宇多国房

Uda Kunifusa

Description

## Master of the Ecchu Uda School — Uda Kunifusa Uda Kunifusa was the representative swordsmith of the Uda school active in Ecchu Province (modern Toyama Prefecture) from the Nanbokuchō through the early Muromachi period, a fine smith who inherited and developed the tradition established by Uda Kunimitsu. The Uda school is said to trace its lineage to Yamato smiths who relocated to Ecchu Province, establishing a distinctive style that fused Yamato-den characteristics with the properties of Ecchu tamahagane. Among the Uda school, highly regarded since antiquity as the leading school of "Ecchu-mono," Kunifusa is positioned alongside Kunimitsu as the most important swordsmith. The defining characteristic of Uda Kunifusa's works lies in the jigane and hamon that, while derived from Yamato-den, underwent the distinctive transformation of the Uda school. The jigane shows itame mixed with mokume, with abundant ji-nie characteristic of Yamato-den. The hamon is primarily gunome-midare, sometimes with variation incorporating chōji and togariba. The overall impression has a distinctive individuality fusing the simple strength of Yamato-den with variation influenced by Bizen-den and Sōshū-den. ## The Geographical and Cultural Background of the Uda School Ecchu Province, as a transportation hub of the Hokuriku region where eastern and western cultures intermingled, gave the Uda school the conditions to develop independently while influenced by Yamato-den, Bizen-den, and Sōshū-den. Kunifusa's works best express the individuality of Ecchu swords with these diverse influences integrated, with technical standards rivaling central masters despite being a regional smith. ## DATEKATANA and Uda Kunifusa DATEKATANA presents Uda Kunifusa as the finest treasure of regional smithing who sublimated a distinctive sword art in the unique cultural environment of Ecchu Province, and as the skilled smith who embodied the technical apex of the Uda school.

Famous Works

• 太刀（重要文化財）
• 刀（重要美術品）