Yamato-no-kami Yasusada

Yamato no Kami Yasusada is a swordsmith who was active in Edo in the early Edo period, and a master renowned for a sharpness that earned his blades a place among the Yoki-wazamono. Blades inscribed "Yamato no Kami Yasusada" are said to have been favored by Okita Sōji, captain of the Shinsengumi's first unit, and this association made the name widely known in the late Edo period. Interest in Japanese swords has grown in recent years, and his name has spread even more widely.

The jigane has tight, fine ko-itame, and some pieces show strong ji-nie. The hamon is mainly ko-midare mixed with gunome, with variation in the width of the hardened zone, and many show sunagashi. His style is said to resemble that of Nagasone Kotetsu.

Many of his blades bear a saidan-mei (cutting-test inscription) on the nakago. Their sharpness made them popular in the late Edo period. They are said to have been used by Iba Hachirō of the Yūgekitai and Ōishi Kuwajirō of the Shinsengumi, so they also have the character of practical fine swords. The "Yamato no Kami Yasusada" handed down as Okita Sōji's personal blade is now said to be untraced, but it holds value as cultural property and as a living witness to late Edo history.

His inscriptions include "Yamato no Kami Yasusada," "Musashi no Kuni jū Yamato no Kami Yasusada," "Tomita Yamato no Kami Yasusada," and "Yamato no Kami Minamoto Yasusada," among others. Blades by him are still held by museums and private collectors across Japan. He attracts attention for his late Edo historical associations, and his reputation as a sword art is firmly established. Today's sword enthusiasts and researchers equally value him as a master smith.