| Product No. TAN-0385 ▢道（兼道） | |
|---|---|
| Mei |
▢michi (Kanemichi) Back: -- |
| Shape | Hira-zukuri, iori-mune. Standard width and thickness, with no curvature, giving the blade a dignified and refined appearance. |
| Region | Seki, Mino Province |
| Era | Late Muromachi period (around the Tensho era, 1573–1592) |
| Length |
28.5 cm 11.2 in |
| Motohaba |
2.6 cm 1.0 in |
| Munekasane |
0.5 cm 0.2 in |
| Status | Hozon Token |
| Certification Date | June 3, 2026 |
| Registration Authority | Mie Prefecture |
| Registration Date | March 13, 1951 |
| Jihada (Metal pattern) | Fine, well-forged itame, with masame flowing toward the cutting edge. |
| Hamon (Temper line) | Bright and clear suguha. |
| Engraving | Bo-hi on both sides, ending in kaki-nagashi. |
| Bōshi (Point / Tip) | Straight, ending in a refined ko-maru with a graceful return. |
| Nakago (Tang) | Almost ubu, mumei. Katte-sagari file marks and kuri-jiri. |
| Mekugiana (Rivet holes) | 2 |
| Habaki | Copper ground with gold foil and horizontal file marks. |
| Mountings | Koshirae-tsuki |
| Koshirae | Black Kawari-nuri Saya Tanto Koshirae (Tokubetsu Kicho Kodogu) |
| Koshirae Length |
44.5 cm 17.5 in |
| Tsuka Length |
11.2 cm 4.4 in |
| Tsuba | Amaryū (Scaleless Dragon) design, iron ground, hira-zogan in gold, hamidashi tsuba |
| Menuki | Coiled Dragon design, iron ground, tsubogasa shape, high-relief carving, gold nunome-zogan |
| Fuchigashira | Fuchi: Ari-koshi shape, shakudo-covered ・ Kashira: Iron, mountain-path design, gold nunome-zogan arabesques |
| Kozuka | Dragon over Mount Fuji design, signed “Shiyō Sanjin Ryūunken Wakashiba,” iron ground, high-relief carving |
| Kogai | Waves and Plovers design, iron ground, high-relief carving, gold and silver nunome-zogan Other: |
| Other details | Tsuka: Dark brown leather wrapping・Kurikata: Kachimushi (Dragonfly) Design ・Orikane (Scabbard Retaining Hook): Amaryū (Scaleless Dragon), polished shakudo ground, sculpted in the round ・Kuwagata-shaped Kojiri: Centipede Design Iron ground, carved and inla |
Price |
700,000 JPY |
| This is a finely made tanto of the Sue-Seki school. Although the workmanship is of high quality, the signature may have been partially removed in an attempt to obtain an attribution to a higher-ranking smith, making the remaining inscription difficult to decipher. Both the registration certificate issued on March 13, 1951—during the period often associated with so-called “Daimyo registrations”—and the NBTHK certificate issued in 2026 record the signature as “□michi.”The blade has the typical proportions of a Sue-Seki tanto. The jigane is a fine, well-forged itame, with masame flowing toward the cutting edge. The hamon is a disciplined suguha with a relatively tight nioiguchi, and the boshi returns gracefully with an elegant finish.At the NBTHK Shinsa held in March 2026, the remaining signature was attributed to “[Kane]michi, Seki,” and the blade passed Hozon Token.The accompanying chiisagatana koshirae is a high-quality mounting fitted with fine Higo-style metalwork and comes with a Tokubetsu Kicho certificate issued in 1966. |
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