Katana: Tamba No Kami Yoshimichi
Jidai: Shinto Genroku
Osaka
Tamba School
Sword
For
those of
you that have been having a tough time at this Kanteikai, this
sword
should be a blessing as it is a classic example of the Mishina
School. In
this country we often see many examples of this smith, as there
are a many
generations, thus leaving a great many examples left for us to
study
nowadays.
The
Hamon (Sudare-ba) is an easily recognizable style of tempering and
is
usually only associated with the Mishina group in the Shinto and
Shinshinto period. In a sense, just by seeing the Hamon alone.
Should give
you the clue as to who the maker or at the very least the
School.
The
Yoshimichi School actually originated from the Seki School from
the late
Muromachi period. Shodai Tamba No Kami Yoshimichi was said to be
the 3rd
son of Mino Kanemichi, who then started his own style of tempering
in an
O-midare style heavy with Sunagashi. This Sunagashi –midare became
known
as “Sudare-ba” or Bamboo-strip curtain. Because of this style of
tempering, the Shodai Yoshimichi became very popular among sword
enthusiast of the times. Since then, all of the later generations
followed
suit and continued the tradition of the Sudare-ba temper.
Kikusui-ba
(Chrysanthemum in the River) was also a popular theme for a Hamon
in the
Mishina – Kei.
This
sword used today for Kantei is a classic example of a
3rd
generation Osaka Tamba No Kami Yoshimichi. Unless you have studied
and
seen many different examples of the various Kyo-Tamba and Osaka
Tamba, it
is very hard to tell the differences between the two schools. But,
today
we are very fortunate to have a very text book example of a Sandai
Osaka
Tamba Yoshimichi.
Please
note the following characteristics of the sword used today:
1)
Rather strong curvature-not a Kanbun Shinto style, thus
putting the
sword around the Genroku time period.
2)
Sudare-ba WITH a “Tama-ba” on one side in the boshi
area.
3) Jigane NOT muji-so as not to place the sword in the Shinshinto period
In the signature- the “Kami” Kanji has a straight line rather than a slant as in the Kyoto group.Also there is NO Kiku mon on the Nakago. Only the Kyoto Tanba uses the Kiku on the nakago
Here is an example of the “Tama-ba” or Ball of hamon in the boshi. By seeing such swords as this Yoshimichi, one can understand why some swords are considered “textbook” examples, as the traits tend to be very consistent in most main schools.
