A Mino katana with a tameshi-giri (body-cutting test) inscription Edo period (1615-1868), dated 1636 Sugata (configuration): honzukuri, iorimune, chu-gissaki, toriizori Kitae (forging pattern): tight ko-itame hada mixed with mokume hada with visible jinie Hamon (tempering pattern): sanbon-sugi with sunagashi in nie and nioi Boshi (tip): midare komi Nakago (tang): ubu with one mekugiana hole and sujikai file marks and with lengthy inscriptions: Kore Kan'ei jusannen hinoe-ne sofu Taira no Morikatsu ni tsukaware . . . tanko Tashiro Kakubei Kanenobu chu no katana nari (This is a katana made by the swordsmith Tashiro Kakubei Kanenobu and used by my grandfather Taira no Morikatsu in 1636) and continuing with details of body-cutting tests performed in various locations including Arita in Hizen Province and the notorious execution grounds at Asakusa in Edo, the shogunal capital; also inscribed on the mune of the tang Ganbun sannen tsuchinoe-uma nigatsu ryojitsu Noshu Anpachigun Daitanjo shoshin Tozawa Shichiroemon Taira no Morinobu (An auspicious day in the second month of 1736, Tozawa Shichiroemon Taira no Morinobu, senior retainer of Daitan Castle, Anpachi District, Mino Province) Habaki (collar): one piece, silver, decorated with a brush fence in katakiribori Nagasa (length from tip to beginning of tang): 28 1/8in (71.4cm) Motohaba (width at start of tempered edge): 1 1/4in (3.2cm) Sakihaba (width before tip): 7/8in (2.2cm) In a shirasaya (wood storage scabbard)