Designated Cultural Property of Sakata City
Meigatsusan
Early Muromachi period (15th century)
Donated by Mr. Walter Compton, 1966 (entrusted at the Japanese Sword Museum)
The Gassan School of swordsmiths was based at the foot of Mount Gassan in Dewa Province (modern day Yamagata Prefecture) between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods. The characteristic feature of Gassan swords is the wavy ayasugi hada pattern that appears on the surface over the entire blade, also known as Gassan hada.
This sword displays features typical of the Gassan style, has the inscription “Gassan-saku” (“crafted by Gassan”) on the front, and has been dated back to the Muromachi period. It was donated to the museum by American sword enthusiast Walter Compton.