ENJU SCHOOL

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Enju School is an off-shoot of the Yamashiro tradition whose founder Hiromura came from Yamashiro province. His son, Kunimura who was a student of Yamashiro Rai Kunitoshi moved to the province of Higo in the area of  Kikuchi under the influence of Lord Kikuchi and the Kikuchi family.

The swords flourished in three periods. The early period, Ko-Enju; from 1275 to 1333, The Chu Enjo; in the Nambokochu period and the Sue Enju of the Muromachi period.

The Ko-Enju swords of the Kamakura period were made as follows. Fairly long swords with wide and thick blades who Ji-Gane was in Ko-Itame mixed with Masamei, sometimes Ko-Mokume, often fine enough to be called Mujigane. There is ample Ji-Nie and Chikei throughout, plus faint Utsuri and sometimes darker plain area in the Ji. Hamon is mostly Sugu-ha.

The Enju swords were revered by the Samurai class warriors and were in great demand throughout its' history, they were rated (Wazimono) very sharp.

The Kikuchi warriors (Mon) family crest was the hawks feathers in a circle.