Blade for a Long Sword (Tachi)

This tachi sword makes a striking impression with its well-balanced curvature, with the curve's center lying at the center of the blade. Tachi are long swords hung on the left hip with the sharp edge facing down. The original form of this sword is beautifully preserved, making this an extremely valuable artifact. The metal of Japanese swords has patterns resembling wood grain or tree rings. The pattern on this sword is particularly fine. Also worthy of note is the refined beauty of the straight temper pattern, which is located between the white metal of the edge and the darker metal above it. Rai Kunimitsu was a Kyoto swordsmith active mainly in the first half of the 14th century.

This is a representative work from his early period. Fine patterns and straight temper lines are also found on swords made by Kunimitsu's father, Rai Kunitoshi. This sword reveals how Kunimitsu observed his father's tradition, although he was a master of several styles. Some of his other swords feature slightly-curved temper patterns with outlines made of small semi-circles, for example. Featuring an elegant curve and meticulously forged steel, this blade is considered a masterpiece of Japanese sword making. It was crafted in 1327 by the Kyoto swordsmith Kunimitsu and later became a prized family heirloom of the Tokugawa shoguns.

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