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.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThe eldest son of Etchu no Kami Takahira (Kanewaka I). He assisted his father Takahira in swordmaking and occasionally performed daisaku on his behalf. Serving the Kaga Maeda family, he is a swordsmith of the Kanewaka school, the most well-known in that province. His secular name was Tsujimura Shirouemon, and although he inherited the headship of the Tsujimura family, he took the name Kagehira when his father, the first generation Kanewaka, changed his mei to Takahira; thus, while he did not use the mei Kanewaka, he is effectively the second generation Kanewaka. Furthermore, the Kanewaka mei was succeeded by his younger brother Matasuke, and as mentioned above, although Kagehira inherited the Tsujimura headship, according to the Kanewaka family records, he had no children, so Matasuke Kanewaka became his adopted son and inherited the Tsujimura headship. Thereafter, the Kanewaka lineage prospered through successive generations. This wakizashi is presumed to have been forged upon request by a member of the Kaga Maeda clan, and its dimensions are appropriate for the "sho" (short sword) of a samurai's daisho set. The tapering of the mihaba from the moto to the saki, the moderate sori, and the slightly extended boshi create a taihai that makes one admire it as a wakizashi truly made by the hand of the Kanewaka family, who were praised as the "Kaga Masamune." The jigane is ko-itame, and while o-hada and kasudatsu areas can be seen in places, overall it is well-tightened and conveys a sense of moisture, with a faint utsuri appearing; the hamon is a notare-style gunome midare with a soft-feeling nioiguchi dominated by nioi. The nioiguchi is bright, and fine hataraki can be seen throughout the hachu. Regarding the works of Kanewaka (including Kagehira), a saying remains among the Maeda retainers: "For viewing, nie-deki. For use, nioi-deki." This suggests that the works of the Kanewaka family were considered superior as sharp blades when in nioi-deki rather than nie-deki, and this wakizashi is a work of the latter, nioi-deki. When considering that it may be a work forged in response to a demand from a warrior who prioritized practical use over appreciation, historical romance expands. *There is a kitae-suji on the mune above the habaki. There is ko-sabi at the very tip of the kissaki and at the ha-machi. The effective second generation Kanewaka who even performed daisaku for the first generation!! Renowned for his name as a sharp blade and famous as a maker of Ryo-wazamono! Please take this opportunity to acquire it.
Offered by Toushin
3 on the market
As written by the shop
Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Mino-den · Kaga · around 1661-1673
Tōken Taikan top 37%
3 pieces on the market now
Where Kagehira 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.
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Mino-den · Kaga
21 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 |
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.
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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 siteAs a rule we do not accept returns, except when we have sent a different item from the one ordered or when there is a significant discrepancy between the description and the item. If you wish to return an item, please contact us within 3 days of its arrival and then send it back.
¥440,000
Certificate reading — 銘 賀州藤原景平