Sukaira

I think so, but looking at the oshigata it is a bit scattered so others might have a better idea or experience with what that means

Good advice no doubt! Indeed both are calling me for different reasons so this one is tough.

Oh yeah that is a great idea

Yeah the description from Aoi and the oshigata both tell/show utsuri. So those images I posted are stills from a video and I do see it in the video. Here is an image I think shows it better, check the area running parallel to the bohi that matches the oshigata. I think the setsumei does actually mention it, near the bottom right side: "僅かに白気映り立つ"

Yes, I was under the impression that was one of the benefits of such a forum but maybe Jacques is here for other reasons

Guess who’s holding it I wanted to make a last minute post here just in case anyone caught something that might make me reconsider!

Quite right! They both appeal to me in different ways. I would love to own a Yasumitsu as Bizen is probably my favorite tradition overall. The nie utsuri is beautiful and the piece overall is quite elegant as you said. I am a sucker for shorter katanas for some reason. It seems like it might be machiokuri though. On the flip side I also have 2 late Kamakura / early Nanbokucho Yamashiro blades that are quite slender and elegant and I think for the period the size and shape of this Ko-Mihara is, well, quite awesome . Not to mention it seems in very good condition.

Alternatively, looking at this: https://world-seiyudo.com/product/ka-080125/

Considering acquiring this piece: https://www.aoijapan.com/katana：-mumei-ko-mihara38th-nbthk-juyo-token/ Wanted to get some seasoned thoughts on it, from others familiar with Mihara and Juyo. Included some images below - thanks

I have a Masayoshi katana that is a masterpiece utushimono to Go Yoshihiro. See pics below...one is an actual Go and one is the Masayoshi

I think another example might be Wake Shigenori - seems to have at least 1 Juyo but I do not see him as rated in Sesko (maybe Fujishiro?) SHIGENORI (重則), Shōchū (正中, 1324-1326), Bizen – “Bizen no Kuni Wake-jūnin Shigenori” (備前国和気住人 重則), “Bizen no Kuni Wake no Shō-jū Shigenori” (備前国和気荘住人重則), it is said that he came from the Saburō Kunimume school (国宗) but lived in Bizen´s Wake fief (和気荘) which was located about ten km to the northeast of Osafune, gunome mixed with ko-chōji in nioi-deki, suguha-chō mixed with ko-chōji and ko-midare

really hard to make an assessment of the polish imo with such horrible photos...but a good hadori should act almost like a frame and backdrop for the hamon and its activity. There does seem to be some weird inconsistency though in that Chogi hadori. In some spots it's like it hugs the tempering closely, almost sashikomi style and then in other areas it takes a much more liberal coverage.

I also don't have any direct data on this, but would be interested if found. The leaflet saying the Shodai trained with Naminohira is not too hard to believe though, since they were a Satsuma institution since the Heian essentially. Maybe that little bit of info was documented in a Japanese text somewhere and that was simply the extent of it?

I see a Hirotsugu listed in Sesko's index as jo-saku HIROTSUGU (広次), 3rd gen., Bunmei (文明, 1469-1487), Sagami – “Sōshū-jū Hirotsugu” (相州住広次), “Hirotsugu” (広次), “Sōshū-jū Hirotsugu saku” (相州住広次作), real name Ichikawa Chōbei (市川長兵衛), it is said that he enjoyed a very long life and that he was still working in the Eishō era (永正, 1504-1521), ō-gunome-midare, gunome- chōji, some blades show horimono, jō-saku

No questions - just dropping some recently acquired Tadayoshi 3 eye candy.

That is true, which why I want to see it after the mukansa sashikomi polish in hand, in Japan before making any decision. It is a sick piece without a doubt. It is done in soshu style and filled to the brim with hataraki - kinsuji and inazuma in the hamon, chikei with a whitish ji-nie covering the entire blade plus a pretty vivid nioguchi. Also nice that Kondô Hôji took the time to create a nicely detailed oshigata for it. Personally I love the sugata and boshi/kissaki on this one. In any case, even if it doesn't get submitted to Juyo, you guys will see some finished pics in Feb!