* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ryokai
了戒
Description
Master Smith of the Rai School — Ryōkai
Ryōkai was a swordsmith active in Yamashiro Province (present-day Kyoto Prefecture) from the mid to late Kamakura period. He belonged to the Rai school, a prestigious Kyoto lineage. He is said to have been a son or a disciple of Rai Kunitoshi, and he was one of the mainstays of the Rai school. He is known for the distinctive custom of inscribing the Buddhist name (priest's name) "Ryōkai" as his signature. His lineage later continued into the Nobukuni line.
Style of the Yamashiro Tradition and the Rai School
Ryōkai's style shows the characteristics of the Yamashiro tradition and the Rai school at a high level. The jigane is composed of well-packed ko-itame with fine ji-nie, showing a delicate, dignified surface typical of Kyoto work. Shirake-utsuri appears on the ground. The hamon is based on suguha with ko-ashi, and examples with a moist nioi-guchi are seen. The calm, refined range of his work conveys the elegant aesthetic of the Rai school well.
Signature and Provenance
Ryōkai's works are characterized by a signature that gives the Buddhist name "Ryōkai." The tachi held by Atsuta Shrine, which bears the inscription "Ryōkai Kagen sannen sangatsu hi / Yamashiro no kuni jūnin Kurōza" recording the place of residence and the date (1305), is one of them: four tachi and one tantō in all are designated as Important Cultural Properties. Using a Buddhist name as a signature is rare for a swordsmith, and it is an important clue for identifying Ryōkai's works.
From the Late Kamakura Period to the Nanboku-chō Period
The late to final years of the Kamakura period, when Ryōkai was active, was the time when the Rai school flourished at its height as a group of swordsmiths representing Kyoto. Under the reputation of the Rai school built by Rai Kuniyuki and Rai Kunitoshi, Ryōkai also continued to produce solid blades, centered on tachi. His works are thought to have passed to shrines and temples, and they were also valued as hōnōtō (dedicated swords). In later times, Ryōkai's line connected to the Nobukuni line of the Nanboku-chō period and served as a bridge that carried the Kyoto forging tradition to later generations.
TOUKENZA and Ryōkai
At TOUKENZA, Ryōkai is introduced as a master smith of refined style produced by the Rai school of Kyoto. With the rare distinction of inscribing a Buddhist name in his signature, Ryōkai's swords carry on the traditions of the Rai school after Rai Kuniyuki and Rai Kunitoshi. They are a valuable legacy that conveys to the present day the refinement of the Yamashiro tradition of the Kamakura period.
Famous Works
- tachi, signed Ryokai, dated Kagen 3, 3rd month / Yamashiro-no-kuni-jūnin Kurōsa (Important Cultural Property, Atsuta Shrine)
- tantō, signed Ryokai (Important Cultural Property)