Katana - Magoroku Kanemoto

A beautiful Japanese sword (Katana) made by Magoroku Kanemoto (孫六兼元), one of the most famous blacksmiths in Japanese history.

HE IS ALSO RATED AMONG THE TOP “5” MAKERS WHO HAVE MADE THE “SHARPEST” BLADES IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF SWORD MAKING.

Mino Province around 1525

The sword is certified as a “Hozon Token (Special Valuable Sword)” by NBTHK

This blade is absolutely a 2nd generation Magoroku Kanemoto.

There are many Kanemoto swords on the market, but Magoroku is extremely rare.

So it is very important when a blade has MAGOROKU in the kanteisho NBTHK appraisal. If only Kanemoto is listed, the blade is not 2nd generation!!

About Magoroku Kanemoto (孫六兼元)

Magoroku Kanemoto is a swordsmith who, along with Kanesada, is considered one of the "two major blacksmiths of Seki". He is ranked as Saijyosaku (最上作) in Suekoto (末古刀). This means that he is the best blacksmith of the late Muromachi and Azuchi-Momoyama periods.

2nd generation Kanemoto (Magoroku Kanemoto) developed an original forging method and managed to make Japanese swords that did not break, bend or lose their sharpness. This distinguishes the 2nd generation from the rest of the Kanemoto blacksmiths.Another feature is that the Hamon blade pattern is typically shallow, which is typical of Magoroku Kanemoto blades. His swords were popular with many notable samurai lords, such as Takeda Shingen, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kuroda Nagamasa, etc. Magoroku Kanemoto's swords were said to be very easy to handle and wield. Warlords during the Warring States period loved the practicality of his swords above all - it was a perfect composition of sharpness, strength and beauty. Magoroku Kanemoto's swords were loved and used by warriors of the Sengoku period and became widely known and popular in the Edo period under the name "Seki no Magoroku". The sharpness of the blade is so great that it was highly praised by Yamada Asaemon (山田浅右衛門), who was in charge of testing swords for the Tokugawa shogunate (徳川将軍家) family during the Edo period and was classified as a Saijyo Owazamono (最上大業物).

The blade length is 66.4 cm.

That this sword has indeed been through combat is evidenced by the five Kirikomi cuts on the back of the Mune (棟) This sword is a Koto Saijyosaku (古刀最上作) and a Saijyo Owazamono (最上大業物)