Shinshinto - Shohoken Yoshiyuki

[Natichu]

Hello all, 

 

I've recently purchased and taken possession of a Tokubetsu Hozon Shinshinto piece by Shohoken Yoshiyuki. Details here, and hopefully pictures attached:

 

https://www.touken-matsumoto.jp/ja/product/shousai/KA-0740

 

Currently just studying the piece and getting used to owning it. All things told thus far I couldn't be happier, and my experience with Matsumoto Touken was excellent. 

 

That said, I did have a question in terms of research. Matsumoto Touken in their descriptions says "Later Shohoken moved to the city of Osaka where he learned Bizen-den." ("のち大阪に出て備前伝を学び..."). The smith is not discussed in Markus Sesko's Shinshinto-shi, but is in his listing of smiths where he states:

 

"YOSHIYUKI (吉幸), Bunkyū (文久, 1861-1864), Hōki – “Hōki no Kuni Fujiwara Yoshiyuki” (伯耆国藤原吉幸), 

“Hakushū Yonago-jū Shohōken Yoshiyuki” (伯州米子住曙峰軒吉幸), “Shohōken Yoshiyuki Un´han ni oite”

(曙峰軒吉幸於雲藩), “Hakushū-jū Yoshiyuki” (伯州住吉幸), “Hōki no Kuni-jū Yoshiyuki” (伯耆国住吉幸), real name Shimizu Tōshirō (清水藤四郎), he was the son of a certain Yamazaki Hei´emon Yoshihiro (山崎平右衛門吉広) but was later adopted by Shimizu Masayoshi (清水正吉), he signed his name first with the characters (吉行) and used 

the gō Shohōken (曙峰軒), he came originally from the village of Osa (小佐) in Izumo province and worked for the Izumo fief (出雲藩), later he moved to Yonago (米子) in Hōki province and died on the 21st day of the ninth month Meiji 19 (明治, 1886) at the age of 75, we know blades from the Ansei era (安政, 1854-1860) to the ban on wearing swords in the year 1876, dense ko-itame mixed with mokume and fine ji-nie, the hamon is a gunome in ko-nie-deki, the bōshi is sugu with a ko-maru-kaeri, the yasurime are gyaku-sujikai with keshō, he chiselled his signature close to the mune of the tang, chūjō-saku"

 

No mention is made of a sojourn to Osaka or learning Bizen-den. That said, to my limited understanding the blade does seem to have the Shinshinto fukkoto Bizen style at least in terms of hamon (nioi-deki gunome and choji midare). The jihada is quite subtle and so harder for my beginner eyes to assess. 

 

Does anyone know of the smith and any ties to the Bizen tradition, or have suggestions as to other materials to review for more information on that point? Any assistance or suggestions would be very much appreciated! 

 

[oli]

Hi,

 

i also don´t found much information about the smith. I also was interested in this sword. The only connection to Osaka, i can image could be the Smith Gassan Sadayoshi. The Yoshi Kanji is the same, and Sadayoshi also worked in Bizenden. Maybe ask Matsumoto Touken, maybe in Japanese Publications are maybe more information.

And nice sword, congratulations,

 

Regards

Oli

[Natichu]

5 minutes ago, oli said:

Hi,

 

i also don´t found much information about the smith. I also was interested in this sword. The only connection to Osaka, i can image could be the Smith Gassan Sadayoshi. The Yoshi Kanji is the same, and Sadayoshi also worked in Bizenden. Maybe ask Matsumoto Touken, maybe in Japanese Publications are maybe more information.

And nice sword, congratulations,

 

Regards

Oli

Thanks Oli! Glad to hear I wasn't the only one eyeing it, as it definitely caught my attention from go. 

 

I'll likely ask Matsumoto Touken in the coming days in case they have some documents to share. Will update this thread if anything comes from it. 

[Natichu]

On 9/26/2025 at 10:15 PM, oli said:

Hi,

 

i also don´t found much information about the smith. I also was interested in this sword. The only connection to Osaka, i can image could be the Smith Gassan Sadayoshi. The Yoshi Kanji is the same, and Sadayoshi also worked in Bizenden. Maybe ask Matsumoto Touken, maybe in Japanese Publications are maybe more information.

And nice sword, congratulations,

 

Regards

Oli

Have checked with Matsumoto Touken, who have indicated the information is from Nihonto no Kenkyu To Kantei (Shinto volume) by Tsuneishi Hideaki. Have started a thread to see about getting my hands on at least an extract but we'll see how we do!