A Blade That Awakens in Silence — The Kodachi by Dohi Shinryō

With a Matching Tamahagane Tsuba Signed “Shinryō Dōsaku”

Deep in the dark,

a blade sleeps.

Then — in a sudden breath —

it draws in the light and appears before you.

This kodachi carries that kind of presence.

A quiet awareness that feels… alive.

Twin Signatures, One Soul

On the blade: “Dohi Shinryō”

On the tsuba: “Shinryō Dōsaku”

Forged from the same tamahagane,

by the same hand,

with the same spirit.

A sword and tsuba born together as equals —

not paired later, but created as one.

In the sword world, such unity is astonishingly rare.

Pieces like this almost never reach the market.

A Disciple of Greatness —The Lineage of Inoue Shinkai

Shinryō is recorded as a top disciple of Inoue Shinkai,

the master whose name stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Sukehiro,

ruling Osaka-shinto as a twin peak of excellence.

Shinkai’s work is revered for perfection in:

• Hamon
• Jigane
• Sugata
  
  

To inherit that legacy…

and then to push further —

to forge not only the blade but also the tsuba…

this is no mere “creation.”

It is a declaration of will.

A Philosophy Shared with the Great Suishinshi Masahide

There is another spirit intertwined with this work:

Suishinshi Masahide

— pioneer of the grand revival of Japanese swordcraft.

His belief:

“A sword is one unified art — blade, forging, and fittings must breathe together.”

This kodachi stands as a pure embodiment of that ideal.

🔥The Silent Flame Within the Blade

• Nagasa: 59.8 cm

• A proud length for a kodachi

• Sori: 1.8 cm — a graceful tension through its stance
  
  

When light touches the blade,

a calm fire glows deep within the steel.

Not just polish.

Not a mere artifact.

A trace of the swordsmith’s breathing remains.

The gentle taper from base to tip reveals

the elegant flow characteristic of Shinkai’s lineage.

This is not simply a kodachi.

It cuts in motion and captivates in stillness —

a rare balance of martial strength and poetic beauty.

The Tamahagane Tsuba

The Second Edge of the Sword

Look closely.

This tsuba isn’t ordinary iron.

Its dense skin, muted shine, and dark depth

hint unmistakably at tamahagane.

Forging the tsuba from the same material as the blade is not “luxury.”

It is deviation — a bold pursuit of perfect unity.

Like a hidden blade encircling the heart of the sword,

its material and soul match the steel it protects.

Gold-Finished Fittings —Proof of High Status

Gold-covered habaki.

Gold-finished seppa.

Not flashy —

but silently dignified.

Gold fittings were reserved for upper samurai ranks

or presentation pieces of the highest grade.

Here, gold is not decoration.

It is rank made visible.

Koshirae of Quiet Authority

• Total koshirae length: 87.4 cm
  

• Deep black lacquered saya — calm, yet commanding
  

• Polished rayskin glowing like aged amber beneath the black tsukaito
  
  

Nothing gaudy.

Nothing wasted.

Just refined pressure —

a presence that stands above words.

A Sword to Be Welcomed, Not Owned

• Inscribed with Dohi Shinryō
  

• A direct successor to the greatness of Inoue Shinkai
  

• A creation aligned with the ideals of Suishinshi Masahide
  

• A tamahagane tsuba signed “Shinryō Dōsaku”
  

• Highest-grade gold fittings
  

• A perfectly unified koshirae
  
  

This sword is not something you simply collect.

It is something you invite into your life.

Quietly breathing in the shadows,

waiting for the one who understands it —

the moment you take it into your hand,

it awakens.