Kanabo Kanefusa

Katana 1500 - 1573

The Yamato tradition dates back to the year 701 AD. Composed of the following schools: The Hoshu School, Tegai, Senjuin, Shikkake and a Kanabo School. The tradition prevailed until the end of the Muromachi period 1573. This sword belongs to the Kanabo school.

Driven by the need of the temple monasteries to protect the rice growing properties they owned, the monks decided to form and employ warriors and employ Swordsmiths to make swords to protect themselves from rapacious warlords bent on increasing their income. Rice was the currency of the times. Due to the fact that the Swordsmiths were employees, the majority of Yamato produced swords are not signed by individual Smiths. Each of the schools have identifying characterisics that can identify them to the astute student.

Representative Smiths of the Kanabo School are: Kanefusa Masutsugu and Masazane.

This particular sword was made by Kanabo Kanefusa. The shape of this sword is rather wide and thick with a high Shinogi-Ji, deep Sori and O-Kissaki, Jitetsu is Ko-Itame/Mokume mix, attached Ji-Nie with Shirake Utsuri.

Hamon is Nioi-Deki, Sugu based Ko-Midare, Ashi, Yo and rather deep Nioguchi.

Kanabo school sword were noted for thier cutting ability rather than their artistic merit.