Horikawa
堀川派 (Horikawa-ha)
Horikawa Kunihiro’s school in Kyoto: the beginning of shintō and the training ground of its best smiths.
Style and characteristics
A pronounced itame jigane with nie and chikei, in which the school is recognised (the so-called Horikawa-hada), and a strong-nie notare and gunome hamon in the Sagami manner. Over the years Kunihiro moved from a rougher style, that of his Tenshō-era works, to the refinement of his Kyoto period.
History
Kunihiro, from Hyūga, served the Itō house and travelled the country before settling at Horikawa, in Kyoto, at the end of the sixteenth century. He trained many smiths: Dewa Daijō Kunimichi, Echigo no Kami Kunitomo, and Izumi no Kami Kunisada and Kawachi no Kami Kunisuke, who later founded Ōsaka shintō. Among his works the Yamanbagiri Kunihiro stands out.
Smiths of the school
- Dewa Daijō Kunimichi 出羽大掾国路
- Echigo no Kami Kunitomo 越後守国儔
- Echigo no Kami Kunitsugu 越後守国次
- Horikawa Kunihiro 堀川国広
- Horikawa Kunimasa 国正
- Izumi no Kami Kunisada 和泉守国貞
- Ōsumi no Jō Masahiro 大隅掾正弘