Modern Japanese Katana, Signed "Higo-no-kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu saku" (肥後國住赤松太郎兼嗣作) — A Supreme Work by the Head of the Historic Akamatsu Tarō Lineage of Higo

A bold, powerful form paired with a dazzling jigane and hamon born of the smith's own self-smelted steel, from Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu — leader of the Kimura family, once official sword-forging retainers to the Sagara domain

We are pleased to present a supreme katana by Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu (real name: Kimura Kanesada), the leading figure and head of the celebrated Akamatsu Tarō lineage of Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture) — the Kimura family, a house of distinguished heritage that served as official sword-forging retainers to the Hitoyoshi (Sagara) domain during the Edo period, and which continues to carry that tradition and skill into the present day. This is a masterwork of contemporary swordsmithing, combining a bold, powerful form, a jigane and hamon of luminous clarity, and outstanding practical performance in both sharpness and toughness.

On the smith — Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu (赤松太郎兼嗣)

Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu is a leading figure of the contemporary sword world, forging in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. He has placed among the top ranks at numerous sword exhibitions, establishing an unshakeable reputation in the modern sword world.

The Kimura family is a distinguished house that served the samurai as official sword-forging retainers to the Sagara domain (Hitoyoshi domain) during the Edo period, and its secret steel-making techniques and forging spirit have been passed down without interruption to the present day. The greatest reason the Akamatsu Tarō lineage commands such devoted support among collectors lies in its uncompromising dedication to jika-seitetsu (self-smelted steel) — refining their own iron from ore and working up their own steel, rather than relying solely on the standard tamahagane used by most contemporary smiths. Blades forged from this house-smelted steel achieve the strong toughness and distinctive, beautiful jihada seen in the finest old swords (koto) and the great blades of the Bakumatsu era.

Selected career highlights:

• 1971: Apprenticed under his father, swordsmith Kimura Kaneshige
• 1976: Received forging certification (swordsmith approval) from the Agency for Cultural Affairs
• 1976–present: Selected 13 times in total at the Gendai Tōshoku-ten (Contemporary Sword Craft Exhibition), hosted by the NBTHK
• 2004: "Gendai Tōshoku-ten," hosted by the NBTHK — Excellence Award

Workmanship and condition

The polish is in exceptionally fine condition, allowing the fresh, transparent beauty of the jigane and the dazzling brilliance of the hamon's activity to be fully appreciated. The jigane is a ko-itame (small wood-grain pattern) finely and densely packed, its surface beautifully clear, showing the finest quality of hadadachi (standing grain texture) — the strong clarity of iron achieved through the house's secret-forged, self-smelted steel, with ji-nie densely and meticulously applied. The hamon is a rich, irregular pattern of vivid, powerful gunome (irregular clove-shaped forms) mixed with chōji (clove motifs). Along the temper edge, a deep, dense nioiguchi rises, with fine ko-nie packed densely and glowing bright and clear. Within the hamon, ashi and yō (leg- and leaf-shaped activity) extend gracefully, and the whole blade, down to its very edge, overflows with fresh, vivid activity — a truly outstanding work.

Form

This shinogi-zukuri blade carries a nagasa (edge length) of 74.4 cm and a moderate sori (curve) of 1.7 cm, with a robust mihaba (width) and kasane (thickness) throughout — a bold, powerful form true to the Akamatsu Tarō tradition.

The mounting (koshirae)

The blade is accompanied by a koshirae (full mounting) unified in an elegant deep-purple (shikon) tsuka-ito (hilt wrapping) and sageo (hanging cord), carrying a dignified, stylish period atmosphere. The menuki (hilt ornaments) take as their motif the kurikara-ryū (kurikara dragon) — depicting a dragon, the incarnation of Fudō Myōō (Acala), coiled around a sacred sword symbolizing wisdom and the warding off of evil, appearing to swallow the blade itself. This is a classic design, long favored on the menuki, tsuba (hand guards), and other fittings of the Japanese sword as a symbol of powerful protection and of warding off evil to bring victory.

A supreme masterwork from the head of the Akamatsu Tarō lineage — its self-smelted steel yielding a jigane and hamon of dazzling clarity, joined to a koshirae of dignified, classical refinement. A piece that unites the finest contemporary craftsmanship with true, battle-ready performance, well suited to becoming the centerpiece of any serious collection.

Specifications

• Type: Katana (刀), shinogi-zukuri; ubu, zaimei (signed); Reiwa era (shinsakutō, 2025)
• Smith: Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu (赤松太郎兼嗣), real name Kimura Kanesada (木村兼定); head of the Akamatsu Tarō lineage, Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture (Higo)
• Signature (mei): Front: "Higo-no-kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu saku" (肥後國住赤松太郎兼嗣作); Back: "Reiwa shichinen shichigatsu kichijitsu" (令和七年七月吉日 / an auspicious day in July, Reiwa 7 / 2025)
• Jigane: Finely packed ko-itame, densely applied ji-nie, from the smith's own self-smelted steel
• Hamon: Vivid gunome-chōji, deep nioiguchi, dense ko-nie, flowing ashi and yō
• Length of edge (nagasa): 74.4 cm (approx. 29.29 in / approx. 2 shaku 4 sun 6 bu)
• Curvature (sori): 1.7 cm (approx. 0.67 in)
• Width at base (motohaba): 33 mm (approx. 1.30 in)
• Thickness at base (motokasane): 6.1 mm (approx. 0.24 in)
• Width at tip (sakihaba): 22.7 mm (approx. 0.89 in)
• Thickness at tip (sakikasane): 7.3 mm (approx. 0.29 in)
• Peg holes (mekugi-ana): 1
• Weight (blade only): 760 g
• Weight (blade in mounting, without scabbard): 1,020 g
• Condition: Brand-new, as-forged; no flaws or rust
• Accessories: Koshirae (full mounting) — deep-purple tsuka-ito and sageo, kurikara-ryū menuki
• Registration No.: Kumamoto No. 58496 (熊本 第58496号)