Ugo Ju Kuneyoshi

[Jon MB]

Hello people,

 

New to the Forum. I was wondering if anyone has any information on the smith Ugo Ju Kuneyoshi (Kuniyoshi?)?

 

Is he of the Nigara school?

 

Many thanks

 

Jon

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

There is a KUNIYOSHI in Mihara school.

Koto Muromachi area.

May you spoke of this one ?

 

Gunome

[Jon MB]

Was referring to this smith, recently featured on Aoi-Art..

 

Signature: Ugo ju Kuniyoshi Bei-Ei gekimetsu. Showa 19nen 2gatsu-hi (February, 1944). The blade was polished . Blade length : 69.7 cm or 27.44 inches.

 

Regards

[Ludolf Richter]

Hi Jon,in 1868 Dewa was divided in 2 provinces:Uzen and Ugo.Ugo is now part of the Pref.Akita.Therefore the sword is from 1868 or later.If you have a pic of the Mei and the 2nd Kanji is the rare Yoshi-Kanji 慶 then it's the post-WWII-swordsmith Kuniyoshi from Akita:Hawley KUN 1880.He normally signed with "Ugo Honshu ju Kuniyoshi" or with "... Suzuki Kuniyoshi".Ludolf

[Jon MB]

Many thanks. The smith in question was a student of Shibata Ka, also of Akita prefecture..

[Ludolf Richter]

The Aoi-Art pics are not longer on the web.They claim that this Kuniyoshi was born in 1904 somewhere in Akita Pref. and that he was Rikugun Jumei Tosho.i.e.he worked for the army.He is probably not recorded in Hawley's index.KUN 1880 was active around 1969-1970.The pic I have is from a sword dated 1969.If it is from the same man,he would be 65 years old.Father and son?!Ludolf

[Bugyotsuji]

Well, if it states "1944" and "Attack & annihilation to the Yanks & Brits", then that is a strong pointer to when the Mei was cut.

[Jon MB]

Ludolf, thanks for your help. Pic of Mei.

[Jon MB]

The Aoi website provided the following information:

 

Kuniyoshi was swordsmith in Honjo city Akita pref.

He was born in 1904.

He worked as Rikugun Jumei-Tosho (swordsmith of Army),

and he received Kokko-in Kain Meiyo Sosho.

He studied Shibata-Ka, and Kurihara Akihide and Konno Akihira and

Akimoto Akitomo.

He got many Nyu-sen prize.

[Jon MB]

Blade length : 69.7 cm or 27.44 inches.

Sori : 1.6 cm or 0.62 inches.

Mekugi: 1

Width at the hamachi : 3.26 cm or 1.28 inches.

Width at the Kissaki : 2.40 cm or 0.94 inches.

 

Typical thick heavy gunto, if a bit longer than usual.

 

I want to find links between this smith and other smiths or schools of N.E. Japan

 

Thanks

 

Jon

[george trotter]

Hi Jon,

I don't have any experience of your Kuniyoshi of Akita but you have also stated your interest in links to other smiths connected to Kuniyoshi and NE Japan. You might know of SATO Shigenori (Hawley SHI 388 TK 287) He was Sato Goro, born Mei 9 in Akita. Studied under Shibata Ka from about Sho 4. He became independent in Sho 15. He was 3rd seat in 1941 Exhibition. He died Sho 26. His work is good. He made gunto in gendaito. I had a blade by him dated Sho 18. He is thus a student of Shibata Ka and probably worked with your Kuniyoshi.

Regards

George Trotter.

[Jon MB]

Many thanks George, very helpful. Will look-out for Sato Shigenori.

 

On the subject of Shibata Ka, there is of course Darcy's excellent link

http://www.nihonto.ca/shibata-ka/

and I seem to recall Ted Tenold praising Ka somewhere on the Forum too.

 

Interesting example of Shibata ka's work visible here:

http://www.samuraishokai.jp/sword/08101.html

 

Shibata Ka is also twice mentioned in the book 'The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths ', first on page 219 in relation to excellent jigane mistakable for koto work, (The same passage quoted on Darcy's page I think). And then in the section interviewing the celebrated sword dealer Shibata Mitsuo, where Mitsuo mentions problems with Ka's swords having flaws and an exhibition being cancelled circa 1932 (unsure of page number off-hand).

Could these problems have been related to experiments with forging, leading to flaws that may have been acceptable in Koto pieces, but which were unacceptable in newly made swords (?)

 

 

One further thought related to Shibata Ka, is the 'Ka' (果) character related to 'apple'? If so that could be an interesting connection with the apple growing culture of the Tohoku region. Beyond that, it is interesting to consider the relationship between tool-making and sword smithing. For a contemporary view on tool making tending-towards-sword-smithing, see:

 

http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/tablog/entr ... zosho.html

 

Apologies to readers for the incorrect splling to the title of this thread. I was tired from too much internet-based hypothesizing and a lack of decent reference material. More investment in lit urgently needed on my part.

 

J

[Jon MB]

again...incorrect spelling... :D