• Mitsu Tomoe 三ツ巴: Heraldic symbol composed of 3 magatama in a spiral. Represents the Shinoist trinity: Heavens, Earth, Man. It is also the symbol of Hachiman’s weapons, god of war. Symbol widely used by the Samurai, with examples: the Taira, the 47 Ronin, Toshizo Hijikata...
• Gion Mamori’ 祇園守: Protection against plagues and disasters very widespread in Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Fukuoka. It is the symbol of amulets from Yasaka Jinja shrine in Kyoto. It is also the family Mon of the Tachibana clan of the former province of Bungo (present-day Fukuoka).

Yasuhiro 康廣 is, with his brother Tameyasu 為康 2<sup>nd generation, the founder of the Osaka Ishido school.
The forge school Ishido 石堂, from which the branch Osaka Ishido derives, finds its origins in the ancient province of Omi by Sukenaga 助長, blacksmith of the end of the 15th century, originally from Bizen. Sukenaga settled in the province of Omi to work for the Gamo 蒲生 family, powerful feudal family governing this region. At the time, this clan was governed by Sadahide Gamo 蒲生貞秀 (1444-1514), a expert in martial arts, military commander and poet.

This province (Omi) surrounding Lake Biwa has attracted many blacksmiths and forging groups since the Kamakura period. There was the passage of blacksmiths from the Ichimonji school during the Kamakura period (1185-1333), then blacksmiths from Osafune during the Muromachi period, all of them from Bizen tradition. Finally, the province of Omi being close to that of Mino, there were also exchanges with the blacksmiths of Mino Den.
From this main influence of Bizen and in particular the Ichimonji school, the Ishido school had famous blacksmiths like the Ippo lineage, from the beginning of the Edo era, who forged magnificent blades, with very active and flamboyant hamons, of the Choji going to the shinogi and the presence of an end utsuri.

From this main branch, Omi Ishido, 4 branches were created at the beginning of the Edo period (around 1630), that of Edo, Wakayama, Fukuoka, and finally that of Osaka. The branch of Wakayama, the Kii Ishido, was created under the initiative of the blacksmith Tameyasu 為康 1st generation. This blacksmith came from the province of Omi and moved near the castle of Wakayama in the province of Kii. He had two sons, the eldest Tameyasu 2nd generation, and the cadet Yasuhiro (blade here presented), who settled in the city of Settsu in Osaka,thus creating the branch Osaka Ishido around the period Kanbun (1661-1672).

In our opinion, it is one of the most beautiful blades we have had in our hands, the tempering is impressive, very active and wide, the grip is very pleasant, and the entire assembly is sublime.</sup>