National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The Hosho school in Yamato no Kuni was a group of swordsmiths who lived in Takaichi-gun, as written in the inscription, including Sadayoshi, Sadamune and Sadakiyo. Their swords feature a jigane (ground metal) with a straight grain pattern (masumehada) and a hamon (blade pattern) in the suguha (straight) style with nie (small martensite crystals). This short sword in the hirazukuri (a flat sword without any ridgelines) style is thick and large with the pseudonym of "Daihosho." This short sword and Meibutsu Kuwayama Hosho are said to be Sadayoshi's best works. During the Edo period, this short sword was owned by the Maeda family in the Kaga domain.