Those belonging to the Sanpin (三品,Mishina) lineage include Kinmichi (金道, Iga-no-Kami 伊賀守 and Izumi-no-Kami 和泉守), Yoshimichi (吉道, Tanba-no-Kami 丹波守), and Masatoshi (正俊, Etchū-no-Kami 越中守). They were all brothers, sons of Kanemichi (兼道) of Mino Seki (美濃関).
During the Eiroku era (永禄), Kanemichi moved to Kyoto with his four sons and settled in Nishinotoin Ebisugawa (西洞院夷川), where they devoted themselves to sword forging. Since their family name was Sanpin (三品), this group is collectively known as Sanpin-mono (三品物, also read as Sanbin-mono).
Izumi-no-Kami Kinmichi (和泉守金道) was the younger brother of the first-generation Iga-no-Kami Kinmichi (伊賀守金道), and his workmanship closely resembles that of the second-generation Iga-no-Kami Kinmichi (伊賀守金道). His inscriptions include “Izumi-no-Kami Rai Kinmichi (和泉守来金道)” and “Fujiwara Rai Kinmichi (藤原来金道)”, often with uragiku (裏菊) engraved on the tang.
The second-generation Izumi-no-Kami Kinmichi (和泉守金道) sometimes inscribed his swords as “Hokyō Fujiwara Rai Kinmichi (法橋藤原来金道)” or “Daihōshi Eisensho Hokyō Rai Kinmichi (大法師栄泉法橋来金道)”, and often collaborated with the third-generation Izumi-no-Kami Kinmichi (和泉守金道). These works commonly feature uragiku (裏菊) or edagiku (枝菊) engraved above the mei. However, as generations passed, the quality of the Izumi-no-Kami (和泉守) lineage gradually declined.
Others under this lineage who signed as Echigo-no-Kami (越後守) or Izu-no-Kami (伊豆守), as well as smiths like Omi-no-Kami Hisamichi (近江守久道), also belong to this family. Among these, Omi-no-Kami Hisamichi (近江守久道) is regarded as slightly superior, while the others are comparable to their Iga-no-Kami (伊賀守) and Izumi-no-Kami (和泉守) contemporaries of the same period.
This particular wakizashi (脇差) was forged by the third-generation Izumi-no-Kami Rai Kinmichi (和泉守来金道) around the Enpō era (延宝頃). The blade length is approximately 1 shaku 7 sun 6 bu (一尺七寸六分) — about 53.3 cm, with the width(motohaba) at the base slightly over 1 sun (一寸). The blade retains its width toward the tip, creating a strong, weighty impression with a refined, elegant appearance.
Motohaba : 33.5mm Sakihaba : 23.2mm Kasane : 8.6mm
The jigane (地鉄) features a well-forged itame-hada (板目肌), tightly compacted with abundant ji-nie (地沸), producing a strong and high-quality steel.
The hamon (刃文) begins with a Kyoto-style yakidashi (焼き出し) and consists of large, vibrant gunome (互の目) mixed with occasional tobiyaki (飛焼). Active ashi (足) enter the hamon, the soft nioiguchi (匂口) is thick with small ko-nie (小沸), and fine sunagashi (砂流し) and kinsuji (金筋) appear along the ha-saki (刃先).
The boshi (帽子) is straight with a small rounded komaru (小丸) return. The nakago (茎) is unshortened and retains its original sabi-aji (錆味), with neatly cut yasurime (鑢目) and mei (銘), all indicating a well-preserved and highly desirable condition. It is ranked as a wazamono (業物).
