* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Osafune Yoshimitsu
長船義光
Description
Lineage
Osafune Yoshimitsu was a swordsmith of Osafune in Bizen Province, commonly said to be a son of Kagemitsu and a younger brother of Kanemitsu. Scholars are divided between a two-generation and a single-generation theory.
Career
His surviving dated works run from Genkyo at the end of the Kamakura period to Joji in the Nanboku-cho period, a span of about 40 years that largely overlaps Kanemitsu's active years.
Style
His early work follows Kagemitsu, while work from the Nanboku-cho period resembles Kanemitsu. The blades are shinogi-zukuri with an iori-mune, and the hamon mixes angular patterns, small notare, small gunome and pointed ha, with the overall midare in a small pattern, small ashi, a somewhat deep and brilliant nioiguchi. The tightly knit jigane with clear midare-utsuri is said to rival that of his father Kagemitsu, often praised as the most beautiful among Osafune smiths, while the hamon, like his brother's, frequently shows small gunome-choji.
Representative work
The tachi signed "Bishu Osafune Yoshimitsu", dated the third month of Joji 3 (1364), is rated a top-grade koto work and holds a Juyo Token certification (issued 11 October 2013).
Famous Works
- 太刀 銘 備州長船義光 貞治三年三月日（重要刀剣）