Katana Akatombo (Golden Manganese Steel)

The akatombo is the red dragonfly that appears over Japanese rice paddies in September, just before the harvest. It is a classic symbol of early autumn and the subject of a beloved 1921 folk song by Miki Rofū — a song every Japanese schoolchild learns by heart. The Katana Akatombo channels that quality of nostalgic, seasonal symbolism.

The manganese steel blade features a golden finish: the gilding over the dark manganese base produces an unusual chromatic effect reminiscent of a dragonfly’s iridescent wings in the late-afternoon sun. Nagasa approximately 70 cm, hardness 58–60 HRC.

The fittings embrace an early-autumn palette: lobster-red ito over dark samegawa, a gilded bronze tsuba with a stylized dragonfly motif (elongated body and outstretched wings), a tobacco-brown lacquered saya with gold accents, and mustard sageo. Burnished gold habaki.

Ideal for collectors with ties to Japan who remember the song, a display piece for interiors with rustic or pastoral references, and a nostalgic gift for admirers of Japanese folk culture or those who have traveled through rural prefectures in September. A katana that holds an elementary-school memory.