Kantei

Bibliography and credits

Sources

The sources consulted on 4 October 2026, by type, with their link, and the credit for each image. The photos from ColBase and from Wikimedia Commons carry their licence.

On this page
  1. Sources

Sources

Official databases

  1. Bunka Isan Online: 刀 (katana) 無銘貞宗 (mumei Sadamune), 名物亀甲貞宗 (meibutsu Kikkō Sadamune)
  2. Bunka Isan Online: 短刀 (tantō) 無銘貞宗 (mumei Sadamune), 名物寺沢貞宗 (meibutsu Terasawa Sadamune)
  3. Bunka Isan Online: 短刀 (tantō) 無銘貞宗 (mumei Sadamune), 名物徳善院貞宗 (meibutsu Tokuzen-in Sadamune)
  4. Bunka Isan Online: 刀 (katana) 無銘貞宗 (mumei Sadamune), 名物切刃貞宗 (meibutsu Kiriha Sadamune)
  5. Bunka Isan Online: 短刀 (tantō) 無銘貞宗 (mumei Sadamune), 名物石田貞宗 (meibutsu Ishida Sadamune)
  6. Bunka Isan Online: 刀 (katana) 無銘貞宗 (mumei Sadamune), 名物二筋樋貞宗 (meibutsu Futasuji-hi Sadamune)
  7. Bunka Isan Online: 刀 (katana) 無銘伝貞宗 (mumei den Sadamune)
  8. ColBase, Tokyo National Museum: F-20107, Kikkō Sadamune
  9. ColBase, Tokyo National Museum: F-20110, Kiriha Sadamune
  10. ColBase, Tokyo National Museum: F-20140, Ishida Sadamune

Encyclopaedias

  1. Japanese Wikipedia: 貞宗 (Sadamune)
  2. Japanese Wikipedia: 亀甲貞宗 (Kikkō Sadamune)
  3. Japanese Wikipedia: 享保名物帳 (Kyōhō meibutsuchō)
  4. English Wikipedia: Hikoshiro Sadamune (its dates and the “Takagi Sadamune” cite no source)

References

  1. Markus Sesko, Kantei 1: Sugata #2
  2. Markus Sesko, Kantei 2: Jigane & Jihada #2
  3. Japanese Sword Index: the important kotō (古刀) swordsmiths

Image credits

  1. The tantō Tokuzen-in Sadamune (徳善院貞宗, Tokuzen-in Sadamune), a National Treasure. (tokuzenin-sadamune.jpg)

    SLIMHANNYA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  2. The Kiriha Sadamune on display, with its carvings at the base of the blade. (kiriha-sadamune-vitrina.jpg)

    Kakidai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  3. The Kikkō Sadamune (亀甲貞宗, Kikkō Sadamune), National Treasure: the whole blade from one side. (kikko-sadamune-1.jpg)

    Tokyo National Museum, ColBase, CC BY 4.0.
  4. The Kikkō Sadamune from the other side. (kikko-sadamune-2.jpg)

    Tokyo National Museum, ColBase, CC BY 4.0.
  5. The nakago of the Kikkō Sadamune, shortened and unsigned, with the start of the hi. (kikko-sadamune-3.jpg)

    Tokyo National Museum, ColBase, CC BY 4.0.
  6. The point of the Kikkō Sadamune: the hamon in notare (湾れ) and the bōshi (帽子). (kikko-sadamune-4.jpg)

    Tokyo National Museum, ColBase, CC BY 4.0.
  7. The nakago from the other side, with the flower in a tortoise shell that gives the blade its name. (kikko-sadamune-6.jpg)

    Tokyo National Museum, ColBase, CC BY 4.0.
  8. The Kiriha Sadamune (切刃貞宗, Kiriha Sadamune), Important Cultural Property: the whole blade. (kiriha-sadamune-hoja.jpg)

    Tokyo National Museum, ColBase, CC BY 4.0.
  9. A tantō attributed to Sadamune, on display at the Tokyo National Museum. (tanto-sadamune-tnm.jpg)

    Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
  10. Poster of the video of the Kagawa Prefectural Museum (video-yHvXLNzDzkE.jpg)

    Still: 香川県立ミュージアム (Kagawa Kenritsu Myūjiamu), on YouTube.
  11. Poster of the video of the Kikkō Sadamune in Tokyo (video-KqXq3ZyZB5U.jpg)

    Still: yoshian yoshi, on YouTube.