Modern Japanese Katana, Signed "Higo-no-kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu saku" (肥後國住赤松太郎兼光作) — A Supreme Homage to Minamoto Kiyomaro, with a Dynamic Dragon-Carved Tsuba Koshirae

A bold, imposing blade uniting Kanemitsu's perfect realization of Kiyomaro's aesthetic with a vividly carved dragon tsuba and a refined, deep-brown hishi-maki tsuka wrapping

We are pleased to present the pinnacle of contemporary swordsmithing from Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu, the master smith who carries forward the tradition of the Sagara domain's official sword-forging retainers. The overwhelming synergy of a boldly imposing blade, a dynamic dragon-carved openwork tsuba, and a refined, deep-brown hishi-maki (diamond-pattern) hilt wrapping defines this piece. A frequent prizewinner across numerous exhibitions, Kanemitsu has poured his passion and consummate skill into this Kiyomaro utsushi (interpretation) — a supreme work that perfectly embodies Kiyomaro's aesthetic and fulfills, to the utmost, both a collector's desire to own and the pure joy of appreciation.

On the smith — Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu (赤松太郎兼光)

Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu (real name: Kimura Mitsuhiro), a resident swordsmith of Higo Province, was born into the Kimura family, a distinguished house that served as official sword-forging retainers to the Sagara domain during the Edo period, and he has faithfully inherited the advanced forging techniques and refined aesthetic sensibility cultivated over generations. Rather than resting on the name of his prestigious lineage, he has devoted himself earnestly to swordmaking, and his outstanding skill is highly regarded in the contemporary sword world, where he has built a firm reputation as a regular prizewinner at exhibitions and new-sword competitions. Fusing his own sensibility with the aesthetics and traditional techniques of old master smiths — foremost among them the Bakumatsu-era genius Minamoto Kiyomaro — he continues to produce works possessing the dignified elegance and overwhelming presence that approach those of the old masters, making him one of the rare swordsmiths who represent the contemporary sword world today.

Selected career highlights:

• 1998: Entered apprenticeship under his father, swordsmith Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu
• 2004: First exhibited at the "Shinsaku Meitō-ten" (New Masterwork Sword Exhibition) — Effort Award and Newcomer Award
• 2005: "Shinsaku Meitō-ten" — Effort Award
• 2010: "1st New Japanese Sword Craftsmanship Exhibition" — Silver Award
• 2013: Collaborated with illustrator Kaida Yūji on "Kishin no Tachi" at the Bizen Osafune Sword Museum's "2D vs. Nihontō Exhibition"
• 2015: "Shinsaku Meitō-ten" — Excellence Award
• 2016: "11th Omamori-gatana Exhibition" — TV Setouchi Award

On Minamoto Kiyomaro (源清麿), the Bakumatsu genius swordsmith

Minamoto Kiyomaro is counted, alongside Suishinshi Masahide and Taikei Naotane, as one of the "Edo Sansaku" (Three Great Smiths of Edo), and — owing to his turbulent life and his extraordinary, almost otherworldly genius for forging — he is regarded as the finest swordsmith of the Bakumatsu period, earning the nickname "Yotsuya Masamune."

Kiyomaro's greatest appeal lies in the fusion of a bold, imposing form with a vivid, powerful hamon full of spirited energy. He drew on the broad mihaba and long, extended ō-kissaki (large point) reminiscent of old blades from the Nanboku-chō period, and tempered hamon of intense nie-deki (nie-based) activity that approach the masterworks of the Sōshū tradition — the Shizu school and Masamune himself. His blades, imbued with exceptional technical skill and an intense individual character, have continued to captivate sword enthusiasts across time and place, and remain extremely highly prized as top-tier named blades even today.

The Akamatsu Tarō lineage regards the revival of Kiyomaro's power and brilliance in the present day as the supreme mission of its own artistic style, and in this work, smith Kanemitsu has perfectly interpreted and masterfully reproduced Kiyomaro's aesthetic.

Workmanship and condition

The meticulously refined itame (wood-grain pattern) is finely and densely packed, forming an exceptionally cool, clear jihada (surface texture). The freshness distinctive of the smith's own self-smelted steel coexists with a solid, sturdy texture, and fine, thread-like chikei (dark lines within the steel) run through it in intricate detail — a truly outstanding sight. Ji-nie (steel martensite particles), spread uniformly and evenly across the whole surface, glimmer elegantly, achieving a supreme finish full of depth, dignity, and classical beauty reminiscent of a koto (old sword), despite being a contemporary blade.

The hamon is a bold, dynamic pattern based on a slowly undulating ō-gunome (large irregular clove-shaped form), through which the flamboyant highs and lows of chōji-fū (clove-like) shapes cross irregularly. Along the temper edge, extremely bright and clear ko-nie settle thick and deep, and within the hamon, sunagashi (sand-streak lines) and ashi appear abundantly and in profusion, showing dynamic transformation as if the blade had come alive. The bōshi (tip temper), too, retains the tremendous momentum of the hamon exactly as it is, rolling deeply into a midare-komi and turning back with great vigor — a work of high appreciation value that conveys the very essence of a Kiyomaro utsushi.

Form

This shinogi-zukuri blade carries a nagasa (edge length) of 75.2 cm and a bold sori (curve) of 2.1 cm, with an especially broad mihaba (width) and full kasane (thickness) throughout — an imposing, powerful form true to the Akamatsu Tarō tradition and its Kiyomaro-inspired aesthetic.

The mounting (koshirae)

A refined uchigatana koshirae, combining solid, sturdy strength with true dignity, in harmony with the blade's imposing form.

The koshirae accompanying this blade is finished with meticulous attention to every detail, made to set off the overwhelming presence of Kanemitsu's blade. The tsuba (hand guard) is an openwork piece, carved from an iron ground into a dynamic dragon design. The powerful composition of the dragon creates a remarkable synergy with the blade's bold form, lending an air of tense, martial dignity all the way to the kashira (hilt pommel). The saya (scabbard) is finished in a black ishime-textured (stone-grained) lacquer that restrains flashiness while conveying deep character, and the tsuka-ito (hilt wrapping) and sageo (hanging cord) are wound in a composed, chic deep-brown thread, its diamond pattern arranged with precision. Beyond its supple, hand-fitting texture and high practicality, the subdued deep-brown tone, together with the iron character of the tsuba, creates an atmosphere of true dignity.

A supreme masterwork uniting Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu's perfect interpretation of Minamoto Kiyomaro's aesthetic with a koshirae of dynamic dragon artistry and refined, understated elegance — a piece that satisfies, to the fullest, both the collector's desire to own and the pure joy of appreciation.

Specifications

• Type: Katana (刀), shinogi-zukuri; ubu, zaimei (signed); Reiwa era (shinsakutō, 2025); a Minamoto Kiyomaro utsushi (interpretation)
• Smith: Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu (赤松太郎兼光), real name Kimura Mitsuhiro (木村光宏); Higo Province (Kumamoto)
• Signature (mei): Front: "Higo-no-kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu saku" (肥後國住赤松太郎兼光作); Back: "Reiwa shichinen shichigatsu kichijitsu" (令和七年七月吉日 / an auspicious day in July, Reiwa 7 / 2025)
• Jigane: Finely packed itame from the smith's own self-smelted steel, fine chikei, uniform ji-nie
• Hamon: Bold ō-gunome-chōji (a Kiyomaro utsushi), bright ko-nie, abundant sunagashi and ashi
• Length of edge (nagasa): 75.2 cm (approx. 29.61 in / approx. 2 shaku 4 sun 8 bu)
• Curvature (sori): 2.1 cm (approx. 0.83 in)
• Width at base (motohaba): 35.9 mm (approx. 1.41 in)
• Thickness at base (motokasane): 6.7 mm (approx. 0.26 in)
• Width at tip (sakihaba): 30.7 mm (approx. 1.21 in)
• Thickness at tip (sakikasane): 7.5 mm (approx. 0.30 in)
• Peg holes (mekugi-ana): 1
• Weight (blade only): 1,040 g
• Weight (blade in mounting, without scabbard): 1,340 g
• Condition: Brand-new, as-forged; no flaws or rust
• Accessories: Koshirae (full mounting) — openwork dragon tsuba, deep-brown hishi-maki tsuka-ito, black ishime saya
• Registration No.: Kumamoto No. 58492 (熊本 第58492号)