIMOTO

MORISHIGE EI-KYO (f: MORIMITSU): Held to be his father's choice.
        His name is followed into the SUE-BIZEN. MOKUME HADA.
        GUNOME-CHOJI BA with ASHI-IRI.
     MORISHIGE
     BISHU OSAFUNE MORISHIGE 
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