Kantei
A wide, slightly curved tantō on an acrylic stand, with carvings at the base of the blade and a gilt habaki.

Sagami · Sōshū tradition · 14th century

Sadamune (貞宗)

The swordsmith of Sagami whom tradition makes the son of Masamune: not a single blade with his signature survives, and yet four of those attributed to him are National Treasures. His life, his style, his famous works and his sources

Sadamune (貞宗, Sadamune), called Hikoshirō (彦四郎, Hikoshirō), is the swordsmith of Sagami whom tradition makes the son or adopted son of Masamune. No blade with his signature survives: all his works are attributions, and four of them are National Treasures.

SLIMHANNYA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

4
National Treasures (国宝, kokuhō)
12
Important Cultural Properties under his name
None
Surviving blades with his signature
1423
First written mention: the copy of a meizukushi
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Sadamune; called Hikoshirō; also “Sōshū Sadamune”, Sadamune of Sagami AT
Kanji and reading
貞宗 (Sadamune) · 彦四郎 (Hikoshirō) · 相州貞宗 (Sōshū Sadamune) AT
Period
The end of the Kamakura period and the beginning of the Nanbokuchō, in the 14th century. His dates of birth and death are not documented. PC
Province
Sagami (相模, Sagami), in Kamakura; a late tradition makes him a native of Ōmi (近江, Ōmi) AT
School
The Sōshū tradition (相州伝, Sōshū-den), of which he is taken to be Masamune’s successor AT
Master
正宗 (Masamune), whose son or adopted son tradition makes him AT
Pupils
信国 (Nobukuni), according to tradition; 秋広 (Akihiro) is taken to be his son AT
Documented fact and tradition
Documented: his designated works and their official descriptions. Tradition: that he was the son of Masamune, which appears in writing a century and a half after his life. AT

In short

What we know. Japan’s cultural properties database describes his designated blades: the Kikkō Sadamune, the Terasawa Sadamune and the Tokuzen-in Sadamune are National Treasures; the Kiriha Sadamune, the Ishida Sadamune and others, Important Cultural Properties.

How we know it. His life is told by the meizukushi (銘尽), the books of swordsmiths, which the Japanese Wikipedia summarises; the filiation with Masamune appears in copies from 1483 onwards. His works are attributed to him by comparison with those of Masamune, Shintōgo Kunimitsu, Akihiro and Nobukuni.

What we do not know. When he was born and died, and whether the “Takagi Sadamune” of a signed blade mentioned by the English Wikipedia is the same person.

Sections

  1. Kamakura · Masamune · the meizukushi Life and times What the old texts say about him, when the filiation with Masamune appears and who are held to be his pupils.
  2. Ko-itame · notare · unsigned Work and style The kantei keys: shape, steel, temper, point, tang and carvings, with the official descriptions of his blades.
  3. National Treasures · meibutsu Famous works His four National Treasures and his Important Cultural Properties, where they are and their place in the Kyōhō meibutsuchō.
  4. Works on display Videos Two short videos: a museum presents an attributed wakizashi, and some visitors stand before the Kikkō Sadamune.
  5. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted on 4 October 2026, with their link, and the credit for each image.