備前真長
Bizen Sanetsune
Description
Bizen Sanetsune (Osafune Sanetsune) is one of the celebrated "Four Heavenly Kings" (Shitennō) of the late Kamakura Osafune school, alongside Mitsutada, Nagamitsu, and Kagemitsu — the constellation of supreme Bizen masters whose work defines the classical pinnacle of Japanese sword art. Active ca. 1321–1338, Sanetsune is regarded as the finest smith of the "Genko Bizen" (元亨備前) period. Believed to have been a student or son of Kagemitsu, Sanetsune inherited the Bizen tradition's mastery of choji-midare while creatively incorporating elements of the Soshu tradition's abundant nie activity. His jihada shows the tight, fine ko-itame of Bizen tradition, but his hamon — featuring complex choji patterns with rich nie, ashi, and yo interweaving in elaborate formations — shows a depth and dynamism that sets him apart from pure Bizen convention. Some works display hako-gunome or large irregular gunome reminiscent of Soshu influence, making his output distinctively transitional between the two great traditions. A tachi bearing the long mei "Osafune Sanetsune" held at the Tokyo National Museum is designated a National Treasure, considered among his finest surviving works. His blades are also preserved at major shrines including Atsuta Jingu. Sanetsune occupies a historically pivotal position as the smith who bridged the late Kamakura golden age with the forthcoming innovations of the Nanbokucho era.
Famous Works
- 太刀（国宝・東京国立博物館）
- 太刀（熱田神宮伝来・重要文化財）