2nd generation Echizen Kanenori (包則)

From the later Muromachi period onwards, Mino province saw a steady outflow of swordsmith, a trend that saw its peak in the Momoyama and early Edo period. Reason was for the most part the then significant demand for swords and thus local daimyô began to recruit famous masters to work for them on their lands. Mino bldes, or Seki blades in particular, were regarded as being durable and sharp and so a downright wave of migration of Mino/Seki swordsmiths can be seen, especially in the neighboring provinces of Owari and Echizen. As for Echizen, the province also gave a new home to many formerly Ômi-based Shimosaka smiths, thus we use classifications like “Echizen-Seki” (越前関) and “Echizen-Shimosaka” (越前下坂) to refer to these two different currents. The “trend-setters” of the Echizen-Seki group were first and foremost the Tenbun-era (天文, 1532-1555) Kanenori (兼法) and the two Keichô-era (慶長, 1596-1615) masters Kanenori (兼則) and Kanetsune (兼常).

The smith in question, i.e. the 2nd generation Kanenori (包則), belonged to the Kanenori (兼則) lineage whose ancestor was a smith of the same name who had moved some time during the Tenbun era from Mino to Echigo province. His son, who continued the very same name Kanenori (兼則) and who moved to Echizen, is now counted as 2nd generation of this lineage. The 2nd generation had a younger brother who too bore the name Kanenori but who used the character (包) for Kane. His first name was Shinpachi (新八) and he died in Kan’ei 19 (寛永, 1642) at the age of 68.

His son, who succeeded him as 2nd generation Kanenori (包則), affiliated himself with the local Echizen-Shimosaka School (probably through marriage), was allowed to use the family name Shimosaka, and is thus known under the real name Shimosaka Ichizaemon (下坂市左衛門). He was active around Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673) and was successively granted with the honorary titles Chikugo no Daijô and Chikugo no Kami. His years of birth and death are unknown but we know blades from Kan’ei (寛永,1624- 1644) to Enpô (延宝, 1673-1681). His blades are ranked wazamono.

There was also a 3rd and last generation of this Kanenori (包則) lineage who was active around Jôkyô (貞享, 1684-1688), who also worked in Edo, and who was granted the honorary title Yamato no Daijô.