SOSHU DEN
CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Katana and Tachi were generally wide, long and
heavy. Tanto also came into widespread use at this time (from the later
part of the 13th century).
SORI: Generally torii sori with the center of the curve roughly in
the center of the blade.
JIHADA: The grain is most often a very fine and compact itame hada
(wood grain, resembling the surface of a wooden board cut against the grain).
HAMON: Various with the most usual being a midare (irregular) or
choji-midare often with tobiyaki. The nie is often ara-nie made up of both
ha-nie and ji-nie. Many times the ara-nie is so numerous as to create a
hitatsura pattern (full temper).
NAKAGO: The most typical is tanago-bara. (This resembles the abdomen
of the tanago fish found in the rivers of Soshu province). The jiri is commonly
kengyo.
BIZEN DEN
CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Medium width and thickness. Generally graceful.
SORI: Generally Koshi-Zori (deepest part of the curve in the lower
third of the blade) is taken to be a characteristic of the Bizen Mono. While
there is a deep Koshi-Zori in many older Bizen blades, there is also a tendency
toward Torii- Sori particularly in the Osafune School.
JIHADA: Mainly composed of Mokume-Hada, there is Ko-Mokume, Chu-Mokume,
and O-Mukume and it is usually combined with O-Hada. Utsuri is frequently
seen in the Ji.
HAMON: Mainly Midare-Ba in Nioi-Deki. There is Choji-Midare in many
varieties and Gunome-Midare. Suguba is also often seen. Nie is of medium
size, plentiful along the line of Nioi but it is rarely found as Ji-Nie.
NAKAGO: Older pieces tend to be long and slender, there is Niku on
the Hira (the Hira is rounded) and they are well proportioned. With the
passage of time, they gradually became thick and short with parallel sides
and after Oei, (1394-1428), there were many which were so short that at
first glance they look unbalanced. The Nakago-Jiri is usually Kuri.
MINO DEN
CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Wide and long
SORI: Shallow saki-zori. Ko-mino will often be torii sori.
JIHADA: Generally ko-mokume and masame with the masame-hada near
the mune.
HAMON: The most famous is sanbon-sugi (three cypress trees). Suguha
can also be found from time to time. Note, however, that somewhere along
the suguha there will always be a small midare (irregularity).
NAKAGO: Medium length, tapered.
Older pieces found with tanagobara. The nakago-jiri is kengyo. Yasurime
higaki, sujikai or kiri as a general rule.
YAMASHIRO DEN
CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Narrow and graceful
SORI: Torii sori with the deepest part of the curve in the middle
of the blade. This shape gets its name from its resemblance to a shinto
shrine gate or torii.
JIHADA: Ko-Mokume-Generally a much finer grain then that of the other
schools, being almost nashi-ji. Small grain indicates many foldings during
forging with a resulting comparatively high degree of hardness in the metal.
This characteristic (nashi-ji) is the same as in yamato-den.
HAMON: Generally suguba. However, there are examples of choji-midare.
Jie nie will usually be present between the hamon and shinogi.
NAKAGO: Long and tapered-The jiri (tip of the nakago) on blades made
before 700 years ago is kuri. Those made after 700 years ago tend to be
a blend of kuri and kengyo.
YAMATO DEN
CHARACTERISTICS
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Narrow and graceful. Thicker than yamashiro with
the shinogi higher.
SORI: Torii sori with the deepest part of the curve in the middle
of the blade. This shape gets its name from its resemblance to a shinto
shrine gate or torii.
JIHADA: Masame-Almost nashi-ji (see yamashiro den). Some of the yamato
schools will have ko-mokume hada mixed with masame hada.
HAMON: Generally suguba with a few small ashi-iri. Hamon usually
nie-deki (formed with nie). Almost no ji-nie.
NAKAGO: Generally kurijiri
NOTES: Major Yamato Schools:
1. Senjuin
2. Taema
3. Shikkage
4. Tegai
5. Hosho
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