Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis blade was sigen by Kashu Ju Ietsugu (加州住家次), a swordsmith active during the late Muromachi period (early 16th century). The term Kashu (加州) refers to the province now known as Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県), historically called Kaga Province (加賀国). Ietsugu lived and worked in this province, crafting swords as his livelihood. 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). *Please keep in mind that there are a couple of Kitae Kizu as well as some black rusts on this blade. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on April 20th in the 44th year of Showa (1969). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Kicho Touken, an old form of the certificate.
NihontoWatchOffered by Samurai Museum
This piece has sold
20 on the market
Get an email when a new Kaga Ietsugu piece hits the market.
Mino-den · Kaga · around 1528-1558
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 60%
Where Ietsugu stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Mino-den · Kaga
20 pieces on the market now
The Kaga inlay tradition (Kaga zōgan) emerged in Kaga Province during the early Edo period, centered on the castle town of Kanazawa under the patronage of the Maeda clan. This distinctive form of hira-zōgan is said to have developed when craftsmen specializing in stirrup decoration (abumi-shi) adapted their metalworking techniques to tsuba and other sword fittings, flourishing from the early seventeenth century through the Kyōhō era (1716–1736). Working against polished grounds of shakudō, shibuichi, or occasionally refined copper (suaka), these artisans created works characterized by their compositional sophistication and technical precision, establishing a regional aesthetic that would influence later generations of metalworkers. The hallmark of Kaga workmanship lies in its masterful deployment of multiple colored metals—gold, silver, copper, shakudō, and shibuichi—inlaid in flat relief against dark, highly polished grounds. Motifs range from naturalistic subjects such as autumn grasses, butterflies, and mandarin ducks beneath willows to more formal designs including paulownia crests and brocade wrappers, all rendered with meticulous kebori line engraving that adds refinement to the broader inlay work.
The compositions typically extend across the entire surface of the guard, creating an effect of visual richness and decorative abundance. Against jet-black shakudō or the warm tonality of suaka, the multicolored inlays achieve a luminous clarity, producing works of elegant splendor (fūryū) that balance technical virtuosity with restrained taste. The tradition's influence extended beyond its geographic center, with works attributed to Kaga methods appearing in collections throughout Japan. Large-scale presentation pieces demonstrate the school's capacity for ambitious design, while the consistent quality of execution across surviving examples suggests a well-established workshop system with shared technical standards. Though individual makers within the tradition rarely signed their work, the distinctive aesthetic—characterized by full-surface compositions, polished dark grounds, and precise multicolor inlay—remains immediately recognizable, preserving the legacy of Kanazawa's metalworking excellence through the Edo period. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sanekage真景 | 1362-1368 | 47 |
| Takahira高平 | 1621-1644 | 9 |
| Kagemitsu景光 | 1362-1368 | 4 |
| Ietsugu家次 | 1528-1558 | 2 |
| Kagehira景平 | 1661-1673 | 1 |
Mino in the Muromachi period
Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
This work carries older NBTHK “Kichō”-era papers, which the NBTHK no longer issues and largely disavows today. To confirm the attribution, submission to an official Japanese examination body (such as the NBTHK or NTHK) for modern certification could be considered.
Returns/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.