Archived Nihonto.ca (Yuhondo.com): Soshu Yukimitsu

Soshu Yukimitsu

This is a graceful and very important Kamakura tachi by the Soshu grand-master Yukimitsu. It has received the designation of Tokubetsu Juyo Token, which is the highest rating given by the NBTHK. At the time of the publishing of the Juyo Token index, only seven of the works of Yukimitsu have received this highest designation. Tokubetsu Juyo Token are given only to swords which display extremely high artistic merit and historical importance: it is a ranking highly sought after, and awarded rarely.

Yukimitsu is one of the most famous of Nihonto artisans in his own right, but he is also known as the father and teacher of Masamune, who is considered by many to be the greatest swordsmith in human history. Old books relate stories that Yukimitsu is his biological father, but it is more likely that Masamune was an adopted son or a brother as they both studied in the late Kamakura under under the exalted maker of tanto, Shintogo Kunimitsu. Joining them under Shintogo was the unique and masterful artist Norishige, and of the three Yukimitsu was considered the senior pupil. It was during this time, and through the work of this group, that the Soshu Den founded by Shintogo would establish itself as a pure and separate style.

Fujishiro rates each of the members of this founding group as Sai-jo saku, for highest level of skill. Yukimitsu also has an extremely high rating of 2,000 man yen in the Toko Taikan.

Yukimitsu Daito

The Soshu Den through Shintogo has its roots in Yamashiro Awataguchi; the fine and brilliant forging of this school can be easily seen in the works of Shintogo and Yukimitsu. This particular sword shows the beautiful color of steel inherited from Shintogo. The obvious traits of Soshu are apparent in the extremely bright, silvery nie of the hamon and vibrant spidery lines of chikei that turn into to kinsuji and inazuma in the yakiba. Its sugata is the refined and elegant late Kamakura shape that is so highly regarded among collectors.

The nakago is mumei as this sword has been shortened for katana use. Its five mekugiana testify to a life of hard work, no doubt having seen many battles in the hands of several warriors. There are no signed daito extant by Yukimitsu; there are only a small handful of tanto that bear his mei.

Yukimitsu has been a famous swordsmith for many centuries, and swords of this caliber were gifts of the Daimyo to one another, and to and from the Shogun on very special occasions. This particular sword was part of the collection of the famous Kishu Tokugawa, one of the Three Great Houses established by the sons of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. This house was founded by Tokugawa Yorinobu, and his father Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu for his role as final unifier of the country and founder of the Shogunate which bears his name, is one of the important figures in world history. How it made its way into that collection is not currently known, though it would be a very worthwhile research project. It is likely that a sword like this was a gift from a Daimyo or possibly one of the Shogun.

Attesting to this status as a Tokugawa relic, the shirasaya bears the sayagaki by the premier scholar of Soshu, Dr. Homma Junji.

Homma sensei was also a pivotal figure in the history of the Japanese Sword. During the occupation of Japan after World War II, the order had been given to destroy all swords, guns and other weapons and so disarm the populace. In late April of 1946, General Douglas MacArthur received Homma sensei, and was given a presentation of swords and a lecture on the artistic and cultural merit of the Japanese Sword. General MacArthur proved to be a natural student, and entirely grasped the importance of Nihonto to Japan and its appropriate place in the world of art. It was one week later that the order went out from the General’s office that exempted Japanese Swords of proven artistic merit from the ownership ban, and spared from the destruction order.

Homma sensei, unlike Tanobe sensei, very rarely made any personal commentary on his sayagaki. So it is unusual and welcomed that this sayagaki bears a short inscription which states, “very valuable,” showing his consideration that this is a particularly important artwork.

This sword achieved the designation of Juyo Token on June 1st, 1970, as Den Yukimitsu. Den, when used in Japanese appraisal, does not refer to a school but to the fact that a sword has been found to either have extra features over and above, or be lacking certain features, that are normally associated with the smiths work. A designation without Den indicates that the sword is a canonical representation, no more, no less, of the smith’s style.

On November 20th, 1980, the designation of Tokubetsu Juyo Token was achieved by this sword. At this time, the kantei kai concluded that this sword embraced the full range of Yukimitsu’s craft and removed the reservation of Den, now attributing the work directly to Yukimitsu. Given the shifting landscape of ongoing sword scholarship and research, it is not unusual that a sword with an earlier designation of Den may later be fully attributed in this way.

The glowing comments of the kantei kai, along with Homma sensei’s comment reflect the excellence of this sword and the high regard in which it is held. Being roughly 700 years of age, with status as an heirloom of the Tokugawa, and top level ranking by the NBTHK, all compliment its intrinsic quality to create a wonderful item for the collector who is interested in the finest of swords.

It is accompanied by an antique sword box, inscribed with the name of the swordsmith.

Juyo Token

Appointed on Jun 1, 1970 – Session 19

Katana, Mumei, Den Yukimitsu

Commentary

This O-suriage mumei sword is said to be made by Soshu Yukimitsu, which should be affirmed.

Yukimitsu, a student of Shintogo Kunimitsu, is a maestro who contributed in the establishment of the Soshu den as one of its founders, and paved the way for Norishige and Masamune.

Ancient sword books all say that Yukimitsu had a very broad style. He was best at suguba but he also created swords with midareba and even hitatsura. The sword shows the manner of a high ranking Soshu school smith very well.

Tokubetsu Juyo Token

Appointed on Nov 20, 1980 – Session 7

Katana, Mumei, Yukimitsu

Commentary

This O-suriage mumei sword is considered to be made by Soshu Yukimitsu. Yukimitsu is said to be a predecessor of Masamune, who is also from the school of Shintogo Kunimitsu. Together they are said to have established the Soshu den. According to the ancient sword books, Yukimitsu had a very broad style. He has created suguba and midareba, as well as hitatsura.

This sword has characteristics such as itame hada, thick jinie, chikei, yubashiri. The yakiba shows deep nioi and nie, and is full of kinsuji and sunagashi, and is composed of shallow notare mixed with gunome.

It is apparent that it has been created by one of the top Soshu swordsmiths at a glance. It is an excellent sword showing the highlights of the top Soshu craftsmen.