Kantei
A man in glasses and a dark blue kimono, seated in a tatami room, examines a curved blade.

Swordsmith of Sakurai (Nara) · Gassan school

Gassan Sadatoshi (月山貞利)

The head of the Osaka branch of the Gassan family: ayasugi-hada, engravings and mukansa since 1982

Gassan Sadatoshi (月山貞利) is the son and pupil of the Living National Treasure Gassan Sadakazu and head of the Osaka branch of the Gassan family, with his forge in Sakurai, in Nara. He has been mukansa since 1982 and keeps up the hallmarks of the school: the ayasugi-hada and the engravings.

Photo: the smith himself

1946
Born in Osaka
1982
NBTHK mukansa
2003
Intangible cultural property of Nara
2019
NBTHK grand prize (Heisei)
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Gassan Sadatoshi HD
Kanji and reading
月山貞利 (Gassan Sadatoshi) HD
Birth
1946, in Osaka; third son of 月山貞一 (Gassan Sadakazu), the second AT
Where he forges
Sakurai, Nara prefecture AT
Master
His father, Gassan Sadakazu, Living National Treasure AT
School or tradition
Gassan: the 綾杉肌 (ayasugi-hada) and the engravings; also the Sōshū tradition AT
Licence
1969, according to him AT
Rank
Mukansa (無鑑査, mukansa) since 1982; exhibits as such at the Gendai Tōshokuten from 2021 to 2026 HD

In short

He graduated in Architecture in 1969 and, instead of joining a practice, became his father’s apprentice. In 1982 he was named mukansa with a copy of the famous spear 日本号 (Nihongō), and since then he has forged tachi and spears for the Ise shrine and has presided over the national swordsmiths’ association. The NBTHK chose one of his spears for the grand prize of its 2019 exhibition devoted to the finest works of the Heisei era, and he goes on exhibiting every year as mukansa.

Sections

  1. From Osaka to Sakurai Life and forging The Gassan family, his apprenticeship with his father and his career.
  2. Ayasugi and engravings Work and style The ayasugi-hada, the Gassan engravings and a gallery of works.
  3. From the Takamatsu to the Heisei grand prize Prizes Each prize with its year, its competition and its level of evidence.
  4. The Gassan forging dojo Videos Three videos filmed at his forge.
  5. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted and the image credits.