Heki Mitsuhira (日置光平)

Mitsuhira HEKI was a sword craftsman in Musashi Province who lived during the Edo period. He was a representative craftsman of Edo-Ishido-ryu school. His swords belonging to shinto (New swords; a new type of swords made in Keicho era (1596) or later) were well-made, and ranked as ryowazamono (ranked No. 3 in the list of Wazamono (swords determined based on the result of trying out a new blade)). When moving to Edo (present-day Tokyo) after living in Kyoto, he was appointed Governor of Dewa Province, and made swords some of which had kikumon (crest of chrysanthemum) engraved as an inscription. Tsunemitsu, Governor of Tsushima Province and Munehiro, Governor of Echizen Province, were considered to be his younger brothers.

He often made swords in a pattern following Bizen Ichimonji group.

[Original Japanese]