Kantei

Chikuzen · Sa school · Nanbokuchō

Sa Sadayoshi (左貞吉)

A swordsmith of the Sa school of Chikuzen, of the middle of the Nanbokuchō, of whom only attributed unsigned blades are known: what is known, who he is confused with and his sources

Sa Sadayoshi (左貞吉, Sa Sadayoshi) is one of the swordsmiths of the Sa school, that of Samonji in Chikuzen, of the middle of the Nanbokuchō. No signed blade of his is known in museums or in the register of cultural properties: only unsigned blades attributed to him.

1352
Year of a dated blade of his (文和, Bunna 1)
None
Signed blades in museums or among cultural properties
2
Fathers the sources give him
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Sa Sadayoshi AT
Kanji and reading
左貞吉 (Sa Sadayoshi); sometimes written 定吉 (Sadayoshi) AT
Period
The middle of the Nanbokuchō; a blade dated 1352 is cited for him. AT
Province
Chikuzen (筑前, Chikuzen), in Kyūshū AT
School
The Sa (左, Sa) or Samonji school; he is one of the 末左 (Sue-Sa), the Sa of the second generation AT
Father
Unresolved: the son of 左 (Sa), called 大左 (Ō-Sa) or of 安吉 (Yasuyoshi), depending on the source. PC
Documented fact and tradition
His name in the list of the school in an NBTHK Jūyō paper; the rest, from descriptions of unsigned blades. No blade of his is recorded in the catalogues consulted. PC

In short

What we know. The NBTHK Jūyō paper of the 62nd session names him among the swordsmiths of the Sa school who inherited their master’s style well: Yasuyoshi, Yukihiro, Yoshisada, Kunihiro, Hiroyuki, Hiroyasu and Sadayoshi.

How we know it. From that paper, from the description of an unsigned katana attributed to him, with Tokubetsu Hozon papers, and from the lists of the school.

What we do not know. Who his father was, whether his Jūyō designations are true and whether he has any signed blade.

Sections

  1. Ō-Sa · the Sue-Sa · Bunna Life and times The Sa school of Chikuzen, his place in it and the two versions of who his father was.
  2. Unsigned blades · namesakes Work and style An attributed blade, described; the designations still to be checked, and the swordsmiths he is confused with.
  3. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted on 4 October 2026, with their link where possible.