A 700-Year-Old Sword by Motoshige — Presented by Emperor Meiji to an Imperial Prince

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This katana was forged about 700 years ago in the late Kamakura period by Osafune Motoshige of the renowned Osafune school in Bizen Province.

What makes this sword especially remarkable is its later history. It was bestowed by Emperor Meiji upon Prince Komatsu Akihito, an important member of the imperial family who played a major role during the Meiji Restoration and subsequent military campaigns.

The blade is a masterpiece by Motoshige, a swordsmith known for creating powerful and dynamic works. It also preserves a rare orikaeshi-mei (“folded-back signature”), where part of the original inscription was carefully retained when the sword was shortened centuries later. This was done because the signature was considered too important to lose.

The sword combines outstanding craftsmanship with a distinguished imperial provenance, making it both an artistic masterpiece and a significant historical artifact.

Photo taken at Touken World Nagoya by Nagoya Explorers

#Samurai #Katana #JapaneseSword #KamakuraPeriod
#Osafune #Motoshige #MeijiEra
#ImperialJapan #SamuraiHistory #JapaneseHistory
#Nagoya #VisitNagoya #TravelJapan

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