Juyo Token Satsuma Ko-Naminohira Yoshiyasu (c.1356) 波平義安

This tanto, well known for many years and so adored by Tanobe Michihiro sensei, late of the NBTHK, is one of the only three Naminohira tanto appointed Juyo Token by the society. The other two are the Naminohira Yasutsugu which had belonged to Dr. Compton MD for many years until auctioned off at Christies in 1993. The other one is the historically valuable Naminohira Yukiyasu dated Karyaku Ni Nen (1327) an important data for ascertaining the work dates of this school.

This Naminohira Yoshiyasu worked in the mid to late 1300's however according to the Juyo Token Zufu citing the Nihonto Meikan writes that there were several generations of Yoshiyasu working from the Genryaku era (1184) till as late as Tenmon (1532) They put this tanto to the Yoshiyasu working late Nanbukucho to the early Muromochi period no later than the Oei period. Tanobe sensei disagrees and places this Yoshiyasu firmly in the Enbun-Joji era.

The Sayagaki reads:

第四⼗⼀回重要⼑剣指定品

薩摩國波義安

四字有銘⽽年代南北朝延⽂頃

刃⻑九⼨余有之

⼲時癸卯松⾵⽉

探⼭観⽽誌「花押」

中世ノ同派ハ各時代ヲ通シテ傳統ヲ墨守スル傾向ニアリ本作ハ板⽬ガ肌⽴チテ⽩ケ潤⼼ノ直刃ヲ焼ク點ハ然様ナレド延⽂・貞治型ノ姿態ヲ呈スル事ヤ左⽂字気質ヲ想ハス鋭ヒ帽⼦ノ状ハ異例デ蓋シ同⼯ガ進取ノ気性ニ富ム鍛冶ナルヲ⽰ス者哉貴珍且好資料⽽彫モ興趣ヲ添ヘタリ

Dai yonjūikkai Jūyō Tōken shitei-hin

Satsuma no Kuni Nami Yoshiyasu

Yoji yūmei nite nendai Nanbokuchō Enbun goro

Hachō kyū-sun yo kore ari

Toki ni mizunoto-u matsukazetsuki

Tanza mite shikamo shirushite + kaō

Chūsei no dōha wa kaku-jidai o tsūshite dentō o bokushu-suru keikō ni ari. Honsaku wa itame ga hada tachite shirake uruoi-gokoro suugha o yaku ten wa sayō naredo Enbun-Jōji-kei no shitai o tei-suru koto ya Samonji kishitsu o omowasu surudoi bōshi no jō wa irei de kedashi dōkō ga shinshu kishō ni tomu kaji naru o shimesu mono kana kichin katsu yoi shiryō shikamo hori mo kyōshu o soetari.

Jūyō Tōken at 41st Jūyō Shinsa

Nami [sic.] Yoshiyasu from Satsuma Province

This blade bears a four-character signature and dates ca. to the Nanbokuchō period Enbun era (1356–1361).

Blade length ~ 27.3 cm

Examined and written by Tanzan [Tanobe Michihiro] in June in the year of the hare of this era (2023) + monogram.

We observe that the Naminohira School faithfully stuck to its traditional style throughout all eras of the medieval period. This blade displays a standing-out itame that is of a somewhat “moist” appearance, is hardened in a suguha, and is of what is referred to as an Enbun-Jōji shape. With this interpretation, and with the pointed bōshi that bears resemblance to the style of Samonji, this blade is somewhat uncommon for said school, demonstrating so the enterprising dispositon of its maker. Thus, the blade is a rare work and an important reference, and is also furnished with exquisite engravings.

Jūyō-Tōken at the 41st Jūyō Shinsa held on November 10, 1995

Tantō, mei: Naminohira Yoshiyasu (波平義安)

Ibaraki Prefecture, Hattori Masayasu (服部雅泰)

Measurements

Nagasa 27.4 cm, sori 0.2 cm, motohaba 2.65 cm, nakago-nagasa 8.6 cm, only a hint of nakago-sori

Description

Keijō: hira-zukuri, mitsu-mune, relatively wide mihaba, thin kasane, a little sori Kitae: overall standing-out itame that is mixed with mokume and that features plenty of fine ji-nie and a shirake-utsuri

Hamon: chū-suguha-chō with a somewhat subdued nioiguchi that is mixed with ko-gunome in places, ko-ashi, nijūba along the mid-blade section, fine hotsure along the habuchi, and with a few kinsuji and sunagashi

Bōshi: undulating sugu with a ko-maru-kaeri that runs back in a long fashion Horimono: on the omote side the relief of a kurikara within a wide koshi-bi, on the ura side a bonji and a suken

Nakago: ubu, ha-agari-kurijiri, higaki-yasurime, three mekugi-ana, the sashi-omote side bears centrally a four-character signature that runs across the mekugi-ana

Explanation

The commonly accepted theory has it that the Naminohira (波平) School was founded by Masakuni (正国), who had moved around Eien (永延, 987–989) from Yamato to the place of Naminohira of the same name, located in the Taniyama district (⾕⼭郡) of Satsuma province. There, his school thrived henceforth and continued to exist until the end of the Edo period. Works of this school that date to up the Nanbokuchō are referred to as Ko-Naminohira (古波平), “early Naminohira.” The jiba of Naminohira works clearly displays Yamato characteristics, although compared to works made directly in Yamato, their yakiba is somewhat more subdued, and their jigane is of a “viscous” and “weaker” appearance, also featuring shirake. Thus, the jiba is overall weaker, and another important characteristic is a prominent yaki-otoshi at the base. According to the meikan, Yoshiyasu (義安) was active in the early Kamakura period, around the era Genryaku (元暦, 1184–1185), and later local smiths using this very name are listed as having been active in

the Nanbokuchō period, around the era Enbun (延⽂, 1356–1361), and also in the Muromachi period, around the eras Ōei (応永, 1394–1428), Bunmei (⽂明, 1469–1487), and Tenbun (天⽂, 1532–1555).

This tantō is of a shape with a wide mihaba and a thin kasane, and displays a kitae in an overall standing-out itame that is mixed with mokume. The hamon is a chū-suguha-chō with a somewhat subdued nioiguchi that is mixed with hotsure along the habuchi, a few fine sunagashi and kinsuji, and with nijūba, meaning that the overall interpretation is classical and very tasteful. As the smiths of the Naminohira School stuck fairly faithfully to a classical style, it is difficult to date their works, but this tantō can be dated from the late Nanbokuchō period to the early Muromachi period Ōei era. What also must be pointed out that only few masterworks of the Yoshiyasu lineage exist in general, with this blade being one of them.

(Translation by Markus Sesko with thanks)

The mounts that accompany the Yoshiyasu were lacquered by the celebrated maker Hara Yoyusai 1769-1846 who's information is contained here:

Hara Yoyusai (1769 - 22[1] January 1846 (25 December Koka 2)) was a maki-e artist of the late Edo period. His family name was Sarazan. His alias is Kumejiro (also Kumejiro and Kumejiro).

Career/Personality

Born in Kanda, Edo. Produced maki-e based on the style of the Rimpa school, including Ogata Korin. Although much is unknown about his life, Yōyūsai's style was extremely precise and traditional, and many of his works have survived to this day. Inro maki-e, for which the Rimpa school painter Sakai Hoitsu made preliminary drawings, is particularly famous, and together with Furumitsu Kan'ya he achieved twin status among maki-e artists of his time. In addition to Inro, he was also involved in the production of tea ceremony utensils at the request of Matsudaira Jirigo, a tea master and then lord of the Matsue domain. He also instructed Kojima Seibei (5th generation), the Matsue domain's lacquer master (later to become Kojima Urushotsusai I), at the order of Matsudaira Jirigo.

This led him to serve the Hosokawa clan of the Kumamoto domain, the Nabeshima clan of the Saga domain, the Ii clan of the Hikone domain and others. In addition to Hoitsu, he is also said to have been friends with many other cultural figures such as Takami Senshi, Tani Buncho, Ota Nanpo, Kameda Posai, Nakai Keiyoshi, Nakamura Butuan and kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII, and is famous for having trained many students, including Nakayama Gozami, Shoryusai Mitsugama and Iwasaki Koyu. After his death, he was buried at Koanji Temple in Sugamo.