Kaga Kiyomitsu

[Clive Sinclaire]

Gentlemen

I have just put Sword no. 117 onto http://www.To-ken.com under the Sword Register section.It is a quite interesting mumei chisa-gatana by Kaga Kiyomitsu and you may find some of the background info of interest.

Your comments and criticisemes (?spelling) would be most welcome.

Regards

Clive Sinclaire

[Eric H]

An interesting Chisa-Katana or O-Wakizashi with the so called Kashu-nakago probably by Hinin or Kojiki Kiyomitsu (beggar Kiyomitsu). It is said that Kaga Clan‘s Kiyomitsu signed swords are rare to find. Kaga swords had a reputation of excellent cutting blades.

 

next: nakago Harima Daijo Fujiwara Kiyomitsu nicknamed Juni Gatsu Kiyomitsu.

 

Eric

[Alex A]

I have an unsigned katana attributed to kiyomitsu of kaga genroku era. I know there where many smiths known by kiyomitsu. i was wondering, is this kiyomitsu the same kiyomitsu as kiyomitsu 2nd genroku ?

 

Alex

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

My overall impression is that the sword may be made in the later part of the shinto period.

 

 

With a hada almost muji i would say the same, even it can be Shinshinto. Yasurime in Kanbun era were kiri or katte sagari

[NihontoEurope]

Hello,

 

Speaking of Kiyomitsu.

 

Does anyone here have some Oshigata of Kiyomitsu between 1400-1600's

 

I think I have a Mumei Uchigatana from anyone generation.

 

/Martin

[loiner1965]

i have a naginata by kiyomitsu but it as a umegame when it was polished .

still treasure it even though to some its worthless

pics before polish...viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3998

[NihontoEurope]

Steve,

 

Thanks.

 

Not a ringer.

 

/Martin

[Alex A]

Hi Steve, if you got it for a steel then its worth every penny. My katana is genroku, mumei suriage, the grain is itame with massame. It came with nthk kanteisho papers. Its only lately ive been looking for information on kaga kiyomitsu smiths.

 

Alex.

[O koumori]

Clive,

Great information!

 

Here's an O- suriage Kaga Kiyomitsu katana from Tenbun (1532-ish), or so sayeth NTHK at 2004 Chicago shinsa.

Please pardon my abysmal photography.

Nagasa is 62 cm. Found in plain wood saya with disintegrating leather combat cover, no fittings; assume it was carried in WWII.

Dan

[Alex A]

At that time i can find a number of kiyomitsu smiths listed, in kaga there where 2 generations of kaga, 4th and 5th. There where also kiyomitsu smiths in Bizen, Mino, Suwo and satsuma. Obviously there may be more, but these are the the kiyomitsu i can find listed. Below is a picture of the tang on my suriage kiyomitsu. I was under the impression it was o suriage but not so sure now.

 

Alex.

[DK-Prof]

I have a mumei (ubu) long wakizashi that was attributed to Kaga Kiyomitsu and the Tensho period by the NTHK in Tampa 2012. This is supposedly the 6th (and last) generation of the Kaga Kiyomitsu smiths from the Kaga Fujishima-Yukimitsu group. From what I gathered, he and his brother left and moved to Etchu, and he changed his name to Etchu Takaoka Kiyomitsu.

 

Before the NTHK issued their paper, I was actually convinced the blade was made by the Sadahiro who signed “Kaga no Kami Fujiwara Sadahiro” and who appears to have worked in Echizen (Shimosaka) province from Kanbun (1661) to Enpo (1673) periods, and later in Settsu province during the Genroku period (1688).

 

 

Klaus

[Alex A]

I will post some pictures of my kiyomitsu blade soon, the hamon on mine is choji midare, not as active as yours, but very similar. The grain looks identical.

 

Alex A

[DK-Prof]

I will post some pictures of my kiyomitsu blade soon, the hamon on mine is choji midare, not as active as yours, but very similar. The grain looks identical.

 

Alex A

 

I look forward to seeing it!

 

 

Klaus

[raiden]

A new aquisition, by chance or luck for this post. Kashu Kiyomitsu that truly belonged to the Maeda Han (Family).

Kashu Kanazawa Ju Kiyomitsu Saku

Tenwa 3 nen Mizunotoi 9 gatsu 10 ka.

Kayou Kinpu Gokuba ni oite chichiyori 3 sun ue kiriotoshi dodan hairu.

 

Forgive if the reading is off, a very difficult one.

 

Basically in 1683 in the year of the boar, at the execution ground of Kayo Kinpu (in Kaga), 3 sun above the chest was cut through to the mound

[Alex A]

Hi Klaus, been having a look to see what i can find about kaga kiyomitsu, as your aware your 6th generation tensho kiyomitsu is from a school that dates back to 1444. What i dont know and what im hoping someone will tell me is does this school of kaga kiyomitsu have anything to do with the kiyomitsu school dating from 1673 with 3 generations??. My kiyomitsu katana is dated genroku period, some pics below (excuse the photography).

 

Mike, is it possible to see more pics of your blade, and details of grain and hamon?

 

Alex.

[raiden]

Brian can you increase the height for pics for nakago pics?

[raiden]

will try to post pics later, but sword may not survive the show. Hamon is a gunome togare like Kanemoto or Darani.

[DK-Prof]

Hi Klaus, been having a look to see what i can find about kaga kiyomitsu, as your aware your 6th generation tensho kiyomitsu is from a school that dates back to 1444. What i dont know and what im hoping someone will tell me is does this school of kaga kiyomitsu have anything to do with the kiyomitsu school dating from 1673 with 3 generations??. My kiyomitsu katana is dated genroku period, some pics below (excuse the photography).

 

 

Hey Alex. I do not know, but hopefully someone else will be able to chime in! Your blade is beautiful!

[runagmc]

Hello,

 

Speaking of Kiyomitsu.

 

Does anyone here have some Oshigata of Kiyomitsu between 1400-1600's

 

I think I have a Mumei Uchigatana from anyone generation.

 

/Martin

[NihontoEurope]

Adam,

 

That was spot on.

 

:D

 

Thank you!

 

/Martin

[Alex A]

Hi Adam, what era is this blade?

 

Alex.

[NihontoEurope]

Alex,

 

The name of the file indicates Eishou.

 

Would be great if there is more info though.

 

/Martin

[runagmc]

Hi Adam, what era is this blade?

 

Alex.

The pics came from aoi-art...

I had 1504 listed in the file name, but I'm not sure now where that year came from since there is no nengo on the sword. As I told Martin, I'm thinking this may be the sandai KIYOMITSU... but if anyone knows better, feel free to correct me.

[Alex A]

Cheers for that Adam, the hamon in this Kiyomitsu 1504 blade looks remarkably similar to the hamon in my 1688ish blade which is nice to see.

 

Alex

[leo]

For the few who have not seen it yet, here a site with some Kaga sword oshigata:

 

http://www.users.on.net/~coxm/?page=oshigataII_oshigata

 

Best

[Jesper]

Hi all,

I am looking for information on Kaga Harima Daijo no Kiyomitsu.

Fujishiro´s "Nihon Shinto Jiten" does not mention his school, only that he is not the same smith as Hinin Kiyomitsu in Genruko period. Nagayama mentions in his ”The Connoisseurs Book on Japanese Swords”, p. 245, that a Kiyomitsu school was active in Kaga province in Shinto times, and that it was related to the Fujishima school (founded by Fujishima Tomoshige in the Nanbokucho period) but does not provide any more information. I could not find any reference to a specific Kiyomitsu school elsewhere, but there were several Kiyomitsu working in Kaga in Koto and Shinto times.

 

I would appreciate additional information and references on him, his lineage and affiliation with the Kaga Fujishima and Kiyomitsu schools.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Jesper

[Alex A]

Hello Jesper,

 

According to Mr Sinclairs site there where 12 generations of Kiyomitsu in Kaga working up until the Meiji period. A different line of smiths to the one below (Ju ni gatsu). Seems Kaga had its fair share of Kiyomitsu!

http://www.to-ken.com/full.php?article= ... &type=home

 

From Fujishiro... you are talking about Kiyomitsu 1st, signature HARIMA NO DAIJO FUJIWARA KIYOMITSU, 1673 Enpo, otherwise known as "Ju ni gatsu" (December Kiyomitsu), from KAGA.

http://www.sho-shin.com/smiths1c.htm

 

I get confused when i see ETCHU, 1661 Kanbun Kiyomitsu listed as "December" Kiyomitsu, see it now and again in sword sales. I know ETCHU and KAGA where next door to each other, am i missing something?

 

As you say, there is a link to the Fujishima school

http://www.sho-shin.com/hoku8.htm

 

Wish i could add something constructive, but as you know, the internet can take you on a magical mystery tour, more books required.I have an interest in Kaga Kiyomitsu myself, if you find anything, please let me know.

[Brian]

Brian can you increase the height for pics for nakago pics?

Mike,

I have increased the allowed height of pics to 1600 that show directly. This should be adequate for most pics.

The maximum size overall that can be posted is 2500 x 2500, which is more than enough.

 

Brian

[Guido]

Hello Kuraibu, my only criticismas (and please keep the Eda-mame to yourself) is the use of the term Chiisagatana 小さ刀 - that's a certain type of Koshirae for a Tantō, at least from the Edo period on. Since the length of this Wakizashi exceeds 1 Shaku 8 Sun (54.5 cm), it's an Ō-Wakizashi 大脇指.

[Markus]

I have dedicated the Kaga-Kiyomitsu line a chapter in my Nihon-shinto-shi.

 

KagaKiyomitsuSchool.pdf