Genroku-Kyōhō Peace Era

The Genroku (1688–1704) through Kyōhō (1716–1736) period represented the apex of Edo peacetime culture and a fundamental transformation in how samurai related to their swords. Under the fifth shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's 'civil governance' philosophy, swords evolved from battlefield weapons into art objects and status markers. While blade quality saw mixed results—Genroku shapes (genroku-sugata) with shallow sori and slightly extended kissaki were fashionable but not always superbly crafted—sword fittings (koshirae) experienced a golden age of unprecedented artistic achievement. The Gotō family retained its exclusive position as shogunal fittings makers, producing exquisite high-relief carving (Gotō-bori) of classical court motifs. Yokoya Sōmin broke from the Gotō monopoly to establish a revolutionary free-form style featuring bold naturalistic compositions in multi-metal iroe (color inlay) techniques, initiating the late Edo decorative arts renaissance. The Hon'ami family's authentication culture flourished, with formal orikami certificates establishing sword valuations in monetary terms and forming the basis of the sword market. The Akō Incident (1701–1703), in which forty-seven rōnin avenged their master using the swords they had sharpened for two years of waiting, became a defining cultural myth cementing the sword's role as the physical embodiment of samurai honor. Kyōhō-era reforms under Yoshinobu moderately redirected emphasis from ornate fittings toward functional blade quality.