Hosokawa Masayoshi (Shodai) kodachi

Mei: - Noshu Ju Masayoshi
Date: - Bunka San Nen Ni Gatsu Hi (February 1806)
Nagasa - 55.0 cm
Moto-haba - 2.4 cm
Certification: - Dr. Tokuno

Hosokawa Masayoshi is considered, along with Taikei Naotane, to be the top student of Suishinshi Masahide. In fact, according to the Nihonto Koza, with out these "twin master smiths" Masahide's influence would have been slight and . Masayoshi worked was skillful in Soshu den and Bizen den and forging swords having a very elegant tachi sugata. Masayoshi is rated as a jo jo saku smith by Fujishiro.

This sword is a masterful copy of an Heian period Bitchu Aoe kodachi and well represents the high skill of Hosokawa Masayoshi. The sugata is slender and extremely elegant as one would expect from a sword of that time period and measures 55.4cm in length with a moto-haba of 2.4cm. The jihada is a fine, flowing ko-itame with thick black chikei seen all over the ji. The hamon is an suguha-based ko-choji with kinsuji and ko-ashi. The boshi is ko-maru. The blade is ubu, signed and dated (1806). It is in full polish and had a very fine gold-foil habaki which was made for an efu-no-tachi koshirae which this sword must once have had. The shirasaya is also very well made with high quality honoki wood and horn hatomei. This ubu Hosokawa Masayoshi kodachi comes with a kanteisho from Dr. Tokuno.

Price - $7800