The Umetada school first appears in the Tensho era (1573). Nothing is known of the Umetada as a group or as individuals before the time of Myoju, first known and greatest master of the school. This artist showed the genius of the Momoyama age. Not only was he a great tsuba maker but he was a great swordsmith and a renowned judge of swords as well. It is unfortunate that the foundation and origin of the talent of Myoju is one of the great mysteries in the history of tsuba. The following genealogy is taken from the Shinto Bengi, Shinto Mei Shuroku, and from the actual work of the artists by Dr. Torigoye and Robert E. Haynes.
KYO-UMETADA school (Kyoto main branch): 1st. Myoju, 2nd. Myoshin, 3rd. Shigenaga, 4th. Muneyuki, 5th. Muneshige, 6th. Shigeyuki, 7th. Shigehide, 8th. Yoshihisa, 9th. Gichin(Yoshiharu), 10th. Muneaki(Shichizaemon), 11th. Munetoki.
EDO branch school: In Edo, a branch school of the Umetada developed that was both prolific and popular. These artists were the ones who often signed their work with the plum rebus instead of the kanji ume (plum).
BANSHU (Harima) branch school: Working here are Muneyoshi, Shigeyoshi, Yoshihisa, Yoshitsugu, and Yoshitada. Some are related to the Kyoto artists of the same name.
CHOSHU OKADA school: A pupil of Myoju emigrated to Choshu and started this branch.
HIZEN UMETADA: This school worked in a style which combined Higo, Hizen, Umetada, and Shoami with many variations. Workers were Munetake, Akinaga, Yoshinaga, and others.
HITACHI Province: Umetada worker Tomotsune was a known artist. In UNSHU and TSUGARU Provinces, Umetada Munetake was a most capable artist.
These later branch workers, at first, had a style that mixed the Umetada and Shoami techniques. To this mixture they added the native style of the provinces where they had settled. So each branch school will have at least three styles combined in its work. In later periods the work of the branch schools tends to have more of the provincial style and less of the Umetada and Shoami styles. Unfortunately, the great talent of Myoju became so dissipated by the later generations that not a vestage of his talent and ability descended to them.

The early Umetada workers almost always used iron plate and nearly all forms of edge style were used. Nobility is the key word to describe the designs used byMyoju and his school. The designs are aesthetically satisfying in every detail. The quality of the carving shows a precision and power lacking in the later kinko. The designs are wide and varied, but the ones seen more than once are karakusa, raimon, rinza (arabesque, yamanashi (wild pear), grapes and swallow tails. Inlays used were gold, silver, shakudo, shibuichi, and copper.