* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ko-Aoe Sukemitsu
古青江助次
Description
Ko-Aoe Masters—Suketsugu
Ko-Aoe Suketsugu (古青江助次) was a swordsmith of the Ko-Aoe school active during the Kamakura period in Aoe, Bitchū Province (present-day Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture). The Aoe school was a group of smiths that arose on the banks of the Takahashi River flowing through Bitchū Province; works from the late Heian period through the mid-Kamakura era are called Ko-Aoe, and later works are distinguished as Chū-Aoe and Suei-Aoe. Suketsugu was one of the representative smiths of Ko-Aoe, and the character "tsugu" (次) in his name was shared by the Aoe lineage. A signed work bearing the date Shōwa 1 (1312) survives, and is valuable as a dated example of Ko-Aoe craftsmanship.
Style
Suketsugu's blades display the distinctive jigane characteristic of Ko-Aoe known as "chirimen-hada" (crepe-like grain) or "mio-tsukushi-hada". The ground color is slightly dark and muted, with blackish chikei running through it, producing an appearance that is both archaic and richly nuanced. The hamon is based on suguha with fine ko-nie, and within the blade the characteristic Aoe features of "sakashi" (reverse feet) and "kuichigai-ha" (crossing cleft patterns) frequently appear. It is a restrained yet compelling body of work.
Assessment and Surviving Works
Among Suketsugu's signed works, some are designated as Important Art Objects, transmitting the assured skill of Ko-Aoe to the present day. They are valuable artifacts showing that the Aoe school smiths were prized by the warrior class of the Kamakura period, and that the Aoe school was regarded as a major sword-producing center on par with Bizen and Yamashiro.
The Aoe School and Bitchū Sword-Making
Though not numbered among the Five Schools (Bizen, Yamashiro, Yamato, Sōshū, and Mino), the Aoe school of Bitchū Province was a group of smiths that established an era with its distinctive style. Ko-Aoe blades were prized by the Imperial Court and powerful warrior families; it is transmitted that Aoe-school smiths were among those invited as court-appointed smiths by Emperor Go-Toba for sword manufacture. Suketsugu, too, was one of the smiths who honed his craft amid the flourishing of the Aoe school.
On the Name "Sukemitsu"
This entry was formerly established under the name "Sukemitsu" (助光); however, the character common to the Ko-Aoe lineage is "tsugu" (次), and the name "Sukemitsu" does not appear in standard swordsmith reference works. As the confirmed historical name is "Suketsugu" (助次), the entry has been amended accordingly.
The Tōken-za and Ko-Aoe Suketsugu
The Tōken-za introduces Ko-Aoe Suketsugu as a representative master smith of the Ko-Aoe school who transmitted dated works. The distinctive Aoe style, exemplified by chirimen-hada and sakashi, is a precious key to understanding the character of Bitchū sword-making as it exists today.
Famous Works
- 太刀 銘 助光（特別重要刀剣）
- 短刀 銘 助光（重要刀剣）