Katana Nagayoshi in koshirae

Heianjo Nagayoshi is a swordmith of the Yamashiro Sanjo school. While it is known that several generations signed with the name Nagayoshi, blades form the earliest ones are all almost lost. This Nagayoshi is the fourth generation, active in Kyoto during the mid Muromachi period; it is likely that he was the teacher of Muramasa. 

As reported in the NBTHK Token Bijutsu: “Heianjo Nagayoshi forges finer jihada than that of Muramasa and Masazane also his nioi-guchi is bright and jigane is clear. […] Heianjo Nagayoshi who is said to be Muramasa’s teacher forges dense ko-itame-hada and clear jigane, meanwhile the Sengo school forges standing-out itame-hada and black jigane and often shirake-utsuri appears on it.”

Fujishiro ranks Nagayoshi as an important swordsmith, with the rank of Jo-jo saku.

The sword photographs here are provided by Darcy Brockbank of Yuhindo, for which I owe a debt of thanks.