Blade for a Dagger (Tantō)

Tanto swords have blades of less than 30 centimeters. They were commonly worn with longer-bladed swords like tachi. The streamlined, straight shape is characteristic of tanto from the Kamakura period. This work was made by Yukimitsu, a swordsmith from present-day Kanagawa who was active at the end of the Kamakura period. It was handed down through the Maeda clan, who ruled over present-day Ishikawa prefecture during the Edo period. The metal features a blackish wood-grain pattern that resembles the rings of a tree. This shifts amorphously across the entire blade to imbue the sword with a wild air.

A straight temper pattern sits gleaming between the black ground metal and the white blade edge. A closer look reveals glittering particles. Temper patterns with these kinds of particles are found in swords forged by Yukimitsu, his master Kunimitsu, and his student Masamune, for example. This sword's temper pattern may seem quite plain with no real changes in height, but it certainly creates a powerful impression with its glittering granular pattern.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.