Sennin Katana Sword (仙人) – Immortal Sage

Sennin (仙人): the immortal sage

The sennin are the immortal sages of Taoist tradition, absorbed into Japanese art and mythology. Mountain hermits said to have attained immortality through meditation and a profound understanding of nature, they are most often depicted as bearded elders draped in long robes, wreathed in clouds.

This katana places that figure at the heart of its saya: a bearded sage in a green robe, hand-painted against a backdrop of white swirling clouds. The gilded fittings, adorned with scrollwork and blossoms, extend the same atmosphere of wisdom and refinement across every surface of the piece.

A T10 steel blade with a genuine gunome midare hamon

The blade is forged from T10 steel, a high-carbon tool steel prized for its hardness and edge retention. Clay tempering produces a genuine gunome midare hamon, an undulating, irregular temper line that speaks directly to the craft behind it.

A mirror polish draws a sharp contrast between bright and darkened steel. The geometry follows classical shinogi-zukuri proportions, with a chū-kissaki point and a torii-zori curvature, with no bo-hi groove. Hand-sharpening completes the blade, a level of artisanal finish that makes all the difference.

Golden fittings adorned with scrollwork and blossoms

The kawari-gata tsuba, shaped as a rosette, is crafted in gilded copper. It is extensively pierced (sukashi) with karakusa scroll motifs across a polished (migaki) surface enriched with fine engraved detail (kebori). Two gilded brass seppa with fluted edges frame it on either side.

The gilded copper fuchi is chiselled with floral motifs highlighted in gold and silver inlay, while the patinated brown copper kashira bears blossoms in relief with gilded and silvered iroe accents. The handle is wrapped over wood in genuine white samegawa, bound with teal tsuka-ito in hineri-maki braid, with gilded menuki set beneath. The smooth gilded copper ichimai habaki carries a struck circular kamon.

A saya painted with the immortal sage

The saya is crafted from solid wood beneath a roiro-nuri high-gloss black lacquer finish, onto which a bearded figure in a green robe is hand-painted, surrounded by white swirling clouds. The rounded (maru) koiguchi and kojiri are fashioned in polished amber buffalo horn, as is the kurikata, which holds a dark green and ivory cotton sageo.

Dimensions and handling

With a blade of 71 cm and an overall length of 103 cm, the Sennin carries the proportions of a traditional katana. Its 26.5 cm tsuka allows a firm two-handed grip. At 1.5 kg, it offers a commanding presence in the hand. Sheathed, it measures 105 cm, ideal for display that does full justice to its hand-painted décor.