Sanetsune (Tachi Sword)
“Sanetsune” was the first sword donated to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. One year after the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542–1616), his son and successor to the Tokugawa shogunate Hidetada (1579–1632) dedicated the sword to Kunozan Toshogu on the completion of the shrine’s construction.
The sword is of outstanding quality. The blade was made in the twelfth century in the Bizen area (now Okayama Prefecture), which was renowned for its sword smithing. It is thought to have been made by the oldest extant group of swordsmiths in Bizen. At over 110 centimeters, it is quite long. Its thick, heavy blade is characteristic of swords made during the final years of the Heian period (794–1192). It is well balanced but thought not to have been made for use in combat.
National Treasure