Namihira Yasuyuki

Namihira Yasuyuki was a Ko-Namihira school sword maker active in Satsuma Province (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture) during the Late Heian Period and was one of the key bearers of the Namihira tradition. The Namihira tradition was a sword-making group at the southern tip of Kyushu that, influenced by the Yamato tradition, underwent unique development in Satsuma Province, and supplied many swords to Kyushu warrior clans including the Shimazu clan during the turbulent period of the Northern and Southern Courts. Yasuyuki's blades exemplified the Namihira tradition's characteristics well: the jigane exhibits a simple finish with itame mixed with flowing patterns, coarse jinie appearing, presenting the distinctive rustic and natural surface quality of Satsuma. The hamon is primarily characterized by suguha and ko-midare, with ara-nie appearing along the blade edge, showing strong influence from the old Yamato tradition. He is valued as a maker of practical blades that supported the samurai culture of southern Kyushu.