* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Gokekanemitsu
後家兼光
Also known as: Sword: Attributed to Osafune Kanemitsu (Large Modification, No Signature, Known as Gokekanemitsu)
Description
Gokekanemitsu is an uchigatana forged by Osafune Kanemitsu, a master swordsmith who was active in Osafune, Bizen Province (present-day Okayama Prefecture) during the Northern and Southern Courts period, and is designated as an Important Cultural Property. The tang has been drastically shortened through a large modification (ōsuriaige), rendering it unsigned; however, it has been authenticated as a work of Osafune Kanemitsu and possesses the prestige of a meisotsu (celebrated blade). The formal designating name is "Sword: Attributed to Osafune Kanemitsu (Large Modification, No Signature)."
Osafune Kanemitsu is considered the fourth-generation head of the Osafune school; while inheriting the choji-midare hamon from his father Kagemitsu, he was a master craftsman who established a distinctive style called "Soden Bizen" by actively incorporating techniques of the Soshu tradition—such as robust nie, kinsuji, and sunagarashi—exemplified by Masamune. This uchigatana exhibits a magnificent configuration with a blade length of 80.0 cm and a curvature of 2.1 cm, estimated to have been approximately 90 cm before the large modification. The robust nie and striking hamon featuring gunome-midare, ō-gunome, and nare—characteristic of Soden Bizen—captivate the viewer. The jihada exhibits a large itame structure with thick jinie, imparting an imposing appearance, while the point features a prominent, deeply tempered hamon.
The provenance traces back to the personal collection of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After Hideyoshi's death, his trusted retainer Naoe Kanetsugu received this uchigatana as a keepsake. When Kanetsugu passed away in Genna 5 (1619), his widow, O-Fune-no-Kata, presented the blade to their lord Uesugi Kagekatsu (subsequently the Yonezawa Uesugi clan) as a memorial treasure, which is why it earned the epithet "Goke"—meaning "a blade presented by a widow." Subsequently, after the Boshin War, it was presented by the Yonezawa Uesugi clan to the Yamauchi daimyo of Tosa Domain as an expression of gratitude for their support during the late Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it passed into the collection of Iwasaki Yajiro, the second-generation head of the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, and has been preserved in the Seikado Bunko library, which he founded, to the present day. It is designated as an Important Cultural Property and remains one of the Seikado Bunko Art Museum's most significant holdings.
Legends & Stories
The most well-known legends surrounding Gokekanemitsu concern Naoe Kanetsugu. It is said that Kanetsugu treasured this blade, which he received from Toyotomi Hideyoshi, as his most precious possession throughout his life, and even after his reassignment to Yonezawa, he slept with this sword at his bedside. When Kanetsugu fell gravely ill in his final years, a retainer's account records that the sword box emitted a low sound during the night. The next morning, upon removing the blade, Kanetsugu reportedly said, "This sword has forewarned me of my final hour. I shall depart this very night," and indeed, Kanetsugu passed away that same evening.\n\nAnother account, allegedly preserved in the records of the Yonezawa domain, describes an incident when Kanetsugu's widow, O-Fune-no-Kata, presented the blade to Uesugi Kagekatsu. During the formal presentation ceremony, the sword allegedly gleamed with an unusually brilliant radiance. Upon witnessing this, Kagekatsu is said to have remarked, "The spirit of Kanetsugu dwells in this blade and bids him one final farewell."\n\nGokekanemitsu has been transmitted through legend as a blade symbolizing a profound spiritual connection to its possessor, derived from the meaning of its name, "Goke"—the widow or the will of the departed. Particularly among Edo-period sword collectors and enthusiasts, the tradition that this blade would "foretell" the imminent end of its bearer's life was widely recorded and discussed.