Rare Minatogawa Shrine Navel Tanto by Masatada with original koshirae (Showa 17 January 1942)

Minatogawa Shrine Tanto by Masatada

Period: Gendai (Showa 17 – January 1942)
Smith: Masatada (real name: Michimasa Murakami)

Historical Background

Masatada, born in Shimane Prefecture, trained in traditional sword-making at the Yasukuni Jinja under the celebrated Kotani Yasunori and also studied with Takahashi Sadatsugu. He later became Chief of the Nihontō Research Department at the Yasuki Hitachi plant.
Together with Masataka, he was one of the founding smiths of the Minatogawa Jinja forge, officially opened on 12 July 1941. Masatada left the shrine in 1942 and died of illness in 1944. During his career he also signed blades as Murakami Muramitsu and Michimasa.

The Minatogawa forge produced swords exclusively for officers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Because of the wartime naval environment and the limited number of swords produced, authentic Minatogawa works are scarce and highly sought after by both militaria collectors and historians.

Blade Description

• Form (Sugata): Tanto, hira-zukuri, slight uchi-zori

• Nagasa (Cutting length): 22.78 cm

• Mune: Mitsu-mune

• Kasane (Thickness): 6.1 mm

• Motohaba (Width at base): 2.16 cm

• Hamon: Nioi-deki ko-gunome with ko-nie mixed in; a consistent nioi-guchi runs the full length of the ha. Delicate ko-ashi and fine kuchigaiba are present.

• Boshi: Ko-maru with a short kaeri (return).

• Kitae: Ko-itame with some o-itame.

• Nakago: Ubu, standard shape with kurijiri; one mekugi-ana; kiri yasurime.
  Signed on the omote: 「(Kikusui) Minatogawa Masatada」.
  Dated on the ura: 「Showa Jū Shichi Nen Ichi Gatsu」 (January 1942).
  The Minatogawa Kikusui mon is engraved.

Mounts and Condition

This blade remains in polish and is free of kizu. It is accompanied by:

• Silver habaki

• Shira-saya and tsunagi for the original Imperial Navy dirk koshirae

• Complete, excellent-condition naval dirk koshirae, all original.

Significance

A rare opportunity to acquire an Imperial Japanese Navy officer’s tanto—an authentic WWII Minatogawa Jinja blade signed and dated by Masatada. It represents both a fine example of traditional gendaitō craftsmanship and an important artifact of Japan’s wartime naval history.