Katana: Mumei (Yamaura Kiyomaro)
2017/01/04
Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae(NBTHK Hozon paper)
(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper for the Koshirae)
Signature : Mumei (Yamaura Kiyomaro)
Sayagaki: This blade is heirloom of Maeda family as Shizu.
Blade length is about 76cm. Hirai Chiba(who is a high ranking polisher)(kao).
Minamoto Kiyomaro, But Osuriage Mumei.
(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku
Jyo saku and regular saku)
This Mumei (Yamaura Kiyomaro) belongs to Saijyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Blade length : 76.05 cm or 29.94 inches.
Sori : 1.5 cm or 0.59 inches.
Mekugi : 2
Width at the hamachi : 3.06 cm or 1.20 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 2.19 cm or 0.86 inches.
Kasane : 0.67 cm or 0.26 inches.
Era : Late Edo period.
Shape : Regular size, Suriage Mumei Katana with Okissaki.
Jitetsu : Itame Hada well grained with Jinie attach. There are Chikei.
Hamon : Nie Deki, rounded Gunome Midare.
In Ha, there are many Kinsuji. Boshi is Midarekomi Togari shape.
Special feature : Minamoto Kiyomaro was born at Bunka 10th(1813) Sinano province
as second son of Yamaura Masatomo who was a village head Komoro Feudal clan.
He went and study By Kawamura Jyukaku(Toshitaka) with his older brother Saneo.
He studied from his master Nioideki style gunome midare.
So first stage of his subject is quite same as his master Toshikaku.
After that he wanted to be samurai and moved to Edo and study at Sugane Kubota by recommendation of Yukinuki Sanada.
Sugane Kubota is well known Military science person and skill swordman. Kubota understood his technique of sword making and built a sword making place in his house and continued his energy of making sword. Probably he tried hard himself to complete his technology of Sosyu den style sword.
At Tenpo 13th(1842) By Sugane's effort, He achieved many sword order for Kiyoymaro which is called Bukiko one of 100 swords.
Finay he succeeded to make one of them.
After that he was ordered to go to Cyosyu feudal clan by Sugane Kubota in order to make cut well swords.
He stayed for 2 years and moved to Edo and made fantastic sword for his master Kubota which sword is Tame Kubota Sugane Kun Yamaura Tamaki Minamoto Kiyomaro and Uramei Ko-ka Hinoe Uma 8 gatsuhi(august) 2syaku 6 sun long length of sword. (at this moment the blade is Jyuyo Bijyutu.)Important fine arts.
His sword is called Yotsuya Masamune because his skill looks Masamune and lived Yotsuya. But unfortunately He cut his body by himself(Seppuku) Even right now the reason is unknown.
Probably He couldn't improve his sosyu den technological pioneering and also difficult to make swords any more against too much orders.
He educated many swordsmith Minamoto Masao, Kurihara Nobuhide and Kiyondo. Especially kiyondo made swords for Kiyomaro which was ordered during his life. So remaining orders were completed and ungrateful was lost.
This sword is the signature is koyomaro and Jigane is perfect.
The Hamon is bright and very clear with fantastic kinsuji and also amaging Kissaki hamon.
many sword makers tried to make Kiyomaro style swords.
It is quite rare to see the Kiyomaro recently because many sword collectors want to obtain Kiyomaro and also he made a few swords made during his life. His grave is located Sohuku temple in Shinjyuku Suga cho.
Many sword collectors visit to his grave one time in a year by chairman Mr.Shibata.
This sword is suriage mumei shape with long and wide and thick Okissaki sword.
According to the sword polisher Hirai Chiba great sword polisher in Japan at early Showa said that
the blade was reported as Shizu by Maeda family.
But He judged the sword when he polished this sword as Kiyomaro.
At meiji period, Kiyomaro is not famous sword maker at that period compare with high ranking Koto blade.
So someone removed the signature Kiyomaro and imitated as Shizu.
At that time Shizu was very expensive valuable sword.
From modern times, it is ridiculous action. Anyway the blade is real Kiyomaro withoukt the signature.
Koshirae : (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper)
Tsuba : round shape Shakudo Tsuba, the rim with gold color.
Fuchi: Signature: Mon Renjo Mistutaka(Kao): Shakudo Nanako,
Shishi dog is engraved with gold color.
Kashira : black horn.
Saya : Black Roiro Kizami Saya.
Menuki : Shishi dog is engraved.
The blade has NBTHK Hozon paper
The Koshirae has NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata.
Price : JPY 7,000,000-.
