_____________
RAI KUNITOSHI SHO-O 1288
_________|___
RAI KUNIMITSU(1) SHO-WA 1312 through KA-REKI 1326
         |_________________________
_________|___                  ____|____
RAI KUNIMITSU(2) KEM-MU 1334   SUYEYOSHI RYAKU-O 1338
 (MITSUSHIGE)

RAI KUNIMITSU(1) KA-REKI (f: KUNITOSHI): JIROBE. Second 
      son of RAI KUNITOSHI whose known swords date 
      between KA-REKI and KAN-O 1350. Records state his 
      work began in SHO-WA 1312. Another boiling 
      controversy has arisen over this long career. 
      Indistinguishable by MEI, one proposition put 
      from written rolls finds two: 
                               JIROBE KUNIMITSU - 1st

                                BEIJO KUNIMITSU - 2nd  

      The signature of RAI BEIJO KUNIMITSU appears from 
      a KAN-O 1350 sword. KUNIMITSU(2) is held to be a 
      KEM-MU signature of RAI MITSUSHIGE. Writing and 
      arguments must acquiesce before actual pieces. 

A noted TANTO maker, KUNIMITSU also made TACHI. 
TANTO may be wide or somewhat narrow but will be 
thick at the back, and are likely MITSU-MUNE. There 
are KANMURI-OTOSHI. 
KO-ITAME with JI-NIE veil. May show the RAI dappling 
of YOWAI-patches or "Thin-skin." JI-NIE may vary on 
the HADA like NIE-UTSURI. 

TACHI may have a fairly wide CHU or HIRO-SUGU KO-
GUNOME KO-MIDARE or KO-CHOJI defined of slight 
falling ASHI and SAKA-ASHI. His work banners the 
reserve found of the later work from his father, 
RAI KUNITOSHI. The HAMON may undulate gently. 

One expects to see SUGUHA TANTO, but some pieces 
show the unmistakable and also masterfully executed 
style of the SOSHU that ran through all of the 
supporting and subordinate schools up and down the 
archipelago. This style is a GUNOME, occasionally 
peaked, within a varying or NOTARE-like line. Such a 
piece may show MUNE-YAKI, or may not. There will be 
KINSUJI and perhaps SUNAGASHI. SUGU KO-MIDARE, or 
KO-CHOJI MIDARE with ASHI. GUNOME-MIDARE becoming 
"open" with valleys. 

KUNIMITSU has "low" BOSHI (wide from the point) and 
possibly deep turnback in TANTO. Carvings are simple 
BO-HI, SU-KEN and GOMABASHI. 

His signature is easily recognized. TACHI-MEI are 
small while TANTO might seem large. MITSU is the 
character, KUANG - a man carrying a torch. With 
KUNIMITSU, it looks like a waiter about 
to spill his tray. Forgers needn't a good hand. 
See Tokubetsu Juyo Kunimitsu Tanto 

KUNIMITSU(2) KEM-MU: RAI MITSUSHIGE of GEN-TOKU 1329. SAZABEInoJO
        MOKUME HADA. SUGUHA and NOTARE BA.

SUYEYOSHI RYAKU-O 1338: Student of KUNIMITSU. 

Remember:

Rai Kunitoshi Rai Kunimitsu Rai Kunitsugu

_________
SHIGETAKA KEN-GEN 1302
_____________
1st SHIGEFUSA TOKU-JI 1306
_____________
2nd SHIGEFUSA TEI-JI 1362
       ________                       ________
       KUNITAKE GEN-O 1319            SUKEYASU GEN-KYO 1321


  __________ ________           ________             ______
  YOSHICHIKA HIDESUKE           MUNENAGA             KUNITO 
    - SHO-KEI 1332 -           KEM-MU 1334        KO-KOKU 1340

       __________ ________               ________ _________
       SHIGEYOSHI NAGAMASA               KUNIKAZU HIDETOSHI   
         - KO-EI 1342 -                   - TEI-WA 1345 -    


          ________ ________ __________ _______ _________
          KUNISUYE KANEYASU SHIGETSUGU KUNIAKI MUNESHIRO 
                         - BUN-WA 1352 -
               ________ _________ ________ _______
               KUNITOMO YOSHIKUNI KUNIHIRO IYEZANE 
                         - EN-BUN 1356 -
________                                 _________
NORIKANE O-AN 1368                       KUNIYOSHI O-AN 1368
____|____                                 ________ _________
YOSHIMUNE MEI-TOKU 1390                   KANEYASU HIROTSUGU
________                                    - KA-KEI 1387 -
NARIMUNE MEI-TOKU 1390 

__________                              ________                
MITSUSHIGE (JUJU) O-EI 1394             YUKIHIDE(1) EI-TOKU 1381
_________                               ___|____                
MITSUKATA(1) (JUMEI) O-EI 1394          YUKIHIDE(2) O-EI 1394   
____|____
MITSUKATA(2) (JUMEI) BUN-AN 1444

          ________ ________ __________ _________ _________
          HIROKUNI YUKIMUNE YOSHITSUNA YOSHIMUNE SADAMITSU
                          - O-EI 1394 -
   ________                                ________
   KUNIFUSA HO-TOKU 1449                   KUNISADA O-NIN 1467
                     _______ ________ _______
                     IYEZANE KUNINOBU NAOMUNE
                          - BUN-MEI 1469 -
________
KUNIYASU EI-SHO 1504