Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis blade was signed by Gashu Kanazawa Junin Kanemaki (賀州金沢住人兼巻) in February, 14th year of the Kan-Ei era (1637). Kanemaki was active during the early Edo period (the early – mid 17th century) and Gashu Kanazawa Junin means that he resided in this area when he forged blades. The maker’s name Kanemaki lasted five generations. It is said that the first-gen Kanemaki originated from Mino province (today’s Gifu prefecture), and belonged to Seki school, which was founded by Kinju, one of the most reputable swordsmiths in Mino province. The first-gen moved to Kanazawa in the early Edo period, and his sword forging skill was passed down to the late generations. The second-gen Kanemaki moved to Komatsu in 1640 after being summoned by Maeda Toshitsune, the third lord of the Kaga Domain and Komatsu Castle, and then he became a famous swordsmith in Kaga province with his excellent craftsmanship. Later generations returned to Kanazawa and continued to forge swords. They were also acknowledged to forge high-quality swords. Considering that this blade was signed in 1637, we believe it was signed by the second-gen Kanemaki before he moved to Komatsu. During his time, Kaga Province was under the rule of the Maeda clan. The Maeda family originally served as retainers of the Oda clan , which governed Owari Province (尾張国, modern-day Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture). The Maeda clan’s rise to power began with its first leader, Toshiie Maeda, who advanced through the ranks of samurai society to become the feudal lord of Kaga Province. Toshiie Maeda governed a domain famous for its vast rice production, known as Hyakuman Goku, symbolizing wealth sufficient to feed one million people. Under Toshiie’s leadership, the Maeda clan became one of the most influential samurai families in history, maintaining strong ties with both Oda Nobunaga (織田信長) and Hideyoshi Toyotomi (豊臣秀吉). It is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token (特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). *Please keep in mind that there is partial black rust near the tang. If you like to see more detailed condition, please feel free to contact us. Tsuka and Menuki We estimate this Menuki’s motif is the Kongou Rikishi (金剛力士). It is also called the Niou (仁王/二王) and is one of the guardian deities of Buddhism. The combination of A-Gyou (阿形, opened mouth) and Un-Gyou (吽形, closed mouth) is often seen at the gates in temples. They wear a look of anger and have dignified looks. Tsuba and Habaki An eel going upward and an older man looking up at it from below are shown in the design. This scene represents a Japanese expression called “Unagi-nobori”. The phrase means that something is rising quickly, like someone’s success, status, or luck improving very fast. The image comes from how a long, smooth eel can suddenly swim upward through the water, giving the feeling of something moving forward with strong energy, almost like good fortune rising quickly. Saya This scabbard is covered with black lacquer. Due to its high waterproof effect, lacquer has been used since ancient times in Asia. The blade of a Japanese sword is made of iron, and moisture is the greatest enemy of iron. For the purpose of carrying the blade without degrading it, people devised a method of coating the scabbard with lacquer. To prevent not only moisture but also rain and snow from penetrating the inside of the scabbard, it was necessary to apply multiple layers of lacquer. The Nushi (塗師, lacquerers) was born precisely because advanced techniques were required to handle the complicated processes. Also, the edges are decorated with ray skin. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on December 15th in the 5th year of Reiwa (2023). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society.
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Kaga · around 1624-1644
Tōken Taikan top 76%
1 piece on the market now
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteReturns/exchanges limited to defects caused by shipping (except willful misconduct or gross negligence by the company); customers must contact within 72 hours of receiving the product.