Bizen Wake/kokubunji

[mywei]

Hi guys,

 

I'm trying to find out more information about a slightly obscure late-Kamakura Bizen smith signing Wake ju Shigenori [和気庄住重則]

Some sources such as Markus' book states he was a ?student of Saburo Kunimune.

However, I have found a Tanobe stating he was part of the Bizen Wake/Kokubunji school along with Wake Shigesuke

https://web.archive.org/web/20131027215807/http://samurai-nippon.net/V-1062/index.html

 

Do the Bizen experts here have an idea as to which is correct?

Also, I'm not very familiar with the Bizen Wake/Kokubunji school - is it a branch school of Ichimonji?

 

Thanks in advance

[BIG]

Hi Matt, find only this ..

 

http://www.samuraiantiques.com/s11.htm

 

Best

[Jussi Ekholm]

Not a Bizen expert but I believe they are two seperate schools.

 

Wake smiths lived in Wake (和気) and Kokubunji came from Kokubunji (国分寺), hence the names I believe.

 

I think the lineages and histories vary from source to source. And you have to also think about the geographical locations as many of the famous bizen locations are within a 10 km circle around Osafune. For example Wake is about 10 km north of Osafune along the Yoshii river. I believe at least by one version Wake school is connected to Saburō Kunimune and his school worked in Osafune.

 

One version of history for Kokubunji is that he was son of either Sukemura or Nobukane from Fukuoka Ichimonji school. He first lived in Tōjō in Bingo province but later moved to Ashida district where he established a school in the remains of local Kokubunji. So I believe one of the current theories is that Kokubunji Sukekuni is a Bingo smith with Bizen background.

 

Here are links to 2 Wake blades I have stored up.

Wake Shigenori: http://www.kusanaginosya.com/SHOP/489.html

Wake Shigesuke: https://www.touken-sakata.com/%E5%88%80%E5%89%A3%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7/%E5%88%80-%E7%84%A1%E9%8A%98-%E5%92%8C%E6%B0%97%E5%BA%84%E9%87%8D%E5%8A%A9-%E5%8F%A4%E5%88%80-%E4%B8%8A%E4%BD%9C/

[mywei]

Here's what Markus had to say regarding this for anyone interested. It seems Shigenori's origin still needs further research.

 

Thanks Markus for taking the time and effort! Truly a helpful and knowledgeable resource in the Nihonto world.

 

"the entry of Wake Shigenori being a student of Saburo Kunimune goes back to the Tosho Zenshu, whose info I added in full to my swordsmiths index. But I was already suspicious about that and so I added the supplement "it is said that he came from..." Now Fujishiro does not list Shigenori and the Toko Taikan does not say anything about his affiliation and master. The NBTHK says in their Juyo descriptions that when it comes to Wake, Shigenori and Shigesuke have to be named and that both worked at about the same time. They neither draw the connection to Kokubunji nor to Kunimune and just say that there is the theory that the Wake smiths derived from the Ko-Bizen group. However, they also say that their workmanship is rather close to contemporary Osafune at first glance. Well, Fujishiro was the one who associated Shigesuke with the Kokubunji School but seeing the hesitation of the NBTHK saying anything in that direction, I would say that we can't really say for sure what connection the Wake smiths had with their Bizen colleagues."