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SWORD #245-36 KONGOBYOEI MORITAKA

1293 - 1300 AD

2ND Generation

Brief History of
Kongobyoe School
1200 to 1596 AD

It is said that The Kongobyouei School was formed or founded by a  Bizen Smith whose name was Takatsuna who apparently moved to the mountains of Chikuzen Province and settled there to teach the warrior monks the art of sword making.

Takatsuna's peak work period is said to be around 1200 - 1204. He is followed by the early Kamakura Smiths of the Ko-Kongobyouei such as Ryosai, 1234, Jitsua 1240, Sairen 1278, Nyusai, 1293 then their was Moritaka 1260, Morikuni 1270 followed by many others.

The swords of the Chikuzen Kongobyouei School are robust and give off an aura of power, long, thick with Funbari, Koshisori and Ko-Kissaki. Jitetsu and Hada are in Mokume with O-Hada mixed in showing a very prominent pattern. Others are a mixture of Itame and Mokume.

In the battles of Hakata Bay by 1274 and 1281, the invading Monks of Chikuzen and the magnificent fighting swords of the Kongobyouei Smiths repelled the Mongols withstanding breakage, bending and cracking a proud heritage.