The inlay tradition ( ) emerged in Province during the early period, centered on the castle town of Kanazawa under the patronage of the Maeda clan. This distinctive form of is said to have developed when craftsmen specializing in stirrup decoration (abumi-shi) adapted their metalworking techniques to and other sword fittings, flourishing from the early seventeenth century through the Kyōhō era (1716–1736). Working against polished grounds of , , or occasionally refined copper (), 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 workmanship lies in its masterful deployment of multiple colored metals—gold, silver, copper, , and —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 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 or the warm tonality of , 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 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 period.