The SENGOKU Era 

When one talks of SUE-BIZEN, one talks of that that was before 
the SENGOKU - and the SENGOKU.

From the relative peace of the BUN-MEI, the SENGOKU arose from 
about 1490 to a crescendo in the mid/late 1500s. ODA NOBUNAGA 
solidified an amorphous social and military fabric, crushing and 
starving fragmenting alliances to unify the country through the 
1560s and '70s. His life and those of his times would power one 
of the great periods of Japanese history. See SENGOKU

The SENGOKU, in turn, would earn for swords their lowest period 
in history. However, this dark reputation is only a numbers 
game. Always look at the sword for its truth. The great pieces of 
the SENGOKU, in their style, equal the great of any era.

Important Names: SAKYOnoSHIN MUNEMITSU
                  UKYOnoSUKE KATSUMITSU
                  JIROZAEMON KATSUMITSU
                     HIKOBEI TADAMITSU
                  GOROZAEMON KIYOMITSU 
                     GENBEI SUKESADA  - see below
                YOSAZAEMON SUKESADA - see below






See Shinto Sukesada

HIKOBEI Group

SUKESADA MEI-TOKU. KOSORI smith. Worked from Mei-Toku 2, 1391 
      through Oei 27, 1420.
   BIZEN-no-KUNI OSAFUNE SUKESADA

SUKESADA EI-KYO MATAUEMON-no-JO. Years from EI-KYO through 
      KYO-TOKU 1452 era in OSAFUNE.
   BISHU OSAFUNE SUKESADA
   BIZEN-no-KUN JU OSAFUNE SUKESADA
   BIZEN-no-KUN JU OSAFUNE FUJIWARA SUKESADA


SUKESADA CHO-KYO: He is the father of HIKOBEI. His work is 
      from KO-SHO to the 1st year of BUN-MEI 1469.
      SUGUHA, KO-MIDARE and CHOJI are seen. 
   BISHU OSAFUNE SUKESADA


SUKESADA(1) MEI-O 1490: HIKOBEI. Son of CHOKYO SUKESADA. 
      High-mark style brings the new era and foreruns YOSAZAEMON. 
      MEI-O to EI-SHO 1504. 2 Shaku 2 Sun, wide bladed Sugata are 
      seen. 7 to 8 Sun thick Kasane Tanto. 
      Jitetsu is Ko-Itame Hada with standing Utsuri. 
      Bizen style, Oei derived Koshi-hiraki Gunome Choji Midare 
      Hamon of great mastery.
   BISHU OSAFUNE SUKESADA
   BIZEN-no-KUNI JU OSAFUNE HIKOBEI-no-JO SUKESADA 
   BIZEN-no-KUNI JU OSAFUNE HIKOBEI-no-JO SUKESADA SAKU
 

SUKESADA(2) TEN-MON (f: HIKOBEI): HIKOBEI the 2nd, son of HOKIBEI(1). 
      He is the successor of Genbei, being the third grandson. First
      signed HIKOSABURO SUKEIYE. 
      SUGUHA AND KOSHI-HIRAKI GUNOME CHOJI-MIDARE BA. 
   BIZEN-no-KUN JU OSAFUNE SUKESADA
   BIZEN-no-KUN JU OSAFUNE HIKOBEI-no-JO SUKESADA

SUKESADA(3) TEN-SHO 1573: Along with HIKOBEI(2), HIKOBEI(3) is also a 
      grandson of Genbei. Nakamura Ukon of the Awa Ikeda was a great 
      supporter. 
  ASHU MIYOSHI-GUN IKEDA JU ONISHI HIKOBEI-no-JO SUKESADA
  BIZENnoKUNI JU OSAFUNE HIKOBEInoJO SUKESADA OITE ASHU MIYOSHI-GUN SAKU KORE

Yosazaemon Group

YOSAZAEMON SUKESADA(1) EI-SHO 1504 (f: HIKOBEI SUKESADA(1): NAKAGAWA 
      YOSAZAEMON. Dies at 76 years in TEN-MON JUICHI, 1542. His working 
      period was BUNGI right up to the end at TEM-MON JUNEN. His work 
      placed the proto-type and grace for SUE-BIZEN. He set the tone and 
      all copied him. The many of his works seen show his SUE-BIZEN 
      KOSHI-HIRAKI GUNOME CHOJI-MIDARE of many YO called KANI-no-TSUME 
      "Crab Claw" CHOJI - this in describing the reaching spires seen in 
      his HAMON. Regardless, some YOSAZAEMON HAMON are SUGUHA. We see he 
      used SUGUHA in various works to place dynamic and artistic balance. 
      There is much NIE JIBA that mingles with his UTSURI. 
      First period work is OEI BIZEN style. O-Notare where everything is 
      high. Then we see the conservative balance of SUGUHA at play.       
   BIZEN-no-KUNI JU NAKAGAWA YOSAZAEMON SUKESADA SAKU
   BIZEN-no-KUNI JU OSAFUNE YOSAZAEMON-no-JO SUKESADA SAKU
   BIZEN-no-KUNI JU OSAFUNE HIKOBEI DOSHI YOSAZAEMON-no-JO SUKESADA

YOSAZAEMON SUKESADA(2) EI-ROKU to TEN-SHO 6. NAKAGAWA YOSAZAEMON. Son of 
      1st generation YOSAZAEMON. Infant name was YAKURO. We see his work 
      from TEN-MON JUNI 1543 until his death in TEN-SHO JUHACHI 1591 at 
      age 80 years. He first signed SUKEMITSU and YOSAZAEMON SUKESADA at 
      the same time.     
   BIZEN-no-KUNI JU OSAFUNE YOSAZAEMON-no-JO SUKESADA SAKU
   BIZENnoKUNI OSAFUNE YOSAZAEMONnoJO SUKESADA SAKU SEI-NEN ROKU JUKUZAI

GENBEI SUKESADA

GENBEI SUKESADA(1) EI-SHO: YOKOYAMA GENBEI. Worked from EI-SHO 1504 to 
         TEN-SHO 1573 time period. SUGUHA and GUNOME CHOJI-MIDARE BA. 
     BISHU OSAFUNE SUKESADA GENBEI SAKU
     BIZEN-no-KUNI JU OSAFUNE GENBEI-no-JO SUKESADA SAKU

KAGEMORI MEI-O 1492
___|____
KAGEMORI TEN-MON 1532
___|____
KAGEMORI GEN-KI 1570

KAGEMORI TEN-MON: ITAME HADA. GUNOME CHOJI-MIDARE BA.
      Line from OMIYA. 
    KAGEMORI
    BISHU OSAFUNE KAGEMORI
    BIZEN OSAFUNE KAGEMORI

                           ____|____   ____|____
KAGEIYE EI-SHO            NAGAMITSU   SUKEMITSU
  GUNOME-MIDARE BA.       ____|____   ____|___ 
  BISHU OSAFUNE KAGEIYE   NAGAMITSU   SUKESADA 
_________               _______       ____|___ 
CHIKATADA EI-SHO 1504   KANEIYE       SUKESADA 
___|_____               EI-SHO 1504   ____|___ 
YOSHIKAGE TEN-MON 1532                SUKESADA