A Chikakage Naginata-Naoshi Katana (近景)

Chikakage (近景) worked at Osafune in Bizen province and is traditionally recorded as the son of Chikatsune and a student of Nagamitsu. His dated works span from the Bunpô era (1317-1319) at the close of the Kamakura period to the Jôwa era (1345-1350) deep in the Nanbokuchô. Among all the smiths of the Nagamitsu school his style is closest to that of Kagemitsu, and their signature styles are similarly akin. Chikakage is ranked jôjô-saku – highly superior – and stands among the greatest smiths of the mainline Osafune tradition. One of his tachi has been designated a National Treasure, one of approximately 120 swords and fittings to hold that distinction in all of Japanese history.

This blade is a naginata-naoshi – originally forged as a naginata of extraordinary scale, later reconfigured as a katana. The original length is estimated at approximately 85 to 89 centimetres, making it likely the longest naginata Chikakage ever produced. The conversion preserved only part of the original inscription: the tang was folded over during shortening to create an orikaeshi-mei, and what survives is the partial date Jôwa 5 (1349) – the smith’s name was cut away in the process. Of all the swords that hold NBTHK Tokubetsu Jûyô designation, only twenty carry an orikaeshi-mei. The blade retains the commanding sugata of the great Nanbokuchô naginata: wide mihaba, shallow sori, and an extraordinary ô-kissaki of 15.7cm. The jihada is itame mixed with mokume, with ji-nie and a clear midare-utsuri. The hamon is a ko-gunome mixed with ko-chôji, rich in ashi, yô, and kinsuji, with noticeable peaks and valleys and a uniformly healthy energy throughout – both ji and ha strikingly kenzen. Thin koshi-bi run on both sides as kaki-nagashi into the tang. The date inscription was chiseled in gyaku-tagane (reverse stroke order), a technique the NBTHK recognised as characteristic of Chikakage and central to their firm attribution.

According to sword researcher Markus Sesko, considering all top-ranked works of Chikakage (Jûyô and higher), this naginata-naoshi belongs to an elite group of six that represent the greatest masterworks of its type by this smith. The blade carries a sayagaki by Dr. Honma Junji (Kunzan, 1904-1991), former director of the NBTHK, written at his Kugayama residence in June 1984. It is fitted with a gold niju-habaki with crisp file marks. NBTHK Tokubetsu Jûyô Tôken, 12th session, 1992 – certificate no. 490.