Kozori and Omiya groups (Bizen)

[Blundemo]

Which of these groups tended to produce the better quality blades? Generally, I've heard it's Omiya, but they both have a tendency for rough quality looking steel. In Japan, are these groups considered equal in skill?

[Curran]

Omiya. Definitely.

 

Sometimes you will get a remarkable kozori work, but up close more of the Omiya are remarkable.

 

This is not to say that you wont see some weak Omiya pieces like this one:

http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/a00280.html

 

More often, you will see Omiya that are stunners and yet affordable. Two or three years ago there was a nice Omiya Bizen Juyo offered up on this board.

The kozori are largely the 'also ran', with a few exceptions.

[runagmc]

I'm no expert in Bizento, but to me it seems there is a lot of variance in hada (from very tight, to very coarse) almost throughout.

 

Obviously the Omiya have a better reputation, and I think there is a legit reason for that... I have seen some VERY nice Omiya blades, but can't remember a VERY nice Kozori off hand...

[Jean]

Good smiths in Kozori school too, e.g. Yasumitsu. I had an excellent Eikyo Bizen Kozori Yoshimitsu wakizashi

[Marius]

Here is a good example of a very high quality Oomiya blade:

 

http://yakiba.com/Kat_Morokage.htm

[Blundemo]

Some really nice Omiya blades have been at times confused with Kanemitsu, but this has also been known to occur with the occasional Kozori sword too. In general, Omiya blades tend to have the brighter ha from what I have seen so I can agree with the consensus here, I think.

 

A little rough looking Juyo Kozori den: http://hyozaemon.jp/morisuke.htm

 

I have also seen rather rough looking Juyo Omiya swords too.

[Marius]

This is not to say that you wont see some weak Omiya pieces like this one:

http://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/a00280.html.

 

Not necessarily weak. Rather tired and in need of a new polish.

[Gokaden]

Handed down as Kanemitsu but re-judged as Omiya. Personally, I don't think it's either Omiya or Kanemitsu.

 

(Omiya Tachi, Nagasa 72.5 cm)

 

http://www.sho-shin.com/omiya.htm

 

To me it looks more like Kanenaga or Chogi / Nagashige, it could also be Nagamori

 

However, at the time there must have been communication between the smiths, so its natural for Omiya to have Kanemitsu traits.

 

http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi/(36)%20No.590.htm

 

also look at Shijo Kantei No 620 (September, 2008 issue), about Omiya (Morikage), its the last pages of the article

 

http://www.touken.or.jp/english/translation/622.htm

 

Kozori school is nice work, but rarely seen good work on the market today. Look for Kozori before Oei and it is rare to find a signed example.

 

You can find a tasteful itame hada of Bizen with slight utsuri that was more dense and a little different from the Omiya. It is a commonly accepted view that their style generally resembles to the mainstream Osafune school, especially Kanemitsu, but with a smaller tempering style and less flamboyant pieces.

 

 

This is a rare wakizashi from Kozori smith Yukihisa

 

http://www.sho-shin.com/kagemit2.htm (Bishu Osafune Yukihisa, Oei Ni Ju Ni Nen Ju-ichi Gatsu Hi)

 

I speculate that Kozori came out of fashion and that other more "flamboyant" Bizen blades became favoured instead. Bizen Kozori displayed a more "classic" workmanship. To sum it up, you have the great Kanemitsu, the Omiya school and the Kozori school all connected with O-Kanemitsu as a top smith in that triad.