Mino Province, Mid to Late Muromachi Period (16th C.)／Iron, forged
Blade length 73.2 cm, Sori (curvature) 2.4 cm
SUMMARY
This piece is a classical suekoto-style sword with a saki-zori curvature. It was forged with a flowing itame-hada pattern, with thick ji-nie (a speckling of particles on the sharp edge) and the cloudy white shirake-utsuri that is so characteristic of Seki blades. The hamon is a mix of gunome, konotare (small gentle waves), togariba (pointed shapes), and choji (clovers) with koashi (“small legs” extending from the hamon to the cutting edge), and around the distinct line of the nioi are small nie particles. The file markings on the tang are made in a taka no ha (“hawk’s feather”) design, and to the side of the rivet holes, the inscription of the eight characters of Izumi no Kami Fujiwara Kanesada’s name is carved into the metal. This katana is a masterpiece which demonstrates his excellent workmanship.
ARTIST
Izumi no Kami Kanesada (Nosada)
Izumi no Kami Kanesada was a swordsmith who represented the Sueseki school along with Magoroku Kanemoto. There were several swordsmiths with the same name, the first, second, and third generations being well-known. In particular, the second-generation Kanesada was given the rare name of Izumi no Kami, which played on the kanji of his name. While Kanemoto forged so-called sanbonsugi (“three cedars”), a kind of gunome-midare (an irregular round style of hamon), Kanesada was skilled at producing gunome-midare as well as gunome-komidare. Kanesada’s katana were incredibly sharp, and ranked among the highest-rating swords in the Edo period. Spoken highly of in such terms as “100 Ryo Kanesada” (ryo being a form of currency), his sword Sasanoyuki, carried by Ikeda Shonyusai Tsuneoki, has been famous since long ago.
List of artworks by the same artist
INFORMATION
Friday, October 8 - Sunday, November 14, 2021
From the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection: “THIS IS JAPAN” Eternal Japanese Art Oita Art Museum (Oita, Japan)
Sunday, August 25 - Sunday, September 29, 2019
This Is Japan In Kyoto From The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection The Museum of Kyoto (Kyoto, Japan)
Sunday, July 1 - Sunday, August 19, 2018
Beautiful Blades – the collection of TOKYO FUJI ART MUSEUM and Excellent swords in Fukushima – Fukushima Museum (Fukushima, Japan)
Saturday, January 13 - Monday, February 12, 2018
TEKKARYOURAN: The Beauty of Japanese Swords Tokushima city Tokushima Castle Museum (Tokushima, Japan)
EXPLORE
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