The plate is katana size and of a deep rich blue-black velvet patina we associate with the work of Kamiyoshi Rakuju, the son of Fukanobu. The seppa dai area has an inscription covering both sides of the plate. On the seppa face is carved, upper right: To-Hi which refers to the fact that he was living in the eastern part of Higo (Hi) Province, no doubt around the area of Kumamoto. The next three kanji are: nidai me which states that he is the second generation of the Kamiyoshi family school. His father was Kamiyoshi Juhei Masatada (H-0449), who was born in 1754 and died March 8, 1820. He was 32 years old when Fukanobu was born. It is taken for granted that Fukanobu is the second generation of the Kamiyoshi family, as is signed on this tsuba, but, if you refer to the illustration in Shinsen Kinko Meikan, by Kokubo Kenichi, published in 1993, page 146, top right photo, you will find a signature that reads: nidai me Kamiyoshi Juhei saku and which is not in the hand of Fukanobu.

Kokubo thinks that this signature is that of Juhei Masatada, father of Fukanobu. If that is so, then who is Shodai, the first Kamiyoshi? My candidate is Kamiyoshi Juhei Masaaki (H-03809), who is listed by Wakayama, W-354-L-4, where he states that his son is Fukanobu, and gives his death date as 1820 at age 67, which, naturally, is the same as that for Masatada. So, are they the same person? We have no signed examples of the Masaaki or the Tadamitsu names, and the grave of this artist has not been located as far as I know.

Now, to continue with the signature at hand. The right side of the face of the seppa dai is carved: Kamiyoshi Fukanobu (H-00490) which matches with the known recorded signatures of Fukanobu that have been photographed. See: Wakayama Takeshi, Toso Kodogu Meiji Taikei, Tokyo, 1978, Volume III pages 305-306. The upper left photo on page 305 is signed the same as the present example, but is not inscribed on the reverse side. Also, see the Higo Kinko Taikan, 1964, by Sato Kanzan, Homma Kunzan, and Kashima Susumu, pages 311 and 319, for four signed examples of the work of Fukanobu, but none with more than the four kanji inscription reading Kamiyoshi Fukanobu.

Now to the inscription on the reverse side of this tsuba. On the right side of the seppa dai is carved: O (ni ozu) Shimizu, and the left side is carved with Shinkyo kyu. This may be read "to agree, to comply, with Shimizu Shinkyo (Shinkyo can also be read as Nobuaki, Nobukane or Nobutoshi) at his wish, request or command (to make this tsuba for him). Just who was Shimizu Shinkyo? No one seems to know. He must have lived ca. 1800 to 1850 as he was a contemporary of Fukanobu, which is obvious. The Shimizu family name, as we all know, is that of the famous family of tsuba makers who lived in Higo Province from ca. 1600 to 1850. The famous members of the Shimizu Jingo group (H¬02037 to H-02040) are all well-known, even though signed examples of their work are very rare. It would seem that this Shinkyo was a late member of the Shimizu family who was still living in Higo Province, but did not make any sword fittings. No Shinkyo is recorded by any family name and thus we have no evidence of who he was or how he was related to the Shimizu family artisans whom we refer to as the Shimizu Jingo family school.

Perhaps one of the readers of this article will be able to shed light on who Shinkyo was; until then we shall add it to the many mysteries we file away for the future.