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BIZEN		 




BIZEN YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 
///map/YOSHIOKA, river with other towns near by
               ///////////////////////
Old records convey a history in early KAMAKURA times, but the 
significant work was late-KAMAKURA when the BIZEN spotlight falls
on YOSHIOKA. FUKUOKA SUKEFUSA line smiths transfer with ICHIMONJI
style. YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI period from SHO-O 1288 to GEN-KO 1331.
Energy at FUKUOKA ceases in the late KAMAKURA as attention shifts
to YOSHIOKA and OSAFUNE. 
Technical: SUGATA - KOSHIZORI much like FUKUOKA although 
                    shallower. 
             HADA - Like FUKUOKA, fine MOKUME or ITAME and with 
                    O-HADA.
            HAMON - FUKUOKA O-CHOJI MIDARE becomes small pattern 
                    KO-CHOJI with TOGARI and KO-GUNOME. Leaning 
                    SAKA-CHOJI MIDARE BA. TANTO: Height lessens.
            BOSHI - MIDARE, little turnback.
           NAKAGO - Long signatures preceded with "ICHI."


YOSHIOKA: Wide TACHI with somewhat narrow OBUSA CHOJI MIDARE BA
are earlier work. The later pieces will be the narrow TACHI with
SUGUHA, GUNOME or GUNOME-CHOJI BA. TANTO may show TOGARI placing
in KO-CHOJI BA which becomes more evenly laid with time. The 
better TANTO are generally SUGUHA with refined KO-ASHI. A MU-MEI
consideration: SUGUHA TANTO were also a contemporary product of
OSAFUNE School KAGEMITSU and CHIKAKAGE. Note: SAKA or leaning 
ICHIMONJI CHOJI forms place one's focus from FUKUOKA to YOSHIOKA.
Main Names: SUKEYOSHI dominates KA-GEN work period
            SUKEMITSU holds the flame from GEN-O to GEN-KYO 1321
            SUKEYOSHI attains prominence from GEN-TOKU 1329
            SUKEHIDE work is found in SHO-HEI 1346

________________           
FUKUOKA SUKENORI 
  |________________ _____________ _______________________        
__|______       ___|___      ____|____               ____|____   
SUKEYOSHI(1)    IYENORI      SUKESHIGE               SUKEMITSU(1)
  |________________ ______       |____________       SUKEMITSU(2)
__|______      ____|____  |  ____|____     ___|____  SUKEMITSU(3)
SUKEYOSHI(2)   SUKEYOSHI  |  SUKESHIGE(2)  NORISUKE             
  |____________           |
__|______  ____|____      |
SUKEYOSHI  SUKEYOSHI      |______________________________
                __________|___              _____________|___ 
                IWATO YOSHIUJI              YOSHIOKA YOSHINAO
                SHOCHU ICHIMONJI 1324                YOSHIKUNI(1)
                                                     YOSHIKUNI(2)
                                             OSAFUNE YOSHIKUNI(3)
 


YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI
____________________                _________   
UMA-no-SUKE SUKEFUSA                SHIGENORI 
KO-AN 1278 to GEN-O 1319            SHO-O 1288  
________   
SUKETAKE KA-GEN 1303
________________                ________________
FUKUOKA SUKENORI - TEI-O 1222 - YOSHIOKA IYENORI
  |________________ _________________________
__|______      ____|____                 ____|____               
SUKEYOSHI(1)   SUKESHIGE EN-KEI 1308     SUKEMITSU(1) GEN-O 1319 
  | KA-GEN 1303    |____________         ____|____               
  |            ____|____     ___|____    SUKEMITSU(2) KEM-MU 1334
  |            SUKESHIGE(2)  NORISUKE    ____|____    
  |            TEI-WA 1345   KEM-MU 1334 SUKEMITSU(3) EN-BUN 1356
  |___________________________ ______________
__|______                 ____|____          |
SUKEYOSHI(2) KO-EI 1342   SUKEYOSHI          |
  |____________           GEN-TOKU 1329      |
__|______  ____|____                         |
SUKEYOSHI  SUKEYOSHI                         |
           _______________________ __________|
__________|___                ____|___
IWATO YOSHIUJI SHO-CHU 1324   YOSHINAO EN-KEI 1308 (f: SADATOSHI)
See SHOCHU ICHIMONJI          ____|____               
                              YOSHIKUNI(1) KEM-MU 1334
                              ____|____
                              YOSHIKUNI(2) O-AN 1368
                      ____________|____
                      OSAFUNE YOSHIKUNI(3) O-EI 1394
YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI
________________                       _______
YOSHIOKA IYENORI TEI-O 1222 FUKUOKA  - IYETADA EI-NIN 1299
   |_____________ ________ _________ __________
___|___       ___|___  ___|____  ___|____   ___|___
IYENORI SHO-O IYEYASU  IYETOSHI  IYETSUGU   IYEZANE KA-GEN 1303
___|____ 1288    - FUKUOKA -     SHO-O 1288 ___|___
IYEYOSHI                                    IYESADA(1) KA-GEN 1303
 GEN-O 1319                                 ___|___
           ________                         IYESADA(2) SHO-CHU 1324
           IYETSUGU O-EI 1394                See SHOCHU ICHIMONJI

YOSHIOKA IYENORI TEI-O: Son-in-law of ICHIMONJI SUKENORI, root of
        YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI. See FUKUOKA. KO-ITAME HADA. 
        KO-CHOJI-MIDARE BA
    IYENORI

IYETSUGU SHO-O: Worked along with his son in YOSHIOKA.
    IYETSUGU

IYEZANE KA-GEN (f: IYETSUGU): Root teaching from FUKUOKA IYENORI. 
        Worked from KEN-JI 1275 through the KA-GEN. MOKUME HADA. 
        KO-MIDARE BA.
    BISHU OSAFUNE IYEZANE
    BISHU OSAFUNE JUNIN IYEZANE TSUKURU

IYESADA(1) KA-GEN (f: IYEZANE): MOKUME HADA. SUGUHA with ASHI-IRI
        generally shows GUNOME-MIDARE BA within. Son is IWATA.
    BISHU OSAFUNE JU IYESADA TSUKURU
________        
SUKENOBU BUN-PO 1317 
BISHU SUKENOBU SAKU  
________                (NORIFUSA) 
SUKEHIDE SHO-HEI 1346    SANETOSHI 

________                    
NORINARI KEN-JI 1275        
________
SUKENAGA BUN-PO 1317 to TEI-JI 1362

NORINARI KEN-JI: Also in FUKUOKA. ASAKI-NOTARE with ASHI and YO.

_________
SHIGENORI SHO-O (f: FUKUOKA IYEYOSHI): IYEYOSHI was a student of
        FUKUOKA SUKENORI.
    MEI: BISHU OSAFUNE SHIGENORI


IYENORI SHO-O: Tight KO-ITAME HADA. KO-CHOJI MIDARE BA. 

IYEYOSHI GEN-O (f: IYENORI): To SHO-CHU 1324. KO-ITAME. KO-CHOJI.
    MEI: BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU IYEYOSHI

_____________|____             
YOSHIOKA CHIKAKANE SHO-CHU 1324
 ____________|____             
 OSAFUNE CHIKAMURA KEM-MU 1334
 ____________|___
 OSAFUNE MURANAGA O-EI 1394

CHIKAKANE SHO-CHU: OSAFUNE JU. KO-MIDARE of SUGU CHOJI MIDARE BA. 
    MEI: CHIKAKANE
         BISHU OSAFUNE CHIKAKANE


________
IYETSUGU O-EI: MOKUME HADA. SUGUHA and GUNOME-MIDARE or GUNOME-
        CHOJI BA.
    MEI: BIZEN-no-KUNI JU IYETSUGU
         BIZEN-no-KUNI JUNIN IYETSUGU
YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

SUKETAKE KA-GEN: GUNOME-CHOJI BA, SUGU CHOJI-MIDARE and SUGUHA
        with ASHI-IRI.
    MEI: BIZEN-no-KUNI JUNIN SABEInoJO KI SUKETAKE

SUKEYOSHI(1) KA-GEN (br: SUKEMITSU): YOSHIOKA Founder. SHINTARO.
        YOSHI form: KICHI. Work from SHO-O 1288 to EN-KEI 1308.
        Swords resemble brother, YOSHIOKA SUKEMITSU. 
        Early: FUKUOKA influenced CHOJI-MIDARE BA. Later finds
        reserve: SUGUHA with ASHI is comparatively quite. There 
        is also another SUKEYOSHI, a student of SUKENORI in 
        FUKUOKA, KEN-JI 1275.
    MEI: SUKEYOSHI
     BIZEN-no-KUNI SUKEYOSHI
     BIZENnoKUNI JUNIN SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI
     BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JUNIN SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI
     ICHI BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JUNIN SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI

SUKEYOSHI(2) KO-EI: Work from KEM-MU 1334. CHOJI-MIDARE BA. 

YOSHIKUNI(1) KEM-MU (f: YOSHINAO): MOKUME. CHOJI-MIDARE BA.
    MEI: BISHU YOSHIOKA YOSHIKUNI
         ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU YOSHIKUNI


SUKEYOSHI GEN-TOKU (f: SUKEYOSHI 1): YOSHI: GI, "Justice." Work 
        to TEI-WA 1345. SABEInoJO. A TANTO OSHIGATA has helped 
        place GEN-TOKU 1329, although one theory states these 
        signatures are different names of the same man. The hand
        resembles SUKEMITSU. HOSO-SUGUHA has KO-ASHI.
    MEI: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEYOSHI
         BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SABEInoJO SUKEYOSHI


SUKESHIGE EN-KEI (f: SUKENORI, br: SUKEYOSHI): SHIGE form: MO 
        "thick luxury". SHINTARO and SABUROBEI. Work from EN-KEI
        1308 to TEI-WA 1345.
     ICHI SUKESHIGE
     BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKESHIGE
     BIZENnoKUNI YOSHIOKA-SHO SABEInoJO KI SUKESHIGE



Sukeyoshi Tanto - Juyo Bijutsu-Hin

Sukeyoshi Tanto
        NAGASA: 9 SUN 8.5 BU
          MOTO-HABA: 9.5 BU
          SORI: UCHIZORI
         NAKAGO: 3.7 SUN

KANMURI-OTOSHI, IHORI-MUNE, UCHIZORI TANTO.
Running  KO-ITAME HADA shows UTSURI.
A swell in the BOSHI drops to a HOSO-SUGUHA that raises gently in the mid to find  KO-ASHI drawing delicate KO-CHOJI in the line.
UBU NAKAGO has three MEKUGI-ANA from several mountings.

           OMOTE: Ichi Bishu Yoshioka Ju Sukeyoshi
               URA: Gentoku Sannen San Gatsu-Hi
 
YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

SUKEMITSU GEN-O (f: SUKEYOSHI): From EI-NIN 1293 to KA-REKI 1326.
        CHU-KISSAKI that seems elongated. MOKUME HADA has 
        standing MIDARE-UTSURI. Early work shows large pattern 
        NIOI O-CHOJI MIDARE BA, FUKUOKA style. Middle work 
        becomes smaller patterned CHOJI and GUNOME having some 
        TOGARI. Late work finds SUGUHA with ASHI or SAKA-ASHI.
        See KOKUHO SUKEMITSU following
    MEI: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEMITSU
         ICHI BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU SAKON SHOGEN KI SUKEMITSU

Sukemitsu





Yoshioka Ichimonji Sukemitsu
Present Nagasa: 15"

This is an early work and is entirely consistent with the school head, Yoshioka Sukemitsu. 
Shinogi-tsukuri, Ihori-Mune O-Suriage Tachi - "Tachi point"
Bo-Hi fills the Shinogi.
A strongly stated and running Itame where O-Hada defines Mokume. JiNie provides a wet surface.
Shimaba stands through the Habuchi in the upper. Moving and lively Yoshioka Obusa Saka Choji O-Gunome-MidareBa has Togari pushing for place. 
Strong Kinsuji and Sunagashi are highlighted of fine Ko-Nie in it's high-rising Gunome Choji Boshi of little turnback, the Yoshioka Ichimonji appraisal mark. 
O-Suriage Nakago has one Mekugi-ana.



Kokuho Yoshioka Sukemitsu


KOKUHO YOSHIOKA SUKEMITSU                      National Treasure
         NAGASA: 2 SHAKU 7.2 SUN             MOTO-HABA: 1.1 SUN
          SORI: 1.3 SUN                     SAKI-HABA: 7.2 BU
        NAKAGO: 7 SUN 6.5 BU

        SHINOGI-TSUKURI, IHORI-MUNE, deeply curved TACHI. Width 
        brings strength for the long, CHU-KISSAKI late-KAMAKURA
        SUGATA.
        MOKUME has MIDARE-UTSURI that sways in gentle currents.
        MONOUCHI is very full with high  reaching OBUSA CHOJI BA falling
        away to a complex and small patterned GUNOME and KO-CHOJI BA
        defined of ASHI and YO. Larger rises stake claims in a leisurely mid where
        SAKA figures, and some JUKA, peek and peer. KINSUJI lays across
        KO-ASHI in the HABUCHI while SHIMA-BA sieves from heads. A small TOBI 
        floats in the OMOTE.
        SUKEMITSU's work blends contrasting elements. Excited GUNOME falls to a
         highly defined NIOI KO-CHOJI and TOGARI crush together in the
        OMOTE YAKIDASHI.
        URA BOSHI is full, with wide MIDARE-KOMI. KINSUJI and NIOI
        draws triple lines to the KO-SHINOGI.
        KO-MARU takes a moderate turnback. Smokey NIOI walks
        to the point. BOSHI-OMOTE has high, angular GUNOME that
        march for the SAKI but cut quickly to a short KAERI.
        SURIAGE and MACHI-OKURI, the JIRI cuts through the remnants of a
        lower ANA. Two MEKUGI-ANA. 
        Note: ICHI is placed on the OMOTE above the ANAs, 
        otherwise this sword is considered URA-MEI. 
        Date: 3rd month of 1322.
TACHI-OMOTE:
  ICHI   NAMU HACHIMAN DAIBOSATSU  GEN-KYO NI NEN SAN GATSU HI
         NAMU MYOKEN   DAIBOSATSU
  TACHI-URA:
         BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU SAKON SHOGEN KI SUKEMITSU
































Yoshioka Sukemitsu Naginata Kokuho

Yoshioka Sukemitsu Naginata

Nagasa: 1 Shaku 8 Sun 7 Bu (56.66cm)
Sori: 9 Bu (2.72cm)
Moto-haba: 1 Sun 1 Bu (3.33cm)
Nakago: 2 Shaku 1 Bu (60.9cm)

Naginata Sugata with Mitsu-mune. A strong arc in the cutting edge, Taka Fukura and gentle Sori. Naginata-Hi.
Ko-Itame Hada has strongly standing Midare-Utsuri.
Hiro-width Choji and Gunome with Ashi and Yo wrestle in a gently  flowing line but become tamed in the upper.
Ko-Maru Boshi has a long falling Kaeri.
Ubu Nakago has two Mekugi-ana.
Signed:
   Ichi     Bishu Yoshioka Ju Sakon Shogen Ki Sukemitsu
              Gen-O Ninen Ka-no-e Saru Juichi Gatsu-Hi
                               1320 - "Year of the Monkey"
 
YOSHIOKA ICHIMONJI 

SUKEHIDE SHO-HEI: KATAOCHI "Stooped-shoulders" GUNOME HA.
    MEI: ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKEHIDE

SUKESHIGE EI-NIN: CHOJI-MIDARE BA.

SUKESHIGE EN-KEI: SABUROBE NYUDO. SHIGE: MAO, "Grass." Work from
          EN-KEI 1308 to KEM-MU 1334. 2nd generation helped in 
          his late years. Late KAMAKURA/early NAMBOKUCHO SUGATA.
          MOKUME HADA shows standing MIDARE-UTSURI. Undulating 
          NIOI O-CHOJI MIDARE with ASHI and YO. Large TACHI-MEI
          in thin strokes.
    MEI: SUKESHIGE
         ICHI SUKESHIGE
         ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKESHIGE
         BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA JU KI SUKESHIGE SAKU
         BIZEN-no-KUNI YOSHIOKA SHO SABEInoJO KI SUKESHIGE

SUKESHIGE(2) TEI-WA: Grandson of SABUROBEI. Joined the OSAFUNE.
    MEI: ICHI SUKESHIGE
         ICHI BISHU YOSHIOKA JU SUKESHIGE
         (OSAFUNE) BISHU OSAFUNE SUKESHIGE 
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