Mei : Oite Minatogawa Jinja Masatada (Ura)
         Chatani Syukei Syosa Oujyu - Showa 16th year August (Omote)
Nagasa : 65 cm
Sori : 1.9 cm
Hamon : Ko-choji gunome midare with fine ashi
Boshi : Ko-maru

Minatogawa Tanrenjo was founded in December, 1940 by two smiths: Murakami Michimasa and Moriwaki Kanme.  Murakami got his art name, Masatada, in July 1941 and started forging and supplied very qualified blades to high rank Naval officers.  If Yasukunito was made for Army, Minatogawa was for Navy.  Masatada, however, had bad illness and left the Shrine in 1942 and died in 1944 at the age of 44.  So, he just stayed only a couple of years at Minatogawa and his blades are extremely rare as he died young.  This excellent Jyumon Tachi (Specially ordered blade by Mr. Chatani who worked as a account Major officer) is his remarkable art.  Minatogawa blades were produced for only 4 years from 1941 to 1944. This blade is also the historical earliest blade signed as "Minatogawa Jinja Masa...". Before this blade was found, it was October 1941 but this blade was made in August 1941. Based on the fact that he got his art name Masatada in July 1941, this blade can be one of his first-made group! Koshirae is also the 1st class level with beautiful same and rayskin saya not plain black lacquered wood.  Blade does not have any size of nick with deep sori and still shows good war-time polishing status. This blade has graceful Koshi-zori (a type of blade curve which has its center nearer the nakago than the kissaki).  If you want to learn more about Minatogawa blade, refer to Mr. Herman Wallinga's article "Gendaito Made at the Minatogawa Shrine" published in the Japanese Sword Society of the United States Journal (volume 33, number 3, 2001).