Keichō Shintō

A New Era

The Keichō era (1596–1615) spanned a turbulent twenty years marked by successive watershed events: the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1598), the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), and the Osaka Campaign (1614–1615), each determining the fate of the realm. This period occupied a critically important transitional phase in Japanese sword history, positioned at the boundary between kotō and shintō, during which a distinctive aesthetic known as "Keichō Shintō" flourished.

The Transformation of Sword Style

The most fundamental difference between kotō and shintō lies in the iron used. During the kotō period, smiths smelted iron from sand-iron deposits unique to their regions, or used iron with characteristics specific to their localities; consequently, the grain and color of the steel bore the unmistakable stamp of their origin. However, from the Keichō era onward, improved distribution networks brought high-quality sand iron centered in the Nita district of Izumo (Shimane Prefecture) to smiths nationwide, allowing them to work with uniform iron. This homogenization of iron supply is regarded as the fundamental cause of the stylistic differences between kotō and shintō. While some observers note that shintō steel tends to be whiter and brighter than kotō steel, with less variation in forging-grain texture, the uniformity of material enabled superior control during hardening and dramatically enhanced the expressive power of the hamon.

Regional Development

Horikawa Kunihiro is revered as the founder of Keichō Shintō. Born into the samurai house of the Itō clan of Hyūga Province (Miyazaki Prefecture), Kunihiro wandered after his lord's fall. He studied at the Ashikaga School in Shimotsuke Province (Tochigi Prefecture)—a rarity for a sword smith—acquiring exceptional scholarly learning. He fused the knowledge gained at the Ashikaga School with forging techniques he witnessed across the realm, establishing a forge on Ichijō Horikawa in Kyoto and creating a distinctive style. Kunihiro's tachi and katana exhibit robust proportions with wide blades and thick spines, carrying powerful hamon in the Sōshū tradition executed with mastery, while the tang bears meticulous signatures and dates written with scholarly precision. His masterwork, "Yamamba-giri Kunihiro," is renowned as a work made in 1590 (Tenshō 18) by copying the original "Yamamba-giri" (made by Nagayoshi) that had been treasured by Nagao Akeinaga.

Master Smiths and Schools

Kunihiro's workshop produced an exceptional succession of master craftsmen. Dewa Daijō Kunimichi loyally inherited his master's style while adding his own refinement, earning renown as a master smith of Kyoto Shintō. Echigo-no-kami Kunitomo, an exceptional talent among Kunihiro's followers, gained fame for his bold aesthetic. Izumi-no-kami Kunisada brought Kunihiro's techniques to Osaka, becoming the founder of later Osaka Shintō. Kunisada was also known as "Oya Kunisada" (parent Kunisada), and his son became the renowned smith Inoue Masaaki.

Stylistic Characteristics

Meanwhile, in Kyoto, Umetada Myōju emerged as an exceptional figure. Born into a family of metalworkers (artisans specializing in sword fittings), Myōju excelled particularly in carved decoration on blades. His swords possessed a distinctive Keichō Shintō aesthetic, and his ambitious works often fused ancient forging methods with contemporary sensibility. Myōju's achievements as an educator cannot be overstated; from his school emerged two master smiths of Shintō-period renown: Echizen-no-kami Yasutsugu I and Hizen Tadayoshi I.

Technical Achievement

Echizen-no-kami Yasutsugu I hailed from Echizen Province (Fukui Prefecture). Recognized by Tokugawa Ieyasu, he was appointed as a patronized smith and granted permission to inscribe the Tokugawa hollyhock crest on his tangs. With Ieyasu's unwavering trust, he relocated from Suruga to Edo and forged blades for successive Tokugawa shoguns; his line continued throughout the Edo period as official bakufu smiths. Hizen Tadayoshi I returned to Hizen Province (Saga Prefecture) to become the official smith of the Nabeshima domain, establishing a distinctive "Hizen" blade style based on techniques learned from Myōju. Hizen blades, characterized by tightly forged small-grain steel and straightforward, elegant hamon, maintained consistent quality and popularity throughout the Edo period.

Keichō Shintō represents a transitional phase: while retaining kotō forging methods, new iron sources begin to appear, and works often exhibit characteristics of both eras. The body of works embodying this technological and aesthetic turning point holds an extremely important position in sword-historical research and represents for collectors a bridge between kotō and shintō with significant scholarly and collecting value.