* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Keichō Shintō
慶長新刀
A historical turning point from kotō to shintō. In the turbulent era after the Battle of Sekigahara, when power passed from the Toyotomi regime to the Tokugawa shogunate, innovative smiths including Horikawa Kunihiro and Umetada Myōju sought new approaches to sword-making. Smiths from various regions gathered in major cities, forming the foundation of the later shintō culture.
Description
Toward a New Era
The Keichō era (1596–1615) was a turbulent twenty-year period in which events that decided the course of the nation came one after another: the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1598), the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), and the Ōsaka campaigns (1614–1615). In the history of Japanese swords, this period is an extremely important transition between kotō and shintō, and the distinctive style known as Keichō shintō flourished during it.
Transformation of Sword Styles
The most essential difference between kotō and shintō lies in the steel used. Smiths of the kotō period smelted iron sand from various regions themselves, or used steel with characteristics specific to each region, so the color of the jigane and the forging texture differed clearly from place to place. From the Keichō period onward, however, the development of distribution meant that high-quality iron sand, centered on Nita District in Izumo (Shimane Prefecture), came to be supplied nationwide, and smiths in various regions began to use the same quality of steel. This homogenization of steel is considered the fundamental factor that produced the difference in style between kotō and shintō. The jigane of shintō tends to be whiter and brighter than that of kotō, and some view its forging texture as showing little variation. However, using uniform steel made quenching easier to control, and the expressive power of the hamon improved dramatically.
Regional Development
The founder of Keichō shintō is said to be Horikawa Kunihiro. Kunihiro came from the retainers of the Itō family of Hyūga Province (Miyazaki Prefecture). After his lord's family declined, he wandered through various provinces, and in Tenshō 18 (1590) he forged a sword for Nagao Akinaga at Ashikaga in Shimotsuke Province (Tochigi Prefecture). Drawing on the forging techniques he had observed across the country, he set up a forge at Ichijō Horikawa in Kyōto and established his own style. Kunihiro's tachi and katana have a broad mihaba and thick kasane in a bold, imposing form. They feature powerful nie-deki hamon in the Sōshū-den tradition, and show meticulousness in the detailed mei and nengi cut on the nakago. His representative work, Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, is renowned as a copy, made in Tenshō 18 (1590), of the honka (original) Yamanbagiri (Honsaku Chōgi), which Nagao Akinaga had owned.
Masters and Schools
Many illustrious smiths emerged from Kunihiro's school. Dewa Daijō Kunimichi faithfully inherited his teacher's style while adding his own refinement, and is regarded as an eminent master of Kyōto shintō. Echigo-no-kami Kunitomo is known for his bold style as a gifted figure in Kunihiro's school. Izumi-no-kami Kunisada brought Kunihiro's techniques to Ōsaka and later became the founder of Ōsaka shintō. Kunisada is also called Oya-Kunisada, and his son was the later master Inoue Shinkai.
Characteristics of Style
In Kyōto, Umetada Myōju was active as an unusual presence. Myōju was originally from a family of kinkōshi (makers of sword fittings), and he was especially skilled at carving blades. His swords have a distinctive style even among Keichō shintō, and include many ambitious works that fuse kotō forging methods with a new sensibility. Myōju's achievements as a teacher were immeasurable. From his school came the first-generation Hizen Tadayoshi and others.
Technical Achievements
The first-generation Echizen Yasutsugu was from Ōmi Province (Shiga Prefecture). He moved to Echizen, was discovered by Tokugawa Ieyasu, was appointed goyō kaji (official smith), and was permitted to cut the aoi-mon crest on the nakago. Enjoying Ieyasu's deep trust, he forged swords for the Tokugawa shogunal family, alternating between Echizen and Edo every other year. His line continued throughout the Edo period as official smiths to the shogunate. The first-generation Hizen Tadayoshi returned to Hizen Province (Saga Prefecture), became a domain smith for the Nabeshima domain, and based on techniques learned from Myōju, established his own Hizen-tō. Hizen-tō is a style of high dignity, with a dense ko-itame-hada jigane and a neat suguha hamon. It maintained stable quality and high popularity throughout the Edo period.
Keichō shintō is a transitional presence. It retains kotō forging methods while beginning to show the use of new steel, and many of its works have the characteristics of both periods. The group of works that embodies this technical and aesthetic turning point occupies an extremely important position in sword historical research. For collectors, it is also a highly academic collecting target that bridges kotō and shintō.
Characteristics of This Era
- A transitional forging method from kotō to shintō can be seen. The shift began from regionally distinctive iron sands to distributed iron based mainly on high-quality iron sand produced in Izumo. New features in the color of the jigane and the forged surface (hada) began to appear that differ from kotō.
- Smiths from various regions began moving to major cities such as Kyoto, Ōsaka and Edo, forming the basis of the later three major shintō production centers. This shift from rural smithing to urban smithing fundamentally changed the production system of Japanese swords.
- Exploration of a new style blending Sōshū-den and Yamashiro-den, represented by Horikawa Kunihiro. Drawing on techniques acquired during his travels through the provinces, Kunihiro opened a new frontier known as Keichō shintō.
- A transitional steel quality in which the texture of kotō jigane remains while new iron also began to be used. Works from this period combine features of both kotō and shintō, offering intriguing points for study in appraisal.
- Many swords have broad mihaba and thick kasane, a robust taihai that strongly retains the practical martial spirit of the late Sengoku period. Until the Ōsaka Campaign (1614–1615), swords actually used on the battlefield were in demand.
- Development of blade carving as a specialty of smiths, represented by Umetada Myōju. The artistry of carving grew, creating a new aesthetic that gave swords decorative value.