Shape, steel and hamon

Work and style

Few of his works are documented, and none with its steel and its hardening described in writing.

On this page
  1. Documented works
  2. What can be seen of his style
  3. Metalwork and steel objects
  4. Gallery

Documented works

  • Replica of Yagen Tōshirō (薬研藤四郎, Yagen Tōshirō), 2017: the reconstruction of a famous sword (名物刀剣の復元作刀, meibutsu tōken no fukugen sakutō), according to the Kita craftsmen’s association.
  • Tachi “Karura” (迦楼羅, Karura), with a photo of the blade by Usuki Yoshihiko (臼木良彦).
  • Tachi signed 良光 (Yoshimitsu), 70.8 cm, dated 平成二十九年 (Heisei nijūkyū-nen, 2017), selected (入選, nyūsen) in the NBTHK competition of 2017, exhibited from January to March 2018.
  • Tantō “Yamashizuku” (山雫, Yamashizuku), an omamori-gatana (御守刀, omamori-gatana) of 2018: he forged it on 28 April 2018 and hardened it before dawn on 15 July 2018.

What can be seen of his style

The photo of the tachi “Karura” shows a hamon of tall, regular peaks, with vertical ashi (足, ashi), and the signature 良光 (Yoshimitsu) on the tang. This is our reading of the photo: the source does not describe the hardening.

There is no text at all on his jihada (地肌, jihada) or his hamon (刃文, hamon).

Metalwork and steel objects

He also works in metalwork: in 2018 the NBTHK exhibited, as selected (入選, nyūsen), a tsuba that we take to be his, 音無川透鐔 (Otonashigawa sukashi tsuba), with the signature 良光 (Yoshimitsu) inlaid in gold. He makes pendants shaped like a nakago and rings of forged steel with a layered pattern, and, with forged iron like that of a sword, miniature reproductions of the tangs of famous swords (Mikazuki, Kuwana-gō, Namazuo Tōshirō…) that copy the file marks, the back and even the inlaid inscription.