AS21562-Katana: Yamato Kami Yasusada

Katana in Shirasaya （NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature: Yamato Kami Yasusada (first generation)
大和守安定　
(gold inlay) Mitsu do Kiriotoshi Yamano Kanjuro Daizen Dayu Tsunahiro Tsunahiro Ko E Echizen Kami Mitsumichi yo.

Explanation: Yama to Kami Yasusada first generation. the cutting test was　done by Yamano Kanjuro,3 do(bodies) were cut, engraving with gold inlay. This sword owner was Daimyo Echizen Kami Mitsumichi and he presented the sword to Daimyo Daizen Dayu Tsunahiro Ko.

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to saijyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki:Gold foiled double habaki.
Blade length:82.4cm or 32.44inches.
Sori:2.2cm or 0.86inches.
Mekugi:1the hamachi:3.12 cm or 1.22inches.
Width at the Kissaki:1.95 cm or 0.76inches.
Kasane:0.58cm or 0.22inches.
The weight of the sword:815grams.
Era:Edo period, Kanbun era
Shape: This work has a long, thick and broad blade with deep Sori and longer Kissaki, good shaped one.
Jigane: Koitame-hada well grained, Jinie attached, elaborate Hadadachi.
Hamon: Niedeki, Gunome-midare with eneven changes, Aranie, Nie on Shinogi-ji, Sunagashi and Kinsuji work in Hachu, to be a work with rough and wild atmosphere.

Special feature:Yamato Kami Yasusada was thought to have been originally in Echizen, but further research has shown that he was from Kishu Sekido school indeed. He called himself as Tobita Sobei and came to Edo in around Keian 1st. He was born in Genna 4 and his master was supposed to be Izumi Kami Kaneshige. Additionally, he had many Saidanmei by Yamano Kauemon or Kanjuro, the relationships between them should be very interesting to search.
Yamano Eikyu was a cutting tester(swordsman) who had a grandfather named Kauemon Iehisa, came to Edo becoming Ronin of ex Oushu Sendai Domain. His master was Nakagawa Saiheita Shigeoki and he learned Shineiryu Kenjutsu and founded his school, Yamano school. Eikyu called himself originally as Kanjuro, and after his father’s death he succeeded to the name Kauemon, and became official cutting tester of Bakufu by the recommendation of Shigeyoshi. He cut over 6000 bodies between 30 years of his career. He engraved many of his Saidanmei by gold inlay and he made a book of secrets for test cutting. He passed away at the age of 70 in Kam bun 7(1667), on the 13 the of June. His gravestone was already made when he cut the 1000th body for memorial. The gravestone exists in Eikyu-temple now.

From Aoi Art:Very long work with 82cm length, which has slightly longer Sori and Kissaki; very in good shape: different from the normal works from him. Saidamei says: The Katana which was tested by Yamano Kanjuro and cut 3 bodies, came to Daizen Dayu Tsunahiro Ko from Echizen Kami Mitsumichi. Mori Tsunahiro was a 4th son of Mori Hidenari, the 2nd master of Choshu Domain, and his mother was the granddaughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu, so he was a great-grandchild of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Echizen Kami Mitsumichi was a Daimyo in the early Edo period, and a 4th master of Echizen Kuni Fukui Domain, firstly came into Echizen in Jouou 2(1653), 10 the of June. Mitsumichi was an excellent politician　who made laws of Sanyakaisen, Kachu, Budo or Bugu and taxes, or made amendments of them to make Domain better. Since then Fukui Domain was thought as a Domain of militarism spirit, but Mitsumichi was a person of culture and he invited lots of researchers and encouraged studies,mainly Jugaku, and tried to develop Domain on the both scientific and cultural aspects. He also tried to boost morals and royalism. He was approved as Sa Kon Eno Shosho and called himself as Echizen Kami. This work is supposed to be a work given to Daizen Dayu Tsunahiro Ko from Echizen Kami Mitsumichi. The story is wonderful and the sword itself is a masterpiece of Yamato Kami Yasusada, Jigane is great, Hamon has a sharp atmosphere, which we can truly recommend for you. Normally the swords from Yasusada have shallow Sori and shorter Kissaki, but this work has a long blade with deeper Sori and longer Kissaki, it has to be a made-to-order. It was a work given to Daimyo from Daimyo.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper:whole Oshigata.