-, 23rd Session — Designated July 1, 1975
, : Chikushū-jū Minamoto Yoshikane (吉包)
Measurements 71.0 cm, 1.6 cm, 3.15 cm, 2.2 cm, 3.7 cm, 19.5 cm, slight
Description Keijō: , ; somewhat wide, standard, slightly pronounced, . : closely forged; well applied, with fine entering intricately. : mixed with large , incorporating a -flavor; with ; is deep, well applied, with ; the is bright and clear. : straight () with . : None. : ; ; file marks are with a slight downward tendency; two . On the , close to the , there is a long signature cut with bold, thick chisel strokes; on the there is, likewise, an added inscription reading “I nanban tetsu kore o ” (“made using nanban tetsu [imported steel]”).
Artisan Chikushū-jū Minamoto Yoshikane (吉包)
Era period, mid- (Kyōhō era; tradition states Kyōhō 6 [1721])
Explanation The lineage in the period was active from the Keichō era through the early Meiji years as retained smiths of the Kuroda family. Representative makers within this group include Yoshisada, Yoshimasa, Yoshitsugu, Yoshikane, and Shigekane.
The Yoshikane of the present sword is known as the father of Shigekane, who was permitted the use of the hitotsuba crest; Yoshikane’s name is also associated with a commission carried out at the Ohama Palace in Kyōhō 6 (1721).
Among the inscriptions used by this lineage, there are examples bearing ’ei dates that are signed simply “Chikushū-jū Minamoto ” without an individual name; this is frequently seen on works by Yoshisada and Yoshitsugu. Thereafter, many works by later smiths such as Yoshimasa, Yoshikane, and Shigekane commonly add the personal name by carving “ so-and-so.”
This demonstrates one of Yoshikane’s characteristic manners. The forging is well executed, showing dense steel with finely interwoven , and the temper—mixed with elements—displays varied movement. The turns back in a straightforward .
