Long Sword (Tachi), Signed "Toshitsune

太刀銘利恒

At a glance — Metalwork · Heian period, 12th century · held by Kyoto National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Fact Sheet

Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Category: Metalwork
Period: Heian period, 12th century
Date: 1101–1200
Dimensions: Length83.7cm:Curvature3.2cm
Held by: Kyoto National Museum
Location: Higashiyama, Kyoto
Catalogue ID: cobas-3279

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Same period: Heian metalwork →
At this museum: All 680 works here →

Toshitsune (active c. 1210) is representative of sword makers from Bizen. The temper line at the tip of this blade suggests that he followed the style of the mid-Heian period (794-1185) sword maker Masatsune. The form of this long sword (J., tachi) blade, increasing in width and deeply curved by the waist and bearing a small point, clearly reflects the characteristics of the period. The surface of the metal itself bears a dense wood-grain texture combined with a burl grain, and the temper line consists of small bumps crossed by legs (J., ashi) and dots (J., yô).

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

Record & Sources

Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財), Government of Japan
Catalogue ID: cobas-3279 (permanent)
Official record: Japan Search — jpsearch.go.jp/item/cobas-3279
Holder's collection: ColBase — Kyoto National Museum
Photograph: Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0. CC BY 4.0 licence

Cite this page: “Long Sword (Tachi), Signed "Toshitsune（太刀銘利恒）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-3279. Kyoto National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/long-sword-tachi-signed-toshitsune/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.

Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)

Category: Applied arts:Arms and armor:Blades:Tachi|Applied arts:By media:Metalwork|Applied arts:By region:Japan
Genre: Metalwork
Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
Size: Length83.7cm:Curvature3.2cm
員数: 1口
種別: 工芸:武器・武具:刀剣:太刀|工芸:素材別:金工|工芸:地域別:日本
分類: 金工
時代世紀: 平安時代後期・12世紀
法量: 刃長83.7cm:反り3.2cm
銘文等: 表茎尻「利恒」と大振りの刻銘

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