Tantō (Single-Blade Short Sword), signed "Kanemichi"

The Yamashiro (Kyoto) smithies that prospered from the Heian through the Nanbokuchō period (fourteenth century), declined during the Muromachi period (fifteenth to sixteenth century) due to civil unrest resulting in the devastation of Kyoto and due to pressure from provincial smithies, such as the greatest of the Japanese sword smithies in Bizen, and the newly rising smithy in Minō. Eventually, rivalry among local lords led to the emergence the daimyo of the Warring States period, who warily set their eyes on the capital, and Kyoto was again revitalized; Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) built Nijō Castle, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–1598) constructed his Jurakudai residence and Fushimi Castle, calling on numerous craftsmen to migrate back. Among those who moved to Kyoto in the late sixteenth century was the Mishina School of swordsmiths from Minō founded by Kanemichi. His children––Iga no Kami Kanemichi, Izumi no Kami Kanemichi, Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi, and Etchū no Kami Masatoshi––were all first–class swordsmiths, and of these the creator of this short sword, Iga no Kami Kanemichi, was named the “All Japan Sword Smith” (Nihon kaji sōshō), a role that was passed on to later generations and that required him to act as intermediary receiving court requests and representing the smiths from the whole country.
This longish tantō, made by the first Iga no Kami Kanemichi, is in the style known as an “extended short sword.” The grain (jigane) was forged with a rough surface showing both a straight and wood grain (itame) pattern; the strong, wavy reflective spots (sunagashi nie) of the tempering pattern (hamon) alternates all–over high firing (hitatsura tobiyaki) with ribbed tempering (sudareha)．The tempering at the tip (bōshi) is small, indented, and has a deep double back. This “Mishina Bōshi” is a signature aspect of the Mishina school. This masterpiece sword fascinates the viewer with its magnificent tempering pattern, the glint of its minute metallic crystals, and the aggressive swell along the length of the blade. Here one can see the germination of the ribbed tempering later perfected by Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi, and thus the sword serves as an invaluable resource that offers a glimpse into the background of how one family worked to refine their techniques.