Seto Yoshihiro Tachi

This magnificent Tachi perfectly resembles the sought-after style of ichimonji blades.

A deep juka-choji rolling over many times creates fascinating activities allowing for discovery of new highlights every time the blade is appreciated in hand.

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Seto Yoshihiro created this piece in 1989 and subjected it to the annual NBTHK swordsmith competition - it won the chairman award and thus directly contributed to Yoshihiros promotion to a Mukansa smith in 1996. I contacted him directly to inquire for a sayagaki, however Yoshihiro-san refused as he did not want to spoil the shirasaya and thus blade. However, he remembered the tachi as work he was very satisfied with. It greatly resembles the kamakura Fukuoka style in his home province (he still lives in Fukuoka today). He is current director of the japanese swordsmith association.

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There is a very interesting interview with Mr. Yoshihiro in the book 'Modern japanese Swords and Swordsmiths', giving a lot of insights to his work and also his personal journey as a young apprentice and later swordsmit.

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The blade is massive at 77 cm nagasa and 3.6 cm motohaba, yet still elegant with about 3 cm sori.

This nihonto is part of the living heritage of the Fukuoka region and the Fukuoka Ichimonji school of the Kamakura period.

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Please have a look at the video below, please set it to 4K resolution for best apprectiation.

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