* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Bitchū Aoe Tradition
備中青江伝
The Aoe tradition, which originated in Aoe (present-day Kurashiki City) in Bitchū Province (present-day western Okayama Prefecture), is an important regional tradition of the kotō period, comparable to the Five Traditions (gokaden). It is characterized by a distinctive bluish jigane called "sumi-hada" and a varied hamon of "saka-chōji," and it has an individual beauty not seen in other production regions. It is divided into "Ko-Aoe," from the late Heian period to around the mid-Kamakura period; "Chū-Aoe," from the late Kamakura period to the early Nanboku-chō period; and "Sue-Aoe," the Nanboku-chō period centered on the Enbun era.
Description
The Land of Aoe and Its Swords
Aoe (present-day Kurashiki City), in Bitchū Province (Bitchū no kuni, present-day western Okayama Prefecture), is located downstream along the Takahashi River. There are various theories as to why swordsmiths gathered in this area from ancient times, but it is thought that the quality of the iron sand and charcoal supplied from the Kibi Plateau, the cleanliness of the water, and the topographical conditions suited to tatara ironmaking acted together in a complex way. The swordsmith group of Aoe had its own forging techniques even before the establishment of the Five Traditions (gokaden) (Yamashiro, Yamato, Bizen, Sōshū (Sagami), and Mino). Although geographically close to Bizen swords, its works possess a completely different character, and for this reason they have been treated as a special presence in the world of sword appraisal.
The Mystery of Sumi-hada
The greatest characteristic of Aoe swords is the texture of the jigane (base steel) called sumi-hada. Sumi-hada (also written with the character for "ink") refers to jigane that is clear and blue, within which jifu (dark patches in the steel) appear that look black and changed in color. It is an extremely distinctive quality that is hardly seen in swords from other production regions.
The Saka-chōji Hamon
Another distinctive hamon expression of Aoe swords is saka-chōji. Saka-chōji is a chōji-ba that has become slanted in reverse: the ashi that make up the hamon do not meet the edge of the hamon (habuchi) at a right angle but are linked at an oblique angle. The slanting (sakagakaru) of the hamon is a general characteristic of Aoe works. Besides saka-chōji, other characteristic workings of Aoe swords are also known, including ara-nie, nie that is coarse and forms with well-defined grains; chikei, lines of a different steel that appear as shining lines within the jigane; and yubashiri, a working within the hamon that resembles hot water running.
The Master Smiths of Ko-Aoe
The representative smiths of Ko-Aoe (late Heian to mid-Kamakura period) include Tsunetsugu, Sadatsugu, Moritsugu, and Tametsugu, among others. Tsunetsugu is esteemed as the foremost smith of Ko-Aoe, and an extant tachi of his has been designated an Important Cultural Property. Tsunetsugu's works have a refined style in which saka-chōji is fired in a suguha-like manner on sumi-hada jigane, and they possess a tranquil beauty that contrasts with the splendor of the Bizen tradition. Sadatsugu is one of the twin pillars of Ko-Aoe alongside Tsunetsugu, and is characterized by a powerful style in which ara-nie saka-chōji is fired on elegant tachi with somewhat deep koshi-zori.
The Development of Chū-Aoe
In the Chū-Aoe (late Kamakura to early Nanboku-chō period), Suketsugu, Yoshitsugu, Naotsugu, and others were active. In the Sue-Aoe of the Nanboku-chō period, centered on the Enbun era, Tsuguyoshi, Moritsugu, Tsugunao, and others were active, and ōdachi with a blade length exceeding three shaku also appeared. Aoe smiths died out after the Muromachi period, but masterpieces of Ko-Aoe and Chū-Aoe are still highly valued today as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.
Aoe Swords in Collecting
Genuine Ko-Aoe works in which sumi-hada clearly appears are objects of special collection for sword collectors, and their mysterious beauty continues to captivate people even after more than 800 years.
Characteristics of This Era
- Sumi-hada: a distinctive surface in which jifu (dark patches in the steel) appear within a clear, bluish jigane. This is a feature unique to the Aoe tradition and is scarcely seen in blades from other regions.
- Saka-chōji: a hamon expression in which the ashi of the chōji do not meet the cutting edge at right angles but slant diagonally. Sakagakaru (slanting) is a general characteristic of Aoe-mono.
- Rich effects such as ara-nie, chikei, and yubashiri. Interwoven with the sumi-hada jigane, these features give Aoe blades a mysterious depth.
- Periodization: Ko-Aoe (late Heian to mid-Kamakura period), Chū-Aoe (late Kamakura to early Nanboku-chō period), and Sue-Aoe (Nanboku-chō period). Ko-Aoe is marked by slender, serene beauty, while Sue-Aoe shifted over time toward bold construction, such as ōdachi.
- From an appraisal standpoint, a notable peculiarity is that the Aoe tradition is geographically close to the Bizen tradition yet has a completely different style.