Tanto (red Inscription Sadamune (famous Fushimi Sadamune) /

A National Treasure Dagger Once Kept in Fushimi Castle

Within the treasure rooms of the Kurokawa Institute of Ancient Cultures, perched on a quiet hilltop above the city of Nishinomiya in Hyogo Prefecture, rests a small blade with an extraordinary story. Measuring only 30.2 centimeters from tip to tang, the dagger known as the "Fushimi Sadamune" is designated a National Treasure of Japan, one of the highest honors a cultural property can receive. Despite its modest size, this tantō carries the weight of seven centuries of Japanese history — a testament to the artistry of one of Japan's most celebrated swordsmiths, the legacy of a famous castle, and the refined aesthetic that elevated the Japanese sword into an art form admired around the world.

For international visitors interested in samurai culture, Japanese craftsmanship, or the poetry of steel, the Fushimi Sadamune offers a rare opportunity to stand face to face with a masterwork attributed to Sadamune, the adopted successor of the legendary smith Masamune. The blade is displayed only during the Institute's limited spring and autumn exhibitions, making each viewing a special occasion.

Historical Background

The Fushimi Sadamune was forged in the 14th century, spanning the late Kamakura and early Nanboku-chō periods — an age when the samurai class was at its zenith and when the swordsmiths of Sagami Province (present-day Kanagawa Prefecture) were producing blades considered the pinnacle of Japanese metallurgy. The smith traditionally credited with this work, Sadamune, was known by the personal name Hikoshirō and was reputed to be either the son or adopted son of the great Masamune. Together with Awataguchi Yoshimitsu and Gō no Yoshihiro, Sadamune is counted among the "Four Great Smiths" (Meikō Shikō) of Japanese sword history.

The blade acquired its poetic name, "Fushimi Sadamune," from the most famous castle once associated with it. According to the traditions preserved in the catalogues that accompany the sword, it was originally kept at Fushimi Castle, the lavish fortress built by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi just south of Kyoto at the close of the 16th century. From Fushimi, the dagger is said to have passed into the hands of Katō Yoshiaki, a retainer of Hideyoshi celebrated as one of the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake" — the seven warriors who distinguished themselves at the decisive Battle of Shizugatake in 1583.

Subsequent records indicate that the blade descended through the Katō family, the lords of Minakuchi Domain in Ōmi Province (today's Shiga Prefecture). In modern times it was held by Honami Kōson, a renowned sword appraiser from the historic Honami family who was active from the Meiji through the Shōwa era. It later entered the collection of Kurokawa Fukusaburō, the third-generation head of the Kurokawa family and the founder of the institute that now cares for it.

Interestingly, the sword is accompanied by a silk bag embroidered with the three-leaf hollyhock crest of the Tokugawa shogunal family and the characters for "Sadamune." Whether the dagger was once in Tokugawa possession or whether the bag was bestowed as a ceremonial gift on some occasion remains an intriguing mystery that continues to captivate researchers today.

Why This Dagger Was Designated a National Treasure

Japan's system of cultural property protection distinguishes "Important Cultural Properties" (Jūyō Bunkazai) from the even rarer "National Treasures" (Kokuhō), which are reserved for objects judged to be of supreme value from the standpoint of world culture. The Fushimi Sadamune earned the higher designation for several interwoven reasons.

First, it is an outstanding surviving work attributed to Sadamune, a swordsmith whose signed works do not exist and whose oeuvre must be identified through expert connoisseurship. No authentic signed pieces by Sadamune are known — a situation that makes authenticated works all the more precious. The tang of the Fushimi Sadamune bears faint vermilion inscriptions reading "Sadamune" and "Hon'a" (an abbreviation for Hon'ami) with a kaō (stylized signature mark), applied by the Hon'ami family, who served as official sword appraisers to the shogunate for generations.

Second, the dagger is listed in the Kyōhō Meibutsu Chō, a catalogue of celebrated famous swords compiled in the 18th century by order of the eighth Tokugawa shōgun, Yoshimune. Inclusion in this roster effectively canonized a blade as one of the supreme cultural artifacts of the nation, and the Fushimi Sadamune has long held this status.

Third, the artistic and technical quality of the blade itself — its hamon (temper pattern), its jigane (surface steel), its horimono (engravings), and its overall balance — places it among the finest expressions of the Sōshū tradition, the school of sword-making that flourished in Kamakura under Masamune and his successors.

Artistic Highlights and What to Look For

For the trained eye — and even for the curious first-time observer — the Fushimi Sadamune rewards careful study. Its blade is a hirazukuri tantō of generous width for its length, a classical form of the period. Along both faces of the blade, the smith has executed delicate engravings: bonji, or Sanskrit seed-syllables, representing the guardian deities Fudō Myōō (the immovable wisdom king) and Bishamonten (the divine warrior guardian), together with a stylized ken sword with clawed ornamentation and a koshi-hi groove along the base of the blade. These engravings reflect the fusion of Buddhist devotion and warrior spirituality that defined the medieval Japanese worldview.

The hamon — the whitish border separating the hardened cutting edge from the softer body of the blade — is composed of a crisp, relatively narrow line into which rhythmic, pointed gunome (rounded peaks) are interspersed. Look closely and you will see nie, the fine granular crystals that glitter along the border where the two tempered zones meet. Streaks of sunagashi ("running sand") and kinsuji ("golden lines") thread through the steel, the unmistakable signature of a master's control over the forging process.

Perhaps the most beautiful passage of the blade is near the kissaki, or tip, where the surface grain flows into a masame (straight-line) pattern resembling drifting clouds. This "flowing cloud" jigane is often cited as a particular highlight of this piece. The blade is a compact 30.2 centimeters in length with a gentle curvature of 0.2 centimeters, weighing just 177 grams — small enough to hold in one hand, yet carrying the entire weight of a tradition.

Visitor Information

The Kurokawa Institute of Ancient Cultures is not a conventional museum open year-round. It is a private research foundation that opens to the public only during two exhibition seasons each year — approximately one month in spring (mid-April to mid-May) and another month in autumn (October to November). Planning ahead is essential, and it is recommended to check the Institute's official website for the current exhibition calendar before visiting.

The Fushimi Sadamune is not displayed at every exhibition, so visitors specifically hoping to see it should verify in advance. The Institute holds two National Treasures and sixteen Important Cultural Properties in its collections, and its sword holdings are considered among the finest in Japan.

When exhibitions are open, hours are 10:00 to 16:00 (last admission 15:30), closed Mondays (or the following day when Monday is a national holiday). Admission is modest: around 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for university and high school students, and free for junior high school students and younger. The Institute sits on a hilltop in the quiet Kurakuen neighborhood, and the small size of its gallery spaces makes for an intimate viewing experience quite different from a large metropolitan museum.

How to Get There

The Institute is located in a hillside residential district above Nishinomiya, and access requires a bit of planning. The most comfortable approach is to take a taxi from Hankyu Shukugawa Station, which takes about ten minutes and costs roughly 2,000 yen one way. From JR Ashiya Station the taxi ride is about fifteen minutes.

Budget-conscious travelers can take the Sakurayamanami Bus bound for Yamaguchi from Hankyu Shukugawa or Sakura-Shukugawa stations, alighting at the Kayandō-chō stop and walking roughly 800 meters (15 to 20 minutes) up a steep slope past Kurakuen Middle School. During exhibition periods only, a complimentary nine-passenger hire car runs round trips on weekends and national holidays between Hankyu Kurakuen-guchi Station and the Institute — a welcome convenience on the steep final approach. A small free parking lot (seven spaces) is also available for those arriving by car.

Surrounding Attractions

A visit to the Institute pairs beautifully with exploration of the wider Nishinomiya and Hanshin area, one of the most pleasant residential regions of western Japan.

• Shukugawa Park — a riverside park celebrated as one of Hyogo's finest cherry-blossom viewing spots in spring, only a short ride from the Institute.
• Nishinomiya Shrine — headquarters of the roughly three thousand Ebisu shrines nationwide and famed for the thrilling "Lucky Man" foot race held each January.
• Hanshin Koshien Stadium — the legendary home of Japanese high school baseball and the Hanshin Tigers, a cultural institution in its own right.
• Rokkō Mountain Range — offering hiking trails, panoramic night views over Osaka Bay, and a scenic cable car experience.
• Arima Onsen — one of Japan's three oldest hot spring resorts, reachable within an hour for travelers wishing to extend their stay.