Muramasa
村正 (Muramasa)
Lineage: the signature does not state the generation
The name of a line of smiths of Kuwana in Ise from the early 16th century, founders of the Sengo school; famous for its cutting and for the legend of the cursed sword.
Profile
Muramasa worked at Kuwana in Ise Province; his oldest dated blade is of 1501, and the name passed through at least three generations and stayed in use until at least 1668. The most prized works are those of the early 16th century. His manner starts from Mino-den: notare with gunome and square-looking midare, and a hamon that matches on both sides of the blade. His blades were highly valued for their cutting by the warriors of Mikawa, Tokugawa Ieyasu included. The legend that they bring misfortune on the Tokugawa arose because Ieyasu's grandfather was killed with one, his father wounded with another and his son assisted in his suicide with another, and Ieyasu himself was hurt by a tantō of his; for that reason the house's retainers avoided wearing them. The tradition making him a pupil of Masamune is false.