Kantei
A whole tachi blade on a black background, with a detail of the point and both sides of the signed tang.

Swordsmith of Sakaki (Nagano) · Sōshū-den

Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira (宮入小左衛門行平)

The son of the Living National Treasure Miyairi Yukihira: Sōshū-den in Sakaki and mukansa since 2000

The son of the Living National Treasure Miyairi Yukihira, he forges in Sakaki, in Nagano, his family’s town. He signed 恵 (Megumi; other sources read Kei) until 1996, when he took the name Kozaemon Yukihira. He has been mukansa since 2000, follows the Sōshū-den and since 2019 has presided over the national swordsmiths’ association.

Photo: dealer in Japan

1957
Born in Sakaki (Nagano)
1996
Signs Kozaemon Yukihira
2000
NBTHK mukansa
2019
Presides over the Zen Nihon Tōshōkai
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira HD
Kanji and reading
宮入小左衛門行平 (Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira) HD
Birth
1957, in Sakaki (Nagano); second son of 宮入行平 (Miyairi Yukihira) AT
Where he forges
Sakaki (坂城, Sakaki), Nagano prefecture AT
Masters
His father, Miyairi Yukihira, Living National Treasure; on his death in 1977, 藤安将平 (Fujiyasu Masahira), his father’s senior pupil AT
School or tradition
相州伝 (Sōshū-den), in the line of 志津兼氏 (Shizu Kaneuji) AT
Licence
1982 AT
Rank
Mukansa (無鑑査, mukansa) since 2000 AT
At the NBTHK Gendai Tōshokuten
Does not exhibit from 2021 to 2026 HD

In short

He began forging with his father in the year his father died, 1977, and continued with his father’s senior pupil. He obtained his licence in 1982, won the Takamatsu-no-miya prize six times and was named mukansa in 2000. The NBTHK chose a tachi of his from 2000 for the second prize of its 2019 exhibition devoted to the finest works of the Heisei era. He does not appear in the Gendai Tōshokuten catalogues from 2021 to 2026, and there is no public record of his having lost the rank.

Sections

  1. The Miyairi family of Sakaki Life and forging His father, his apprenticeship, the change of name and his dojo.
  2. His own Sōshū Work and style The Sōshū-den of Shizu Kaneuji and his notable works.
  3. Six Takamatsu prizes and mukansa Prizes Each prize with its year, its competition and its level of evidence.
  4. His Sakaki dojo Videos Two videos of his dojo.
  5. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted and the image credits.