A Peerless Masterpiece of the Fukuoka Ichimonji School
The Tachi Sword (signed Yoshihira) (太刀〈銘吉平〉) is a Kamakura-period tachi by Yoshihira, location not disclosed (private collection), which in 1963 was designated a National Treasure.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records one blade 73.8 centimetres long with a curvature of 2.9 centimetres, first designated under the old system in 1935.
According to the Agency, Yoshihira was a smith of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school in the mid-Kamakura period.
The Blade
According to the Agency, it is ridged with a roof-shaped back, curved near the hilt with a firm base. The steel is extremely tight, with fine crystals and a clear, reflective colour. The temper line, starting from a straight base on both faces, is a lively clove pattern full of legs, deep and crystalline.
The point pattern is a shallow wave turning back to a point. The tang is unaltered, with very shallow sloping file marks on its lower half and a chrysanthemum crest engraved below the collar.
What to Look For
The Agency describes it as a peerless masterpiece of Yoshihira and a typical work of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school.
According to the Agency's campaign to recover missing cultural properties, the sword had been listed as a designated property whose whereabouts were unknown, and has since been found; it is privately owned, with the owner in Tokyo.
Visiting the Tachi Sword (signed Yoshihira)
It is privately owned and its location is not disclosed; no official information on viewing could be found.
Q&A
- When was the tachi designated a National Treasure?
- On 1 July 1963.
- Who was Yoshihira?
- A mid-Kamakura smith of the Fukuoka Ichimonji school.
- How is it valued?
- As his peerless masterpiece and a typical Fukuoka Ichimonji work.
- What is on the tang?
- An engraved chrysanthemum crest below the collar.
- Was it missing?
- It was listed as missing and has since been found, according to the Agency.
Basic Information
| Name | Tachi Sword (signed Yoshihira) (太刀〈銘吉平〉) |
|---|---|
| Location | Location not disclosed (private collection) |
| Designation | National Treasure (craft) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1963/7/1 (Showa 38); earlier designation 1935/4/30 |
| Quantity | 1 blade |
| Dimensions | 73.8 cm long, curvature 2.9 cm |
| Owner | Private owner |
| Public Access | Viewing information not found |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Tachi by Yoshihira (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/531
- Cultural Heritage Online: Tachi by Yoshihira (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/189066
- Agency for Cultural Affairs: Missing Cultural Properties, Tachi by Yoshihira (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/torimodosou/kunishitei/2.html
Last verified: 2026.09.30