Katana
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A katana is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the tachi, it was used by samur
A katana modified from a tachi forged by Motoshige. Bizen Osafune school influenced by the Sōshū school. 14th century, Nanboku-chō period. Important Cultural Property. Tokyo National Museum
Mei (signature) and Nakago (tang) of an Edo period katana
A Sōshū school katana modified from a tachi forged by Masamune. As it was owned by Ishida Mitsunari, it was commonly called Ishida Masamune. Important Cultural Property. Tokyo National Museum
A Sōshū school katana modified from a tachi, Kiriha Sadamune, forged by Sadamune, son of Masamune. 14th century, Kamakura period. Important Cultural Property. Tokyo National Museum
Masamune
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Gorō Nyūdō Masamune was a medieval Japanese blacksmith widely acclaimed as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as tachi and tantō, in the Sōshū school. Howeve
Tantō Masamune, Important Art Object
Honjo Shigenaga
Toyotomi-Hidetsugu
A drawing of the Honjo Masamune drawn by 17 century swordsmith Tsuguhira