細直刃 Hoso-suguha

What is Hoso-suguha in Japanese Katana terminology?

Hoso-suguha refers to a type of blade pattern (Hamon) in Japanese swords. Among the straight blade pattern (Hamon)s (Suguha), Hoso-suguha is characterized by its particularly narrow tempering width (Yakihaba). Furthermore, within Hoso-suguha, if the tempering width is especially narrow, it is called ""Ito-suguha"".

The characteristic of swords with a Hoso-suguha pattern is that they are less likely to break but more likely to bend. The ""Shichiseiken"" (Seven Star Sword), which was owned by ""Prince Shotoku"", and many of the swords stored in the ""Shosoin"" (a treasure house in Nara City, Nara Prefecture) have a Hoso-suguha pattern.

The sword appraiser ""Honami Kotoku"" has listed 22 swordsmiths and swordsmith groups who were skilled at making swords with a Hoso-suguha pattern.

Among the swordsmiths who were active during the Muromachi period, there were ""Jakushu Fuyuhiro"" and ""Jakushu Munetsugu"" from Wakasa (currently the western part of Fukui Prefecture), ""Unshu Doei"" from Izumo Province (currently the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture), ""Soshu Kunitsugu"" from Sagami Province (currently Kanagawa Prefecture), ""Uta Kunitsugu"" from Etchu Province (currently Toyama Prefecture), ""Sekishu Sadatsue"" and ""Sekishu Sadayuki"" from Iwami Province (currently the western part of Shimane Prefecture), ""Sudo Kunitsugu"" from Kii Province (currently Wakayama Prefecture), ""Nisshu Masatsugu"" from Dewa Province (currently Yamagata Prefecture), the swordsmith group ""Seki Zenjo"" from Mino Province (currently the southern part of Gifu Prefecture), and the swordsmith group ""Bingo Mihara"" from Bingo Province (currently the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture).

Among the swordsmiths who were active during the Kamakura period, there were ""Chikuzen Sairen"" from Chikuzen Province (currently the northwestern part of Fukuoka Prefecture), ""Shinto Gokunimitsu"" from Sagami Province, ""Bizen Osafune Naganaga"", ""Bizen Osafune Kagenaga"", ""Bizen Osafune Sanenaga"", and ""Bizen Yoshiyoshi"" from Bizen Province (currently the eastern part of Okayama Prefecture), the swordsmith group ""Awataguchi School"" from Kyoto, ""Bungo Yukihiro"" from Bungo Province (currently Oita Prefecture), ""Raikunitsugu"" from Yamashiro Province (currently Kyoto Prefecture), ""Chikuzen Kongo Hyoe"" from Chikuzen Province, and the swordsmith group ""Satsuma Naminohira"" from Satsuma Province (currently the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture).