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

Soshu Sadamune is said to be a son of Masamune and commonly called Hikoshiro. He was a swordsmith who actively produced swords from the end of the Kamakura period to the Northern and Southern Courts period. The name of the sword is derived from Ishida Mitsunari, who used to own this sword. Later the sword was handed down to the Sakakibara family. It is a wide, curved sword with a wood grain-patterned ground metal with lots of chikei (curved lines made of martensite crystals). The hamon (blade pattern) shows notareba (a gently undulating pattern) with lots of martensite crystals. Sadamune's hamon looks gentler than the hamon of his master Masamune and this sword demonstrates Sadamune's characteristics well. Some Sanskrit characters are engraved on both sides of the blade.