* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ogawa Kanekuni (I)
尾川兼國
Description
Career
Ogawa Kanekuni (first generation) was born in Gifu Prefecture in 1925. His real name was Kunihiko. He began studying swordsmithing in 1939 and, in 1943 at the age of 18, was certified as the youngest army-commissioned swordsmith in Japan (a smith recognized by the army for making military swords).
Recognition and Titles
He was designated a holder of an Intangible Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture and was also certified as "Mukansa" (exempt from appraisal), an honor in the swordsmithing world considered second only to Living National Treasure status. Based in Mugegawa-chō, Mugi District, Gifu Prefecture (present-day Seki City), he continued to forge swords under the signature "Mugi-jū Kanekuni."
Successor
His craft was passed on to his son, and the lineage continues to this day as Ogawa Kanekuni II.
Famous Works
- Katana signed Bugei jū Kanekuni saku