Osafune Nagayoshi

Osafune Nagayoshi was a swordsmith active in Osafune, Bizen Province (present-day Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture) from the Nanbokuchō period into the early Muromachi era. He inherited the traditional forging techniques of the Osafune school while synthesizing the robust proportions characteristic of Nanbokuchō blades with the refined craftsmanship of the Kamakura tradition. His jigane features the ko-itame with utsuri characteristic of the Bizen school, and his hamon of gunome-midare and large ō-bōchōji displays the powerful, large-scale aesthetic typical of the Nanbokuchō period. Signed works reading 'Nagayoshi' or 'Osafune Nagayoshi' survive in relatively significant numbers, with examples designated Jūyō Tōken and Jūyō Bijutsuhin. He is recognized as a solid representative of the Osafune lineage who helped sustain and advance the high standards of Bizen swordmaking during a turbulent era of political transition.