古一文字吉房
Ko-Ichimonji Yoshifusa
Aussi connu sous le nom de: Yoshifusa; Crown of Ko-Ichimonji; Progenitor of Fukuoka Ichimonji
Description
Ko-Ichimonji Yoshifusa refers to the tachi produced by Yoshifusa, the foremost master of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school — the Kamakura-period Bizen smiths who elevated the large chōji-midare hamon to its most spectacular expression. Working in the first half of the 13th century, Yoshifusa left more surviving masterworks than any other Ichimonji smith, including multiple National Treasures. The defining feature of his work is the 'oil chōji' — a deep, undulating hamon of clove-shaped billows saturated in nie, giving the blade a visual complexity unlike anything in the sword world. With a vivid utsuri in the jigane and a graceful Kamakura koshi-zori, Yoshifusa's tachi represent the apex of early Kamakura Bizen aesthetics.
Légendes et récits
The 'Ichi' (one) in Ichimonji is traditionally explained by a legend involving retired Emperor Go-Toba (1180–1239), an ardent sword enthusiast who summoned master smiths to forge blades in his presence. Those who worked at the imperial forge were granted the honor of signing their blades with a single character — 'ichi,' meaning 'one' or 'first.' Yoshifusa is believed to have been among these honored smiths, lending his work a prestige that united the imperial court's cultural authority with the Kamakura shogunate's martial demands. His large chōji hamon has never been fully replicated — modern smiths can approach but not equal the specific visual saturation of his 'oil chōji,' a mystery attributed to the unique combination of Bizen sand iron, river water, and craft knowledge accumulated over generations.