Mino was founded, tradition holds, by immigrants: Kaneuji of the Yamato Tegai line settled at Shizu to work in the new Sōshū manner, so persuasively that later appraisers judged his best blades the closest of any to Masamune.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatch南北朝時代、美濃伝の開祖、兼氏に極められた作品。 本作は大磨上無銘の刀で、志津と鑑せられている。志津とは元来は美濃の地名であるが、この地に大和より正宗の門人兼氏が来住して鍛刀したことから、地名を取って志津三郎兼氏と呼称しており、兼氏の略称となっている。兼氏は正宗十哲と称される刀工の中では最も正宗に近似の作域を示していることで知られ、本作も長寸幅広で重ねが薄く、大切先の豪壮な体配に、金筋・砂流しを激しく交えるなど一見して南北朝時代の相州上工の作風を示しながら、地鉄、板目がやや流れごころとなり総じて肌立ちやや白けており、刃文にやや尖りごころの互の目乱れが交じり、帽子が掃きかけて焼詰め風になるなど大和気質が見られ、まさに志津三郎兼氏の典型的な作風を示した優品である。本作の拵は江戸時代後期に制作されたと鑑せられる1m30cmにも及ぶ大仰な大太刀拵で、本刀のような堂々たる豪刀を飾るに相応しい豪快な時代拵である。 ※研磨※ 本作は小川和比古氏の研磨により平成24年公益財団法人 日本刀文化振興協会 主催 「新作日本刀・刀職技術展覧会」に出品し、見事銅賞第一席を受賞、同年大倉集古館にて行われた展覧会「日本刀ー悠久の美をみつめてー」にて展示されました。最上級の研磨により見事に蘇った名刀の地刃の美しさを御鑑賞ください。
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Mino-den · Mino
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The Shizu tradition originated in Mino Province during the late Kamakura period when Kaneuji—originally of the Yamato Tegai school—relocated from his studies under Masamune of Sagami to the village of Shizu in Tagai District. Taking the place-name as his appellation, he became known as Shizu Saburō Kaneuji, and established a lineage that would become one of the most celebrated branches among the so-called Masamune Jittetsu (Ten Great Disciples of Masamune). While Kaneuji himself is often considered the paramount master of this group, the designation "Shizu" came to be applied broadly to unsigned works displaying the characteristic manner of this school, encompassing not only Kaneuji but also his contemporaries and successors working within the same stylistic orbit. A related category, Yamato Shizu, refers either to Kaneuji's early production before settling in Mino—when his work retained stronger Yamato Tegai characteristics—or to smiths of the Kanetsugu lineage who remained in Yamato rather than migrating to Mino. The collective hallmarks of Shizu workmanship reveal a distinctive synthesis of Sōshū-den brilliance and Yamato structural sensibilities. The forging typically displays flowing itame-hada mixed with mokume, frequently tending toward hada-dachi (standing grain), with areas where masame inclinations appear along the edge. A defining feature is the dense application of fine ji-nie, often described as thickly adhering, accompanied by abundant chikei that enter repeatedly to produce a notably clear and bright appearance. The hamon favors shallow notare as a foundation, mixed with gunome, ko-gunome, and pointed elements (togariba), forming compositions that range from gentle undulations to boldly disturbed patterns.
The temper is richly nie-based, with vigorous sunagashi streaming through the pattern, frequent kinsuji, and in many examples a temper built on notare (notare-ba). Characteristic activities include hotsure along the habuchi, occasional nijūba (double-temper) effects that recall Yamato influence, and in some works the presence of linked gunome sequences. The bōshi commonly enters in midare-komi or notare-komi, turning back with pointed or rounded forms, and frequently displays hakikake at the tip. Among the upper tier of Sōshū-den productions, works attributed to the Shizu lineage are particularly valued for the way their gleaming ha-nie activities create patterns that are both vigorous and refined. The thick ji-nie and prominent chikei in the forging, combined with the bright, clear nioiguchi in the temper, result in blades that are described as saeru—possessing a luminous clarity that distinguishes superior examples. While the style stands closest to Masamune among his disciples, the Shizu manner retains its own individuality: the blending of Yamato characteristics into the Sōshū tradition produces a distinctive temperament in both ji and ha that connoisseurs recognize at a glance. Many extant examples survive only as greatly shortened (ō-suriage) and unsigned (mumei) blades, yet the workmanship in such pieces typically remains sound and well-preserved (kenzen), testifying to the fundamental excellence of forging and tempering that defines this celebrated school. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kaneuji兼氏 | 1319-1321 | 161 |
| Naoshizu直鎭 | 1532-1555 | 0 |
Mino in the Nanbokuchō period
Mino was founded, tradition holds, by immigrants: Kaneuji of the Yamato Tegai line settled at Shizu to work in the new Sōshū manner, so persuasively that later appraisers judged his best blades the closest of any to Masamune.
A blade of top-grade workmanship and condition, formally judged to rank with a nationally recognized Important Art Object (Jūyō Bijutsuhin). Awarded only at the NBTHK’s competitive annual examination.
Of Japan’s roughly 2.5 million registered swords, only 12,348 (about 1 in 202) have ever attained Jūyō.
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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