Hizen-tō
肥前刀 (Hizen-tō)
The swords of Saga: the house of Tadayoshi and its branches, smiths to the Nabeshima throughout the Edo period.
Style and characteristics
The finest jigane of shintō, konuka-hada, an extremely tight ko-itame with ji-nie, and a hamon of bright nioi suguha or soft chōji, with the bōshi tradition calls Hizen-bōshi. Carefully made blades of balanced shape, very consistent from one generation to the next.
History
The first Tadayoshi trained in Kyoto under Umetada Myōju and returned to Saga around 1598 as smith to the Nabeshima clan. His son, Ōmi Daijō Tadahiro, was the most productive of the house, and the main line reached nine generations; alongside it worked the branches of Masahiro, Yukihiro and Tadakuni. The domain kept its smiths as house artisans, hence the consistency of their work.
Smiths of the school
- Dewa no Kami Yukihiro 出羽守行広
- Harima Daijō Tadakuni 播磨大掾忠国
- Hizen Masahiro 河内守正広
- Hizen Masahiro 肥前正広
- Hizen Muneharu 宗治
- Hizen Munetsugu 肥前宗次
- Hizen Tadayoshi 肥前忠吉
- Hizen Tadayoshi 肥前忠吉
- Hizen Tadayoshi 忠吉
- Hizen Tadayoshi 肥前国近江守忠吉
- Kawachi Daijō Masahiro 河内大掾正広
- Musashi Daijō Tadahiro 武蔵大掾忠広
- Mutsu no Kami Tadayoshi 陸奥守忠吉
- Ōmi Daijō Tadahiro 近江大掾忠広
- Ōmi no Kami Tadayoshi 近江守忠吉
- Tōtōmi no Kami Kanehiro 遠江守兼広