SIGNED KAWACHI NO KAMI MOTOYUKI SAKU, KARATSU JU TOKO, 18TH CENTURY

This is made by the first generation swordsmith Kawachi no kami Motoyuki. He called himself Yukihira Motoyuki or Bungo Taro saying that he was a descendant of Bungo Yukihira. He was later called Matsuba Motoyuki as the line of the second stroke of the character moto resembles a pine needle [matsuba].

An interesting characteristics of the tsuba is the strong itame hada to both sides and fine masame to the mimi.