Enju Kuniyoshi

Enju Kuniyoshi was a swordsmith active in Kikuchi District, Higo Province (present-day Kumamoto Prefecture), from the late Kamakura period to the Nanbokuchō period. He is known as the successor of Kunimura, founder of the Enju school, and is one of the important master smiths of that lineage. The Enju school was a group of swordsmiths who transplanted the techniques of the Rai school (Yamashiro tradition) to the Higo region. It formed a lineage including Kunimura, Kuniyoshi, Kunitomo, Kunisuke and Kunitoki, and in Higo it carried on the suguha-style work of the Rai school (Yamashiro tradition). Kuniyoshi's swordmaking clearly shows the characteristics of the Enju school. The jigane is itame and nagare-itame mixed with masame, a varied forging texture typical of the Rai school (Yamashiro tradition), with chikei and jinie, giving a lively appearance. The hamon is a calm work in the Rai school (Yamashiro tradition) style based on suguha and komidare, and the habuchi has thick, active nie. Within the hamon a wide-entering nijūha sometimes appears, which is valued as a distinctive feature of the Enju school. The taihai is a dignified form of the late Kamakura to Nanbokuchō period, and the blade shows moderate sori and a graceful taper. Although the Enju school's blades were based in the region of Higo, they faithfully retained the framework of the Rai school (Yamashiro tradition) and are of high dignity, and Kuniyoshi is known for his high skill even among them. The Tokyo National Museum holds a mumei blade authenticated as Enju Kuniyoshi, and it is considered indispensable for exploring the origins of Higo blades.