Tachi Sword (signed Chikakage of Osafune, Bizen Province, dated the Karyaku era)

An Early, Large and Sound Work by Chikakage

The Tachi Sword (signed Chikakage of Osafune, Bizen Province, dated the Karyaku era) (太刀〈銘備前国長船住近景／嘉暦二二年□月日〉) is a Kamakura-period tachi by Chikakage of Osafune, location not disclosed (private collection), which in 1953 was designated a National Treasure.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records one blade 80.6 centimetres long with a curvature of 3.0 centimetres and 3.1 centimetres wide at the base, first designated under the old system in 1935.

The Agency's inscription field reads the long signature on the outer face as made by Chikakage of Osafune in Bizen, and the date on the reverse as the fourth year of Karyaku.

The Blade

According to the Agency, it is ridged with a roof-shaped back and a medium point, curved near the hilt with a firm base. The steel shows a tight fine grain with large patterns towards the base on both faces and a brilliant clove-shaped reflection. The temper line mixes small irregularities and small cloves, full of legs and leaves.

The point pattern waves deeply, almost without turn-back on the front and with a small round turn on the back. The tang is unaltered, with a chestnut-shaped end, sloping file marks and three peg holes; the blade is 2.1 centimetres wide at the tip, with a point of 3.3 centimetres and a tang of 19.2 centimetres.

What to Look For

The Agency suggests Chikakage was a pupil of Nagamitsu of Bizen Osafune, and notes that among his surviving works the Karyaku date is early, and this is a large, sound and representative piece.

In the title the year is written as two-two, meaning four; the Agency's inscription field reads it as the fourth year of Karyaku.

Visiting the Tachi Sword (signed Chikakage of Osafune, Bizen Province, dated the Karyaku era)

It is privately owned and its location is not disclosed; no official information on viewing could be found.