Kantei
Iron chisels of various shapes, two small hammers and a magnifying glass in a leather case, on a white background.

Swordsmith of Matsuyama (Ehime) · 1902-1968

Takahashi Sadatsugu (高橋貞次)

A swordsmith of Ehime, a pupil of the Gassan, who in 1955 was the first Living National Treasure of the Japanese sword: his life, his work, his prizes and his sources

Takahashi Sadatsugu (高橋貞次, Takahashi Sadatsugu) was born in 1902 in Ehime and forged in Matsuyama. He learned under the Gassan of Osaka, forged swords for the great shrines and for the imperial family, and in 1955 was the first swordsmith named a Living National Treasure. He is remembered above all as an engraver of blades.

Photo: Ehime Museum of History and Culture

1902
Born in Ehime
1968
Dies
1955
Living National Treasure, the first of the swordsmiths
6
Works of his in the Tokyo National Museum
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Takahashi Sadatsugu; he signed Ryūōji Sadatsugu and, after becoming a Living National Treasure, Ryūsen Sadatsugu HD
Kanji and reading
高橋貞次 (Takahashi Sadatsugu) · 龍王子 (Ryūōji) · 龍泉 (Ryūsen) HD
Birth and death
14 April 1902, in Ōmachi, now Saijō (Ehime) · 21 August 1968 AT
Where he forged
Matsuyama (Ehime), in the Ishite district, from 1936; Kotobank brings the move to Matsuyama forward to 1930 AT
Masters
月山貞一 (Gassan Sadakazu) and his son 月山貞勝 (Gassan Sadakatsu), in Osaka, from 1917; later, an apprentice of the 中央刀剣会 (Chūō Tōken-kai) in Tokyo AT
School or tradition
Trained with the Gassan; he excelled in the Bizen tradition and mastered the five traditions (五箇伝, gokaden) AT
Licence
He forged before the war; after the ban of 1945, licensed forging reopened in 1953 AT
Rank
Living National Treasure (重要無形文化財「日本刀」保持者, jūyō mukei bunkazai Nihontō hojisha) since 1955; NBTHK mukansa in 1958, according to Markus Sesko AT

In short

What we know. The 2019 NBTHK catalogue exhibits him among the holders of the intangible cultural property “Japanese sword”, with a katana and a wakizashi of February 1958 made at the request of Ehime prefecture. The Tokyo National Museum holds six works of his, among them a tachi of 1960 forged with the steel left over from the protective sword of Prince Naruhito.

How we know it. His life is told by the Japanese Wikipedia, the Kotobank biographical dictionary, Ehime Kioku and the Ehime Museum of History and Culture, which holds part of his forge.

What we do not know. The exact year in which he opened his Matsuyama forge (1930 or 1936), that of his appointment as mukansa, which only one source gives, and who his pupils were.

Sections

  1. Gassan · Matsuyama · Ise Life and forging His apprenticeship in Osaka and Tokyo, his forge in Matsuyama, the post-war years and the swords for the imperial family.
  2. Bizen · engraving · dragons Work and style The Bizen tradition, the engraving of the blades and his works in museums and in the NBTHK catalogues.
  3. Living National Treasure · Imperial Household Prizes His prizes and his titles, from the 1938 exhibition to the designation of 1955.
  4. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted on 4 October 2026, with their link where possible, and the credit for each image.