Two courts, sixty years of war, and the most dramatic silhouettes in the sword’s history: broad blades, extended points, true ōdachi later cut down into the majestic katana collectors prize. The Sōshū manner was the style of the age.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThe Kongohyoe school, a group of swordsmiths from Chikuzen Province, was a prestigious lineage that flourished from the late Kamakura period through the late Muromachi period. Among them, smiths active from the late Kamakura to the early Nanboku-cho period are collectively referred to as "Ko-Kongohyoe" and have been prized as representative old works of Kyushu-mono. Shape: shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, wide mihaba, little difference between the width at the moto and saki, somewhat thin kasane, somewhat shallow sori, a grand construction with an o-kissaki. Kitae: itame mixed with o-itame, becoming masagakari, the grain stands out in a large pattern, jinie attaches thickly, chikei enters well, mixed with jifu-like hada, shirake-utsuri stands out, and the kane takes on a darkish tint. Hamon: hoso-suguha, the habuchi is finely hotsure throughout, the nioiguchi is somewhat tight with abundant konie, mixed with kuigai-ba, becoming nijuba, with a yakiotoshi of about 2 sun 6 bu above the ha-machi. Boshi: sugu with o-maru, slightly hakikake. Nakago: ubu, ha-agari kurijiri. This katana has a wide mihaba and o-kissaki with little difference between the width at the moto and saki, featuring a Nanboku-cho style construction with shallow sori; the kitae shows strongly flowing itame that becomes masagakari, with thick jinie and a unique texture that feels moist and soft where shirake-utsuri stands out; the hamon is a hoso-suguha with nie, the nioiguchi is somewhat subdued and generally urumi, and with a large yakiotoshi at the moto, it exudes the flavor of the classical Kyushu schools. What should be noted is that it has an ubu-nakago. Examples of tachi from the Kamakura and Nanboku-cho periods that preserve their original form as they were first made are few, suggesting that this work has been long and carefully handed down. (Even though it is mumei, because the production period is the Nanboku-cho period and it has an ubu-nakago, the classification is "tachi".) Furthermore, the accompanying late Edo period han-dachi koshirae is an elegant work featuring a dynastic-style o-kojiri, which further enhances the dignity of this old Nanboku-cho work.
NihontoWatchOffered by Seikeido
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As written by the shop
Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Wakimono · Chikuzen
10 pieces on the market now
The Kongōbyōe school (Kongōbyōe-ha) flourished in Chikuzen Province during the Nanbokuchō period alongside the more celebrated Samonji lineage. Based in the Reizen district, the school takes its name from the artisan Kongōbyōe, though signed examples are exceedingly rare, with the earliest documented work being a tantō by Sadamori dated Shōhei 25 (1370) and designated an Important Art Object. This blade's signature—"Chikushū Reizen Sadamori"[[c:1]]—confirms the school's geographic center and provides a stylistic benchmark for attributions within the tradition. Kongōbyōe blades exhibit a distinctive Yamato temperament (Yamato kishitsu) in both jigane and hamon, setting them apart from typical Kyūshū productions. The forging characteristically combines large itame with nagare-hada and prominent mokume-hada, creating surface texture that stands out conspicuously. The jigane tends toward a dark, slightly blackish tone with frequent chikei interwoven throughout.
The hamon is invariably a narrow suguha or hoso-suguha, occasionally tinged with shallow notare or small gunome inflections. The nioiguchi displays a characteristic tight feeling (shimari-gokoro) with well-adhering ko-nie, while modest kinsuji and sunagashi create refined scenery spanning ji and ha. Near the cutting edge, nagare-hada often transitions to masame, and hotsure appears along the habuchi. The school's output demonstrates what period connoisseurs termed "metal flavor" (kanamono), reflecting Kyūshū forging traditions while maintaining the refined sensibility of Yamato technique. Extant works attributed to Ko-Kongōbyōe typically survive as greatly shortened (ō-suriage) blades with Nanbokuchō proportions—wide mihaba, shallow sori, and ō-kissaki—presenting dignified, powerful forms despite their modified state. The combination of dark-toned jigane densely filled with fine chikei, tight nioiguchi, and restrained nie activity creates a sober yet engaging aesthetic that distinguishes the school within the broader Chikuzen tradition. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadamori貞盛 | 1345-1350 | 23 |
| Morimitsu盛光 | 1558-1570 | 0 |
| Moriyasu盛安 | 1532-1555 | 0 |
| Moriyoshi盛吉 | 1532-1555 | 0 |
| Morihisa盛久 | 1521-1528 | 0 |
The Nanbokuchō period (1333 to 1392)
Two courts, sixty years of war, and the most dramatic silhouettes in the sword’s history: broad blades, extended points, true ōdachi later cut down into the majestic katana collectors prize. The Sōshū manner was the style of the age.
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
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