Description
A vivid pattern runs along the cutting edge, composed of circular shapes said to resemble dried cloves ([chōji]). This pattern resulted from the steel-hardening process, which ensured the blade could be thoroughly sharpened and retain its edge in battle. The maker, Kunitoshi, was a master artisan of the Rai school, a group of swordsmiths based in Kyoto.
Data source
ColBase
"ColBase: Integrated Collections Database of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan" is a service that enables a multi-database search of the collections in the four national museums (To...
Contents holder/Provider
Aggregator
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
The National Institutes for Cultural Heritage (NICH) comprise four National Museums (Tokyo National Museum, Kyoto National Museum, Nara National Museum, and Kyushu National Museum) and two National Research Institutes for Cultural Properties (Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, and Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties), as well as the International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI) in Sakai City, for a total of seven institutions.
Last updated
July 20, 2026