* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi
金地螺鈿毛抜形太刀
Also known as: Gold-ground raden kenukigata tachi; the sword with the cat and sparrows in a bamboo grove; National Treasure sword of Kasuga Taisha
- Smith
- Unknown maker
- Era
- Heian period
- Type
- Kenukigata tachi
- Designation
- National Treasure
- Location
- Kasuga Taisha Treasure Hall (Kokuhoden), Nara, Nara Prefecture
Description
A Heian-Period Ceremonial Tachi at Kasuga Taisha
The Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi is a Heian-period kenukigata tachi preserved at Kasuga Taisha in Nara City, Nara Prefecture. It was designated a National Treasure on 9 June 1951 (Shōwa 26). Kenukigata tachi, which have openwork cut into the hilt in the shape of tweezers (kenuki), were a style of sword worn ceremonially by palace guard officials (efu kanin) in the Heian period. They are thought to have been made for dedication and ritual rather than for practical use. Only three complete Heian-period tachi are said to survive nationwide, and this sword is one of these rare examples. It is also valued as material that conveys the prototype form of later Japanese swords. It is said that during the 56th shikinen zōtai (periodic reconstruction) of Kasuga Taisha in 1930 (Shōwa 5), it was moved out of the second hall of the honden.
Raden Design on the Scabbard
The scabbard has a kin-ikakeji (gold-sprinkled ground) finish, on which raden (mother-of-pearl inlay made from thin shell fragments) depicts a cat and sparrows in a bamboo grove. The cat's eyes and spots, the sparrows, and the bamboo leaves are inlaid with colored glass, and fine engraving (kebori) is added. On both the front and back faces of the scabbard, a series of scenes shows the cat sneaking up on the sparrows, catching them, and walking away proudly. The distinguishing feature is that it is not a static pattern but a narrative composition that unfolds over time. Because of the refinement of this raden work, it is praised as one of the finest among raden tachi.
Metal Fittings and Technique
Fittings such as those on the hilt and the scabbard mouth employ nanako-ji (a ground pattern of granular dots strung together like fish roe). Recent surveys have confirmed that most of these fittings are made not of gilt plating but of nearly pure gold itself, suggesting that the dedication was made by a person of considerable influence.
Designation and Preservation
The sword is housed in the Kasuga Taisha National Treasure Hall (Kokuhoden) and is considered one of the treasures that are usually not open to the public. Its official cultural property designation name is "Kinji Raden Kenukigata Tachi," and it is registered as a craft work in the national treasure database of Japan (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).
Legends & Stories
On the raden of the scabbard, a cat is depicted in a continuous sequence of scenes in a bamboo grove, from sneaking up on sparrows to catching them and walking away. This is considered unusual because it is composed as a story that involves the passage of time, rather than as a static pattern. Because of this charming design of a cat and sparrows, the sword has in recent years become a topic among cat lovers as well, and it is sometimes introduced at special exhibitions at the Kasuga Taisha National Treasure Hall and elsewhere.