Tango no Kami Kanemichi Katana
丹後守兼道 刀
Item TK025

  • Period: Shinto Period - Early to Mid-Edo

  • Mei (Signature): 丹後守兼道 Tango no Kami Kanemichi

  • Designation: Tokubetsu Hozon

  • Nakago - 24.4cm - Ubu - 2 Mekugi-Ana

  • Nagasa - 69.4cm

  • Sori: - 1.8 cm

  • Motohaba - 3cm

  • Sakihaba - 2.1cm

  • Kissaki - 3.9 cm

  • Motokasane - 0.8cm

HOLD

Tango no Kami Kanemichi 2nd Generation (丹後守兼道) - Osaka Shinto Style Toranba Hamon

The second-generation Tango no Kami Kanemichi (丹後守兼道), real name Kiheiji, was the son and successor of the first-generation Kanemichi.
The Kanemichi line traces its origin to the Mishina school of Kyoto, one of the most influential smithing lineages of the early Edo period.

The founder of the Mishina school was originally from Mino province, where he forged swords for the famed warlord Takeda Shingen. He later moved to Kyoto with his four sons, among whom Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi—the father of the first Kanemichi—became one of the Kyoto Gokaji (Five Great Kyoto Smiths).

The first-generation Kanemichi, Yoshimichi’s younger son, received the honorary title Tango no Kami in 1625 and moved to Osaka, founding the Osaka Mishina line that would thrive for generations. His son, the second-generation Kanemichi, continued the family’s craft, working mainly in Osaka and later in Edo and Harima Province (modern Hyōgo Prefecture) during the late 17th century.

The first-generation Kanemichi was known for carving the Ichimonji character (一) and kiku-mon (chrysanthemum crest) into the nakago and for producing the distinctive sudareba (bamboo-blind pattern hamon).

The second-generation Kanemichi, however, reflected the evolving aesthetic of Osaka Shinto. His blades often feature a deep, lustrous nioiguchi and a striking Toran-style ō-gunome midare (large billowing wave pattern), comparable to the works of Echizen no Kami Sukehiro and Echigo no Kami Kanesada.

This blade exemplifies the Osaka Shintō style for which the second-generation Tango no Kami Kanemichi is celebrated. Forged with a tight ko-itame jihada, the steel displays a refined and uniform texture typical of the Mishina lineage’s superior craftsmanship. The hamon is a bold, wide toran-midare, executed in brilliant nie-deki with graceful undulations that evoke the grandeur of mid-Edo Osaka workmanship.

This sword is accompanied by an elegant koshirae adorned with family crests (mon) on the saya, which showcases multiple lacquer techniques. The scabbard features both a subtle ao-nashiji (green-speckled lacquer) and a fue-nuri (flute-style lacquer) finish, combining textures and tones that harmonize beautifully to create a refined and luxurious presentation.