Kantei
The tang of a blade from both sides, with the habaki at the top, the dark patina and engraved characters.

Photo: dealer in Japan

Bibliography and credits

Sources

The sources consulted on 4 October 2026. The sale listings and the educational sites of those who trade in swords served to check facts, but they are neither cited nor linked; their photos carry the generic credit.

On this page
  1. Sources

Sources

NBTHK

  1. NBTHK, Gifu branch: profile of Ogawa Kanekuni (兼圀, Kanekuni), with his prizes from 1996 to 2010
  2. NBTHK, Gifu branch: profile of his son, the second Kanekuni

On this site

  1. The monograph of the second Kanekuni, his son

Image credits

  1. A katana of his, whole, on its stand (katana-entera.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  2. The signature close up (katana-mei.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  3. The tang of the same katana, with its signature, 兼圀作 (Kanekuni saku) (katana-nakago.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  4. The tōran-ba (濤瀾刃, tōran-ba) of that katana: large breaking waves (olas-monouchi.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  5. The point of another katana signed 兼圀 (Kanekuni), from both sides (olas-kissaki.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  6. The long signature of that katana, which names Mino and Hachiman, in Mugegawa (olas-mei.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  7. A katana of 1978, a year after his licence: the point (katana-1978-kissaki.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  8. The same katana of 1978: the temper line (katana-1978-hamon.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.
  9. The same katana of 1978: the tang (katana-1978-nakago.jpg)

    Photo: dealer in Japan.