A very nice katana by the shinshinto smith Henmi Yoshitaka. Henmi Kaisai Yoshitaka was a descendant of Bizen smiths. He studied under the swordsmith the Tenryushi Masataka in Settsu, and then returned to Okayama three years later. He also studied carving from from Okayama’s Shoami Katsuyoshi. He became very popular as a sculptor and won the first prize gold　cup at the exposition in 1887. He presented a tachi to Emperor Taisho and also gave a sculpture of a large dragon to the Haguro Shrine in Kurashiki City.

YOSHITAKA (義隆), Meiji (明治, 1868-1912), Bizen – “Biyō Okayama Henmi Chikukansai Yoshitaka” (備陽岡山逸見竹貫斎義隆), “Henmi Chikukansai Minamoto Yoshitaka” (速見竹貫斎源義隆), “Bizen Okayama-jū Chikukansai Yoshitaka horidōsaku” (備前岡山住逸見竹貫斎義隆彫同作), “Bishū Okayama-jū Chikukansai Henmi Minamoto Yoshitaka” (備州岡山住竹貫斎逸見源義隆), real name Henmi Daikichi (逸見大吉), gō Chikukansai (竹貫斎) and Tōyō (東洋), student of Ozaki Masataka (尾崎正隆), he was an excellent horimono engraver, after the ban on wearing swords he made a living from cutting seals, painting, calligraphy, and bamboo wickerwork, he mastered all these crafts and died in December 1920 at the age of 79, jō-saku