Satsuma Yamato Kami Naminohira Yukiyasu (薩摩波平六十三代孫大和守朝臣平行安)

This sword is by Satsuma Naminohira Yukiyasu which was specially ordered for Omura Uemon on the 3rd Month of Keio 4th Year(1868). Naminohira Yukiyasu was born on Bunka 2 2nd Month (March 1805) in Taniyama, Satsuma Province. He was the younger brother of Naminohira Yasutoshi. In Tempo 2 (1831) he became the Han smith of the Shimazu, and in Ansei 5, 5th Month (July 1858) he suceeded his brother and became the 63rd generational head of the Naminohira school. He acquired the title of Yamato Suke and later on Keio 1,(1861) he acquired the Yamato Kami title. He died in 1887. One might ask why, with the famed Hizen Tadayoshi school in the same province as the Omura domain, did Omura Uemon not order a sword from them? No doubt it was due to the special political situation of that time. Omura Uemon had a series of meetings at the Satsuma han's jo-yashiki in Kyoto with Saigo Takamori, Okubo Toshimichi and Kyoto Satsuma Han's Karo Komatsu Tatewaki in 1867. It was most probably at this time that Komatsu Tatewaki commissioned this sword for Omura Uemon as appreciation for helping allying his domain with Satsuma and Choshu. Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa and the Omura domains finally formalised an alliance in 1867 to oust the Tokugawa Shogunate. Omura Uemon was summoned by the Omura Lord, Omura Sumitada and ordered to lead his domain's 326 men against the pro-Tokugawa forces of the Aizu, Sendai and Shaonai Hans. In a spirit of new found comaradeship this sword was specially ordered for Omura. It's in a suguba deki with a dense itame hada that is very elegant in appearance, velvet like in a sense. Its wide but not heavy body bears testiment that this sword was envisaged for things to come.

Tokubetsu Hozon for the Yukiyasu

Torokusho for the Yukiyasu issued by the Tokyo BOE in Showa 63