前田利家

Maeda Toshiie, famed as 'Mataza of the Spear,' was a fierce warrior who distinguished himself from his youth as a member of Oda Nobunaga's elite Akahoroshu. A master spearman, he went on to lay the foundations of the million-koku Kaga domain and became one of the Five Elders of the Toyotomi regime. Toshiie was also an avid sword collector. The Maeda house accumulated many great swords, foremost among them Ōdenta Mitsuyo, one of the Tenka Goken (Five Swords Under Heaven). This tachi has been treasured as a Maeda family heirloom across generations and is designated a National Treasure. Toshiie frequently received fine blades as gifts from Nobunaga, and the Kaga domain boasted one of Japan's premier sword collections throughout the Edo period. The Maeda collection is celebrated for its quality, and Kaga's rich sword culture was built on the foundations Toshiie established.