Blade for a Sword (Katana)

Kuninari was a swordsmith of the Uda School and active in the late fifteenth century in Etchū province (present-day Toyama Prefecture). Traditional accumulative records of Japanese swordsmiths (meikan) date the maker’s period of activity around the era Bunmei (1469–1487). This style of blade with asymmetrical cross section (katakiriba-zukuri) is rare for that time-period and for that sword type (katana). It is mostly seen on swords of antiquity (before tenth century CE), short swords, and daggers. This rare style and the quality of the workmanship, which is unusually high compared to other works by the Uda School, suggest that the blade was custom ordered by a high-ranking warrior to be worn as companion sword (sashizoe) to his main sword (tachi). During the maker’s period of activity, Japan experienced a decade-long civil war (historically referred to as Upheavel of Ōnin, 1467–77), which ushered in a century of political upheaval, warlordism, and nearly constant military conflicts. For example, warriors of higher ranks began to carry a companion, or ersatz sword, in case their main sword might become damaged in combat.