Awataguchi
粟田口派 (Awataguchi-ha)
The Awataguchi school, in Kyoto: the most beautiful jigane of the Kamakura period and the tantō of Tōshirō Yoshimitsu.
Style and characteristics
An extremely fine ko-itame jigane, nashiji-hada, with abundant ji-nie, and a nie suguha hamon (chū-suguha or hoso-suguha) with ko-midare on some blades. Its tantō, of balanced shape and sometimes with uchizori, are among the most valued in the Japanese sword.
History
Tradition begins it with Kuniie and his six sons, among them Kunitomo, Hisakuni and Kuniyasu, several of them monthly smiths of the retired emperor Go-Toba. In the mid-Kamakura period Tōshirō Yoshimitsu, master of the tantō, worked here; Kunitsuna, the youngest brother according to tradition, settled in Kamakura, and his line led to Shintōgo Kunimitsu, the origin of the Sagami style.
Smiths of the school
- Awataguchi Hisakuni 粟田口久国
- Awataguchi Kunitomo 粟田口国友
- Awataguchi Kunitsuna 粟田口国綱
- Awataguchi Kuniyasu 粟田口国安
- Awataguchi Kuniyoshi 粟田口国吉
- Tōshirō Yoshimitsu 藤四郎吉光
Famous swords
- Mōri Tōshirō 毛利藤四郎
- Okayama Tōshirō 岡山藤四郎
- Onimaru Kunitsuna 鬼丸国綱