This piece was made by Kanemitsu, who was awarded the Kunzan Prize, one of the highest awards in the modern Japanese sword competition, in 2021. Kanemitsu, whose real name is Mitsuhiro Kimura, was born in 1979 and is one of the most promising and famous swordsmiths in Kumamoto.

The Kimura family is known as the Akamatsu Taro clan, and has been the swordsmith of the Sagara family of the Hitoyoshi clan for generations. The Akamatsu Taro family makes tamahagane from iron sand extracted from this region using a unique process, and then forges it into excellent Japanese swords. Akamatsu Taro's swords are especially renowned for their sharpness, and there is an episode in which a man swung a sword made by Akamatsu Taro and the blade reached to the ground and even cut through a pebble.

This is the first time that a brand-new Akamatsu Taro sword made in October 2023 is being offered for sale on the market. The hada is a well-packed koitame with a moist luster. Hamon is a dynamic gunome with choji, a specialty of the Akamatsu clan, and has very active hataraki such as tama and nioi. 
Both sides of the blade are engraved with bohi, making it ideal for iai.

The koshirae is equipped with a grandly constructed uchigatana, and the scabbard is lacquered in anshu ishime. The tsuka is wrapped in black cowhide cord, which becomes more attractive the more it is used. The kojiri follows the design of the fuchikashira, and the kurigata of the scabbard is also reinforced with metal fittings.

Please treasure this wonderful piece by Kanemitsu, a highly promising artist who is sure to become an important figure in the world of swords in Japan in the years to come.

If you would like to request Kanemitsu to make a special sword just for you, click here.

• Blade length: 75.7 cm
• Curvature: 2.2 cm
• Number of Mekugi hole: 1
• Sakihaba:  21.9 mm
• Sakikasane:  4.7 mm
• Motohaba:  32.3 mm
• Motokasane:  6.4 mm
• Signature: Higo no Kuni ju Akamatsu Taro Kanemitsu Saku(front), Reiwa Gonen Jugatsu Kichijitsu(back)
• Era: Gendai
• Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
• Jitetsu: Ko-titame
• Hamon: Gunome Choji
• Boshi: Midarete Haitte Komaru ni Kaeru
  
• Weight(without Saya):  990 g
• Nakago: Ubu
• Koshirae: Black leather Tsuka wrapping with Anshu-ishime Saya lacquer
• Original Registration No.: Kumamoto 58113

Please contact us if the katana you are looking for is not listed here.