Tachi (Sword) with Inscription Kunimune
Basic Information
- Catalog ID: 201
- Management Target ID: 541
- Category: Crafts
- Country: Japan
- Period: Kamakura Period
- Date designated: May 26, 1964
- Prefecture: Kagoshima
- Location: Reimeikan, Kagoshima Prefectural Historical Museum (Kagoshima City)
- Owner: Terukuni Shrine
Source: Excerpted from the National Designated Cultural Properties Database (https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index)
Overview
This tachi (single-edged long sword worn edge-downward) is a masterpiece created by Kunimune, a renowned swordsmith who flourished during the mid-Kamakura Period. It is known as one of the finest works from the “Bizen Sanrō Ha” school, which greatly influenced the formation of the later Sōshū style. Originally commissioned from Bizen Province (modern Okayama Prefecture) by the Kamakura Shogunate and moved to Sagami Province (Kanagawa Prefecture), it represents a pinnacle of swordsmithing skill. Today, it is owned by Terukuni Shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture and housed at the Reimeikan museum.
Historical Context
The smith Kunimune was known as Bizen Sanrō Kunimune. While initially working in Bizen Province, he moved to Kamakura after being summoned there by Hōjō Tokiyori, the fifth shikken (regent) of the Kamakura Shogunate. During this time, sword manufacturing techniques advanced dramatically under the patronage of the shogunate. The gathering of master smiths from regions like Yamashiro and Bizen in Kamakura laid the foundation for the Sōshū style—a robust craftsmanship that combined practical strength with artistic beauty.
This specific tachi is a famous blade donated to Terukuni Shrine, which enshrines Shimazu Nariaki as its patron deity. It was presented in 1927 (Shōwa 2) by Tokugawa Iemasa, the 17th head of the Tokugawa clan. The sword serves as a treasured symbol of the deep connection between the Tokugawa and Shimazu families, and it has been carefully preserved to this day as an emblem of cultural protection in Satsuma since the modern era.
Features and Appeal
The most striking feature of this tachi is its powerful yet graceful form, characteristic of the Kamakura Period.
- Magnificent Form: Its broad width and deep curvature give it a robust presence that reflects the spirit and vigor of the samurai class.
- Beauty of the Steel (Jitetsu): The blade possesses an intricate, finely worked surface (hagane) with detailed kobanamame grain structure and subtle jinie deposits.
- Temper Line Expression (Hamon): While primarily featuring a straight temper line (chokuba-chō), the hamon incorporates complex variations of small irregularities and square patterns (shōranre and tōji). The combination of Bizen’s elaborate tradition with the practical, sturdy style developed after moving to Kamakura is highly sophisticated.
- Inscription (Mei): The tang (nakago) bears a clear two-character inscription, “Kunimune.” Among Kunimune’s many works, this piece boasts exceptional historical and artistic value.
Its refined aesthetic beauty and overwhelming presence give it the dignity befitting a National Treasure of Japanese swordsmithing culture.