Archived Nihonto.ca (Yuhindo.com): Yasunori

Yasunori

This is a stunning blade that shows quite clearly that the high craft of the Japanese sword has survived into modern times. It is done in an elegant tachi sugata and with a gorgeous jiba that brings to mind high quality and high class koto works. According to the swordsmith himself, the years around 1938 when this sword was made, represent his output at the height of his skill.

The hamon is choji mixed with some gunome based in ko-notare, utilizing well formed ashi. The jigane is ko-itame showing dark chikei regularly throughout and plenty of ji nie.

A nihonto collector, Yahya Abdelsamad, wrote this article about his meeting with this swordsmith shortly before he passed away.

Quoting from Mr. Abdelsamad’s research:

Kotani Kenzo (Yasunori) from Hiroshima prefecture was born on 7 January 1909. He was taught by his uncle Kajiyama Taketoku (Yasutoku) and along with his cousin Kajiyama Toshimichi (later Yasutoshi) became his uncle’s sakite on July 1933 at the Yasukuni Shrine. On 1 July 1935, Kotani Kenzo was granted the swordsmith mei YASUNORI by Army Minister Hayashi Senjuro.His swords were highly regarded while working at the Shrine and for two years in 1936 and 1937 he won most of the prizes. Considering that sitting on the panel of judges at the annual bimonthly shinsa was one Kozu Haku sensei, a widely respected authority from the cultural ministry, this was no mean feat and speaks well for Yasunori’s ability.

He made a total of thirteen swords as imperial gifts, as well as swords for Higashikuni no Miya (a member of the imperial family), Field Marshall Terauchi and Admiral Kusaka. He made a presentation sword at the order of Prime Minister Tojo Hideki for the Atsuta Jinja in Nagoya. He utilized a makuri construction, and modeled his works after Bizen Osafune Nagamitsu, and Kagemitsu.

He continued working at the Shrine until 1945 when he moved to Kagawa prefecture to continue production. This was short lived as Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945. After the war (1945) he moved to Shikoku and made swords under the name of Takenori. In 1971 Yasunori started to compete at the NBTHK sponsored contests. In five years, 1970, 71, 72, 73, 74 he won the Nyusen Sho or Winner’s Award. He died on March 1, 2003 at age 94.

Yasunori is listed and/or profiled in the Toko Taikan, the Nihonto Meikan, the Gendai Toko Meikan and Modern Japanese Swordsmiths 1868-1945. He is listed in Hawley’s Japanese Swordsmith’s Revised (brown cover) as YAS-1045. His blades have received origami from the NBTHK and NTHK.