* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Katana by Hosokawa Masayoshi
細川正義の刀
Also known as: Uchigatana by Hosokawa Masayoshi (Shintō Era, Official Smith of the Hosokawa Domain)
Description
Hosokawa Masayoshi was a swordsmith of the shintō period during the Edo era who served the Tsuyama domain in Saku Province (Mimasaka, present-day northern Okayama Prefecture), and studied the style of revival swords as a student of Mizuoshiko Masahide (the surname "Hosokawa" is unrelated to the Higo Hosokawa daimyo family). He is known for refined jigane based on research of ancient works and forceful hamon. His swords display a jigane dominated by fine ko-itame with occasional mokume flowing through it, and fine, evenly distributed ji-nie. The hamon is characterized by gunome and ko-midare with heavy nie accumulation, producing a forceful and accomplished result. His style achieved a high balance of utility and refinement that was highly valued by the samurai class, and he is celebrated today as an exemplary master of the shintō period.
Legends & Stories
A tradition surrounding Hosokawa Masayoshi holds that the domain lord commanded him: "Forge a sword that will shame no one under heaven." In response, Masayoshi gathered iron sand from a year when volcanic rumbling was intense and forged a single blade. That sword was called "the blade that houses fire" and was believed to possess spiritual power to ward off fire. Additionally, supernatural legends have been passed down of a retainer who wore a wakizashi made by Masayoshi at his waist and encountered assassins during the sankin-kōtai procession; the sword is said to have shone with its own light and caused the attackers to flee—stories that gave rise to the belief that "the famous blades of Masayoshi are protected by the divine."