This piece is a katana from the Koto period, with the swordsmith's signature in orikaeshi.

The sword is in very good condition with almost zero defects such as flaws or chips, but there are some cloudy patches due to age. There is a 5mm black rust on the sashiomote side about 10cm from the kissaki, and a 1cm line of black rust on the munekado about 33cm from the kissaki.

Jigane has an active chikei with mokume mixed with itame. Hamon has a well-natured notare-like suguha, with sunagashi seen in the ha, and ko-gunome burned in places with koashi. The name Kanehide is engraved on the nakago and is orikaeshi (folded back). The length of the blade is estimated to have originally been around 85 centimeters, but was reduced to its present length by suriage.

Kanehide was a swordsmith active from the Tenbun period of the Muromachi era to about the Kyoho period of the Edo era, and lived in Seki (present-day Seki City, Gifu Prefecture).

In November 1988, Fujishiro Matsuo, a living national treasure Japanese sword polisher, recognized this piece as a genuine Kanehide work and issued a Fujishiro Certificate of Authenticity. Fujishiro Matsuo is well versed in the field of Japanese sword polishing through his in-depth study of the characteristics of each Japanese sword made from koto to the present day, and is responsible for the polishing of many masterpieces and cultural properties. His sword certificate still has the highest credibility in terms of authenticity.

He was awarded the title of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) in 1996 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 1998.

Koshirae is only available in shirasaya, but in 1992, it was decorated with sayagaki. Now you have the opportunity to own a sword from the Koto period, recognized as an authentic work of art by a living national treasure and highly valued for its Orikaeshi inscription. This is a must own for any fan of Japanese swords.

• Blade length: 66.8 cm
• Curvature: 1.2 cm
• Number of Mekugi hole: 2
• Sakihaba: 20.8 mm
• Sakikasane: 4.3 mm
• Motohaba: 28.3 mm
• Motokasane: 6.2 mm
• Signature: Kanehide Saku(front)
• Era: Koto
• Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
• Jigane: Itame with Mokume mixed in
• Hamon: Suguha
• Boshi: Massugu Haitte O-maru ni Kaeru
• Weight: 650 g(blade only)
• Nakago: Suriage
  
• Koshirae: Shirasaya
• Original Registration No.: Chiba 041226

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