Sword - Japan

Masaki
Tantō

- Blade length: 26.5 cm
- Curvature: 0.1 cm
- Mekugi hole: 1
- Motohaba (Width near tang): 28 mm
- Motokasane (Thickness near tang): 7.3 mm
- Sakihaba (Width near tip): 23.7 mm
- Sakikasane (Thickness near tip): 5.4 mm
- Weight: 960 g (blade only)/ 1,210 g (with koshirae)
- Signature: Masaki saku
- Signature translation: Made by Masaki
- Era: Modern
- Construction: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
- Kitaehada (Grain pattern): Koitame
- Hamon (Temper line): Notare
- Bōshi (Hamon in the tip): Togari, deep kaeri
- Tang: Unshortened

Made by Kawashima Kazuki (craft name: Ichijō), the maker of this tantō has his forge in north-west Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture, and has consistently worked to help the city promote its ancient sword heritage.

Discovering the beauty of swords through his father’s work, Kawashima resolved himself from an early age to “evoke the world through them.”
Even now, his father continues to inspire him, like an “unseen, supporting force” driving him forward on his swordsmithing journey. His greatest aspiration is to create a sword like the Sanchōmō, a legendary blade of the 13th century. A formidable goal, many have tried and failed to replicate this renowned masterpiece.
His work has been exhibited at exhibitions around the world, from Paris to New York to Tokyo, where he exhibited at Meet Your Art Tokyo 2025, hosted by Avex Inc., appearing on talk panels to promote the art of Japanese sword smithing.

This elegant tantō, its shape reminiscent of the late Kamakura, features well-forged steel with a tight koitame (small woodgrain) grain. On this canvas sits a hamon of gunome (small wave), koshi no hiraita gunome (broad-based small wave), and saka chōji (slanted clove blossom), with prominent ashi (lines reaching down from the hamon border), which ends in a tight, pointed bōshi (hamon in the point) that turns back to terminate relatively far along the spine.

This blade comes with a hōnoki wood shirasaya storage scabbard and silver habaki.

Blade, habaki, and saya are all in great condition, with only the scuffing one would expect in the habakimoto of the blade.
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This item will be shipped to you directly from Japan after the transaction is finalized. We will apply for an export permit from Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs and ship it once approval is granted. Please understand that this process takes approximately one month.

Swords will be shipped by air freight (UPS or EMS) in most cases but, should air shipment to the winning bidder's country not be possible, it will be sent by sea. In Belgium, private sales of Japanese swords are prohibited by law, so bids from Belgium are not permitted.