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A Rare Ayanokoji Juyo Token Katana mounted in shirasaya with Handachi Koshirae with Mitsu Tomoe Mons
Jūyō No 14560
Certificate
katana, mumei: Ayanokōji (綾小路)
Measurements: nagasa 74.1 cm, sori 2.8 cm
Shape: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, relatively slender blade with a rather noticeable taper, thick
kasane, deep koshizori, chū-kissaki
Kitae: itame that features ji-nie, chikei, and a nie-utsuri
Hamon: ko-midare in nie-deki with a bright nioiguchi that is mixed with ko-chōji, ko-gunome,
sunagashi, and kinsuji
Bōshi: midare-komi, on the omote with ko-maru-kaeri, on the ura side running out as yakitsume
Horimono: on both sides a bōhi with soebi that run as kaki-tōshi through the tang
Nakago: ō-suriage, katte-sagari yasurime, two mekugi-ana
According to the result of the shinsa committee of our society we judge this work as authentic
and rank it as jūyō-tōken.
December 15, 2020
[Juridical Foundation] Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, NBTHK
[President] Sakai Tadahisa (酒井忠久
Jūyō-tōken at the 66th jūyō shinsa held on December 15, 2020
katana, mumei: Ayanokōji (綾⼩路)
Measurements
nagasa 74.1 cm, sori 2.8 cm, motohaba 2.8 cm, sakihaba 1.8 cm, kissaki-nagasa 3.1 cm, nakago-nagasa
19.2 cm, nakago-sori 0.2 cm
Description
Keijō: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, relatively slender blade with a rather noticeable taper, thick
kasane, deep koshizori that decreases somewhat towards the tip, chū-kissaki
Kitae: itame that is mixed with mokume and that features plenty of ji-nie, chikei, and a nie-utsuri
Hamon: ko-midare in nie-deki with a bright and partially somewhat subdued nioiguchi that is
mixed with ko-chōji, ko-gunome, plenty of ashi, yō, many small yubashiri, and a few kinsuji and
sunagashi
Bōshi: a little bit midare-komi, on the omote side prominent hakikake and a brief ko-maru-kaeri, on
the ura side running out as yakitsume
Horimono: on both sides a bōhi with soebi that run as kaki-tōshi through the tang
Nakago: ō-suriage, kirijiri, katte-sagari yasurime, two mekugi-ana, mumei
Explanation
The Ayanokōji School (綾⼩路) was formed by smiths like Sadatoshi (定利) and Sadayoshi (定吉)
who made swords in the Ayanokōji district of the same name in Kyōto. The meikan date Sadatoshi
around Bun’ei (⽂永, 1264–1275) and one tradition has it that he lived in close proximity to Rai
Kuniyuki (来国⾏) and that both smiths made daisaku works for each other. Regarding the
workmanship seen with existing blades by Sadatoshi and Sadayoshi, we generally recognize a
classical elegance that reminds us of the style of earlier Ko-Kyō-mono, e.g., that of the Sanjō (三条)
and Gojō (五条) schools, with the midare elements of the hamon being densely arranged, small
dimensioned, and complex, with small hardened areas above of the yakigashira that create a
tendency towards nijūba, and with an overall rather subdued nioiguchi. Therefore, these works
suggest a production date earlier than the active periods listed in the meikan records.
This blade is relatively slender and features a deep koshizori that decreases somewhat towards the
tip, which is a chū-kissaki. The kitae is an itame that is mixed with mokume and that features plenty
of ji-nie and a nie-utsuri. The hamon is a ko-midare with a partially rather subdued nioiguchi that is
composed of smaller midare elements and that is mixed with ko-chōji, ko-gunome, and plenty of
small yubashiri. Thus, when we combine the interpretation of kitae and hamon with the bōshi and
its prominent hakikake, we clearly recognize the characteristic features of the Ayanokōji School.
Particularly noteworthy are the refined jigane and the very tasteful hardening in a complex and
small-dimensioned midareba, and together with the sugata, we have here a masterwork of classical
elegance
