Tanto Koyama-Munetsugu (固山宗次) | Katanahanbai.com

Tanto
The sword carried by Kosugi Kenmotsu Suketaka, chief retainer of the Koga Domain
Koyama Munetsugu saku Sokan hori
Koka Ninen Hachigatsu jitsu
Fittings：Kawarinurisaya Tanto koshirae
Huchi Name：Hagiya Katsuhira Menuki Name：Shomin(Unno) Kojiri Name(Owner’s inscription):Kosuginosuke Sugureru
Kogatana Neme:Oite Toto Munetsugu saku korę
固山宗次作宗寛彫
弘化二年八月日
(附)変わり塗鞘短刀拵
縁萩谷勝平目貫勝珉鐺所持者銘小杉輔尤小刀銘　於東都宗次作之

Item NO.	No,K00254	Price	Reserved
Paper	NBTHK Tokubetsu hozon Paper （公益）日本美術刀剣保存協会特別保存刀剣鑑定書
Country	Edo
Period	Edo period（江戸時代）,17th~18th century.
Blade Length	30.0cm
Bottom Width (Motohaba)	3cm
Bottom Thickness (Motokasane)	0.8cm
Keijo	Hirazukuri, Mitsumune, Mihaba hiroku, Kasane atsuku, Sori nashi.
Kitae	Ko-itame tsumi, Jinie komaka ni yoku tsuku.
Hamon	Suguha kichō, Tokorodokoro hotsure, Nioigachichi konie tsuku.
Boushi	Sugu Komaru ni kaeru.
Hori	Omote: Hi no naka ni Fudō Myōō　Ura: Hi no naka ni Kurikara
Nakago	Nubu, Saki kurijiri, Yasurime keshō ni sujikai, Hole 1
Accessories	Kinkise nijū habaki, Shirasaya, Kawari nuri saya tantō koshirae
Details	Kozan Munetsugu was born in 1803 (Kyōwa 3) in Shirakawa, Ōshū. His common name was Sōbee, and he used the art names Issensai and Seiryōsai. He had two brothers, Sōhei and Sōshun. Although his teacher is traditionally said to have been Katō Tsunahide, considering the style of his work, it seems more likely that he was strongly influenced by Katō Tsunetoshi. Kosugi Kenmotsu Suketaka was a karō (chief retainer) of the Doi family of the Koga Domain. He initially served as a swordsmith for the Shirakawa Matsudaira family, but after the domain relocated to Kuwana in Ise Province, he resided in Edo and worked as a swordsmith for the Kuwana Domain. Kozan Munetsugu received his official title in 1845 (Kōka 2), and the details of this event are recorded in the Takami Senseki Diary (an Important Cultural Property), held at the Koga History Museum. The diary contains fascinating information: when traveling to Kyoto to receive the title of Bizen-no-suke from the Imperial Court, he brought nine swords, 200 small swords, and 30 ryō (approximately 850,000 yen at the time) as a catalog. This indicates that receiving an official title required a substantial expense. This tantō was a collaborative work between Kozan Munetsugu and Tairyūsai Sōkan, commissioned by Kosugi Kenmotsu Suketaka. Kosugi was deeply knowledgeable about swords and personally performed the tempering on certain tantō dated Kōka 4 that still exist today. It is believed that this particular tantō was made as a commemorative piece just before Kosugi traveled to Kyoto to bestow the title. The accompanying tantō koshirae features fittings by Hagiya Kappei (fuchi) and Katsumin (menuki), and the kashira is engraved with Kosugi’s own owner’s inscription, “Kosugi Suketaka Yutaka.” The inclusion of both his name and the character “Yutaka” suggests that this was one of his favorite swords. This piece was exhibited at the Koga History Museum in 2025 during the exhibition “Sekka no Tōsō: The Beloved Swords and Craftsmen of Doi Toshikata.”