Tatara Nagayuki

Tatara Nagayuki was an Osaka swordsmith active during the Genroku to Hōei eras, working during the peak flourishing of Osaka shintō. Trained within the rich swordsmith culture of Osaka that included figures such as Tsuda Sukehiro and Inoue Shinkai, he became known for high-quality jigane and refined hamon. His steel shows a finely packed ko-itame with even jinie and chikei in a clear, settled surface. The hamon combines generous gunome and chōji in the luxuriant midare characteristic of Osaka shintō, with bright nie at the edge and quiet sunagashi and kinsuji, producing a dignified overall impression. His blades, balancing practical utility and aesthetic refinement, found favor among Osaka's samurai and merchant class, establishing him as a recognized smith of the mid-Osaka shintō period.