A Rare Dated Katana by Minamoto Kinshirō (1689)

A truly once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece, featuring an extraordinarily rare and unconventional construction.

📜 Signed, Dated, and Historically Significant

This sword is a signed blade made by Minamoto Kinsirō, the son and successor of Ōmi no Kami Hisamichi

(also known as the second-generation Hisamichi).

It bears a clearly inscribed date on the tang, stating:

• August, Genroku 2 (1689)
  
  

• Forged when the swordsmith was 64 years old, during the height of his mature mastery
  
  

A blade with a clear date, known maker, and advanced age at forging is extremely rare, making this sword exceptionally valuable as a historical reference piece.

🏯 The Hisamichi Lineage & Kinsirō

■ The Hisamichi Family

The first-generation Hisamichi was a prominent student of the second-generation Iga no Kami Kanemichi and rose to great prominence.

He was selected as one of the “Five Great Swordsmiths of Kyoto”, alongside masters such as:

• Iga no Kami Rai Kanemichi
  

• Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi
  

• Awataguchi Ōmi no Kami Tadatsuna
  

• Etchū no Kami Masatoshi
  

As a leading figure of the Sanpin school, he established the Ōmi no Kami Hisamichi line, a prestigious Kyoto swordsmith family.

👉 This makes the sword an especially meaningful match for your own roots and background.

■ Kinsirō (Second-Generation Hisamichi)

Kinsirō was originally the second son of the second-generation Rai Kanemichi.

He was adopted by the first-generation Hisamichi and later inherited the family line.

• Childhood name: Kinsirō
  

• Early signature: “Hisatsugu”
  

• Later granted the official title Ōmi no Kami
  
  

This sword was forged at the height of his technical skill and spiritual maturity, showing absolutely no compromise in design or execution.

⚒ Extremely Rare and Unconventional Construction

One of the most remarkable features of this sword is its highly unusual blade construction.

• The base of the blade is hira-zukuri (flat construction)
  

• Toward the tip, it transitions into shinogi-zukuri (ridged construction)
  
  

This transition is exceptionally natural and seamless—

so smooth that if you cover the boundary with your hand, the blade appears to be entirely shinogi-zukuri.

Unlike more extreme styles that dramatically thin the blade, this construction preserves strength and elegance.

It can best be described as a hybrid construction, blending flat and ridged styles into one unified form.

Examples of this type are extremely rare, and unless one is a deliberate collector of unusual masterpieces, it is unlikely to ever be encountered.

📏 Shape & Dimensions

• Blade length: 68.6 cm
  

• Curvature: 2.4 cm
  

• Width at base: 35.7 mm
  

• Width at tip: 25.4 mm
  

• Thickness at base: 7.8 mm
  

• Thickness at tip: 4.4 mm
  

• Blade weight: approx. 786 g
  
  

The blade is wide and deeply curved, achieving a rare balance of powerful presence and graceful elegance.

• The openness and flow come from hira-zukuri
  

• The tension and discipline come from shinogi-zukuri
  
  

Both qualities coexist at a remarkably high level.

🔥 Steel & Hamon Details

• Hamon: Pointed gunome pattern with fine nie
  

• Activities: Prominent kinsuji (golden lines), inazuma (lightning-like effects), and hataraki
  

• Boshi (tip temper): Straight tone with a large rounded turn-back, refined and dignified
  

• Forging pattern: Tightly forged itame (wood-grain steel)
  
  

As expected from a blade made during a master’s mature period, it is not flashy at first glance—

yet the more you study it, the more detail and depth you discover.

🗡 Mountings & Tang

• Fitted with ikkansaki-maki style koshirae
  

• Decorative kesho-sujikai and katte-sagari file marks
  

• Tang tip: iriyamagata shape
  

• Mekugi-ana (peg holes): 1
  
  

The koshirae is unified in black, providing a dignified presence that fully supports the blade’s unique form and high status.

📈 Evaluation & Collector Value

Works by the second-generation Hisamichi have been known to command exceptionally high prices, due to:

• their clear lineage
  

• distinctive workmanship
  

• and strong historical documentation
  

In particular, blades that combine:

• a clear date inscription
  

• forging at an advanced age
  

• and highly unconventional construction
  
  

are often valued beyond standard market expectations and are well known among advanced collectors.

This sword meets all of those conditions and adds an irreproducible construction, making it an extraordinarily distinctive piece.