Two blades, both made in the fall of 2006, have been added to the sword gallery. There is a truely lovely blade in koshirae by the shinsakuto smith Higo Kikuchi ju Koretada. It is pushing ni shaku go but the shape and bohi give it a light and very balanced feel. The mounts are a combination of new saya and tsuka with an Edo period tsuba and menuki. A very nice piece of work.

The second blade is made in the style of Minamoto no Kiyomaro, the very famous shinshinto smith, by Hizen no Kuni Kazuyoshi, another contemporary smith. This blade has a magnificient sugata based on the grand osuriage Nambokucho blades that have been treasured for centuries. The imposing O-kissaki and the hefty motohaba and kasane are impressive.

Both blades are well-forged itame hada and have ashi and other activity in the hamaon and ha. Both have solid silver habaki, pretty obviously made by the same hand. The Koretada has running kinsuji and inazuma in the gunome midare hamon. Both blades are nice pieces, each with a different aesthetic.