Project Description
Rai Kuniyasu katana
- Status: Available
- Kanteisho: Tokubetsu Hozon
Kuniyasu is said to have been born in Yamashiro Province; one view holds him to have been a grandson of Rai Kunisue. He later moved to Echizen and became the founder of the Chiyozuru lineage, where he also came to be known as “Echizen Rai.” Sword reference works place him around the Jōji era.
In terms of the workmanship of Rai Kuniyasu, the jigane is an itame structure mixed with mokume and nagare-hada, showing a tendency toward hada-dachi. Very fine ji-nie adheres thickly, and fine chikei appear repeatedly. The hamon is a medium suguha with a slight mixture of ko-gunome, containing ko-ashi, with a bright nioiguchi and thickly adhering nie; fine kinsuji and sunagashi are also seen. These features strongly express the characteristics of Rai work of the Nanbokuchō period.
