Kantei
A tantō on a black background, with the tang to the left and two holes, a groove ending in a point and a small engraving on the blade.

Swordsmith of Kaga · Nanbokuchō

Sanekage (真景)

A swordsmith of Kaga in the Nanbokuchō with work dated between 1367 and 1374, whom tradition makes a pupil of Norishige: what is known of him, his style, his few known works and his sources

Sanekage worked in Kaga Province in the Nanbokuchō; his few dated works run from 1367 to 1374. Tradition makes him a pupil of Norishige, of Etchū, with whom he shares the steel of marked grain called matsukawa-hada, and he is regarded as one of the first swordsmiths of Kaga. He is a poorly documented swordsmith: this monograph says what is on record and what is not.

Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase (photo: 岡田愛, Okada Ai)

1367–1374
Dated work
1
Important Cultural Properties
28.8 cm
Blade of the Kyoto tantō
Kaga
Province
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Sanekage, also 加州真景 (Kashū Sanekage), “Sanekage of Kaga” AT
Kanji and reading
真景 (Sanekage) HD
Period
Nanbokuchō; work dated from 1367 (Jōji 6) to 1374 (Ōan 7) AT
Province
Kaga (加賀, Kaga), which his signature writes 加州 (Kashū) or 賀州 (Gashū) HD
School
He is regarded as one of the founders of sword-making in Kaga; his steel recalls that of Norishige AT
Master
Tradition says Norishige, of Etchū; the chronology makes it difficult AT
Signature
加州住真景 (Kashū jū Sanekage) and, on the tantō of 1367, 賀州住真景 (Gashū jū Sanekage) HD
Documented fact and tradition
A signed and dated tantō, Important Cultural Property, and a signed tantō at the Kyoto National Museum. His master is tradition. AT

In short

What we know. A tantō of his, signed and dated in the sixth year of Jōji (1367), has been an Important Cultural Property since 1955, and the Kyoto National Museum holds another tantō signed 加州住真景 (Kashū jū Sanekage).

How we know it. From the collections database of the national museums and the official list of cultural properties; his style, from Markus Sesko and from studies of the school that are not cited here.

What we do not know. When he was born and died, who his master really was and where the tantō of 1367 is today, which the Agency for Cultural Affairs gives as missing. There is no article on him in Wikipedia, neither in Japanese nor in English.

Sections

  1. Kaga · Norishige · the dates Life and times His dated works, the tradition that links him to Norishige and what the chronology says.
  2. Matsukawa-hada · ko-notare Work and style The kantei points recognised in his work: the steel, the temper, the shape and the signature.
  3. Important Cultural Property · museums Famous works The dated tantō of 1367, whose whereabouts are unknown today, and the tantō of the Kyoto National Museum.
  4. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted on 4 October 2026, with their link when possible, and the credit for the image.