Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Hizen Yukihiro with Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
【Description】
Summary
This blade was forged by Hizen Koku Dewa Daijyo Fujiwara Yukihiro (肥前国出羽大掾藤原行廣), who was especially active during the early Edo period (1644-1673). He was one of the most renowned swordsmiths, being a younger brother of the first-generation Masahiro (Kawauchi Daijyo Masahiro) in Hizen province (Today’s Saga prefecture).
Hizen Koku is another name for Hizen province, and Dewa Daijo is an honorable official title given to him for his excellent craftsmanship. Yukihiro and Masahiro were the grandchildren of the first-gen Tadayoshi, who played an essential role in making the fame of swordsmiths in Hizen nationwide from the early Edo period. The maker’s name Yukihiro lasted six generations, and We confirmed with NBTHK that the first-generation Yukihiro forged this blade.
Yukihiro’s birth name was Hashimoto Kuroheibei, and he was born in the 4th year of the Genwa era (1618) as the second son of Yoshinobu (吉信). His older brother, Masahiro, was 12 years older than he was. It is said that Yukihiro first forged a sword when he was 22 years old(1639).
Serving exclusively for Nabeshima clan, a powerful feudal line, Yukihiro received the title of Dewa Daijyo in 1648 and was promoted to Dewa no Kami in 1663. Considering the fact that this blade has an engraving of Dewa Daijyo, we believe it was made between 1639-1663.
The first-gen Yukihiro visited a swordsmith named Hisatsugu in Nagasaki in 1650 to learn how to use Dutch carbon steel to forge Japanese swords. The Netherlands was the primary country Japan traded in during the Edo period. Since 1650, he signed his name and engraved “forged from Dutch steel” when he used it.
The first-gen Yukihiro sometimes signed ICHI (one in Japanese) before his signature. Because he mastered the Bizen-Ichimonji style ( One of the most famous Japanese sword traditions), and he called himself Hizen Ichimonji.
Hizen Province
Fujiwara Yukihiro and other swordsmiths in the Hizen province worked under the auspices of Nabeshima clan. The swordsmiths in Hizen province were able to produce beautiful Jigane-patterned blades, also known as Hizen To, using and mixing carbon steel made in Netherland.
You can see the beautiful Jigane, which is famous for blades made in Hizen province. Swords forged by the first-gen Yukihiro are also renowned among Japanese sword collectors because of his exquisite craftsmanship and history.
The first-gen Tadayoshi (His grandfather)
The first-gen Tadayoshi was born and raised in the Saga domain. In 1596, under the domain’s order, he went to Kyoto to learn the sword-forging technique from Umetada Myojyu(埋忠明寿), one of the greatest swordsmiths in the early Edo period. He improved his craftsmanship and returned to the Saga domain two years later (1598). The first head of the Nabeshima clan, Nabeshima Katsushige, appreciated the work of the first-gen Tadayoshi very much. Then, Katsushige appointed him as his Okakaekaji, a swordsmith who exclusively forged swords for a specific domain or clan. And Tadayoshi started to stay near Saga castle, which is the headquarter of the Nabeshima clan. And, he founded Hizen Tadayoshi school, which trained more than 100 swordsmiths during the Edo period. Yukihiro is one of them.
It is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token(特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). This authentication paper was only given to authentic Japanese swords, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value.
*Please keep in mind that there is partial rust on the Mune on the blade. We will have this rust polished without any additional cost before shipping the sword to you. There might be an additional month or two for delivery because of the polishing.
【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：69.7 cm (27.4 inches)
Curvature(Sori)： 1.14 cm (0.45 inches)
Hamon：
The crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process
Jimon(Jihada)：
visible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process
Nakago：Nakago is the tang of the Japanese sword.
Japanese swordsmiths left the black rust on the tang because it prevents red rust while the tang is in its handle. And the discoloration of the tang was created over time, and it is a great indicator for a Japanese sword specialist to estimate when the sword was forged.
Koshirae: Koshirae is the mounting of the Japanese sword. There are several parts that consist of Koshirae such as Saya(Scabbard), Tsuka(Handle), Tsuba(Handguard).
Fuchi-Kashira：A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
The surface of this Fuchi Kashira is decorated with the Nanako-Ji (魚子地) technique. This process makes a uniform minimal protrusions pattern by hitting the Nanako-Ji Tagane (魚子地鏨, a chisel for this technique) on a metal surface. This decorative technique is often seen on sword mountings.
The Kiri (桐, paulownia) is the motif of this Fuchi Kashira. And this is a design common to other sword mountings of this Katana’s Koshirae, such as the Menuki and Tsuba. The Kiri pattern is generally composed of three standing straight inflorescences and three leaves. The number of blooming flowers at each inflorescence means the ranks of this design. The imperial family and national leaders of the time once used this plant pattern. Today, this plant pattern is used as the crest of the Japanese Government. According to a tradition, the Houou (鳳凰, Fenghuang, a kind of sacred beast) rests its wings at the paulownia tree; therefore, it has come to be regarded as a holy plant.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
Three paulownias are arranged side by side. Golden paint is applied to each paulownia, and it makes this Menuki’s ornamental look. The Gosan-no-Kiri Monyou (五三の桐文様) is a popular design that the paulownia motif is used. This pattern was once used by the imperial family and people in authority at that time. Today, it is permitted to use by ordinary households and is appreciated as their family crests.
Tsuba and Habaki：Tsuba is the handguard for the Japanese Sword and Habaki is the equipment to make the blade not touch its scabbard inside. It prevents the blade from getting rusty and chipped.
This Tsuba was appraised as a Hozon Tosogu on Feb 16th in the 13rd year of the Heisei era (2001).
This Tsuba was recognized by The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords, which is known as NBTHK. This Tsuba is categorized as the Edo Higo (江戸肥後) style Tsuba. At the end of the Edo period, the Kumagai (熊谷) school, which became the Higo Hosokawa (肥後細川) family’s metalworker lived in Edo Yotsuya (江戸四谷) are. Therefore, this style was called the Edo Higo or Yotsuya Higo (四谷肥後).
About the design, the same as other sword mountings of this Koshirae, paulownias are engraved. In addition, cherry blossoms and Karakusa (唐草, arabesque) patterns are also inlaid with gold and silver. It has a luxurious appearance with gorgeous decorations on both sides.
Saya： Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 101486)
NBTHK, also known as Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai (the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), is one of the oldest Japanese sword appraising organizations in modern-day Japan. They authenticated the blade on October 6th in the 62th year of Showa (1987). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society. The purchaser will receive this original certificate as well. We can also translate what is written into English and make a PDF file for your record if you request.
Registration Number : Tokyo 239686
The Board of Education in Tokyo prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword . It is called Jyu Token Rui Torokusho(銃刀剣類登録証). Bunkacho(The Agency for Cultural Affairs) acknowledges a Japanese sword with this paper as a work of art.
The sword needs to be traditionally hand-forged and made of Tamahagane carbon steel to be registered in the system. With this paper, its owner in Japan can legally own an authentic Japanese sword. Based on this registration number, we will apply for its export permit.
This paper will need to be returned to the board of education when the sword is being shipped abroad, but you can receive a copy of it. An English translation of this registration paper is available on request.
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【About us】
Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on.
【Japanese Sword& Export Process】
The Japanese swords we deal with are hand-forged edged swords made in Japan. It was made from the traditional carbon steel called TAMAHAGANE(玉鋼). Samurai Museum is familiar with the proper legal procedure for an antique/ authentic Japanese sword to be exported from Japan. We have sent more than 500 Japanese swords for the past three years (～2023) to amazing owners who appreciate its historical value.
Each Japanese sword is registered under the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Board of Education in Japan. They issue a registration paper for each Japanese sword for its owner in Japan to legally possess it. The Japanese sword with its registration paper means it was traditionally hand-forged in Japan.
To legally export the sword from Japan to other countries, we will have to apply for its permit to the Agency for Cultural Affairs(Bunkacho) and return the original registration paper to the Board of Education. It normally takes around 2-4 weeks to receive this permit after submitting required documents. And we would like you to expect at least 1-1.5 months for your order to arrive at your given address after you ordered. For more detailed info, please click here.
It is allowed for residents in Japan to own authentic Japanese swords without a special license as long as they come with registration papers. Please feel free to contact us if you are a resident of Japan, whether temporarily or permanently. We will also assist you when you leave Japan and need to obtain an export permit. If you live in Japan, please click here before you make a purchase.
【Payment Method】
We accept payment through Stripe (Credit card), PayPal, Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. Also, you don’t need to make an account on Stripe for the checkout. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. After confirming your payment, we will apply for an export permit. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, CAD,EUR CHF or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate.
* If the amount is above 1 million JPY, Stripe or wire transfer will be the only options for payment.
【Shipping】
We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Hong Kong and Australia. If you don’t live in these countries and like to order, please contact us first before making a purchase. We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can send antique Japanese swords by EMS.
We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office. We will put 100 % insurance on the shipping document without any extra charge. Based on the total amount, there might be a duty tax or other fee for you to pay, depending on the countries. We use package cushioning to protect the item and put it in a PVC pipe, which is one of the most secure packages because of its durability.
It will normally takes 5-14 days for the item to arrive at your given address after we dispatch it. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons.
* If you live in Australia and like to purchase an authentic Japanese sword, please click here to know the detail.
*Please keep in mind that due to the spread of COVID-19, there might be delays in shipping. If you like to know the detail about shipping, please feel free to ask us.
【Review】
Here is one of the reviews we received from a customer who purchased an authentic Japanese sword from us. For more reviews, please click here.
“My experience overall with the whole process was wonderful. I had many questions about the history and process to purchase these treasures. All my questions were answered very timely and complete. The staff is very knowledgeable and very well versed if any questions do arise.”
【How to make sure the condition】
Please keep in mind that what you are going to purchase is an antique item. We uploaded high resolution photos for you to check its condition thoroughly. If you like to see more photos with different angles, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to send them to you so that you can make informed decision. It is essential for us to know that you are happy with your choice of a sword. and we are prepared to use the best of our ability to serve you.
【How To Contact Us】
Please contact us through email, Facebook Messenger or Live Chat if you have any questions. You can find each icon on the right side of the website. Please click one of them to reach us. We will reply to you within 1-2 business days.
【The Art of Nihonto (Japanese Sword)】
Samurai’s history is a profound, eloquent legacy of ancient Japanese warriors in which millions of people worldwide are being fascinated. If you like to find out the art of Nihonto, please click here.
【A Guide to Japanese Sword Maintenance】
After acquiring an genuine Japanese sword, it is also important to know how to take good care of it. Here is the special video for you. Mr. Paul Martin, Japanese sword expert, shows you how to give proper maintenance to your sword. By mastering how to clean the Japanese sword, its aesthetic beauty will last forever.
When you purchase a Japanese sword from us, you can get a Free Japanese sword maintenance kit. It comes with four tools(Choji Oil, Uchiko Whetstone Powder, Peg remover, Oil Applicator). By watching the video instruction above , you can enjoy learning how to maintain your Japanese sword while appreciating it. If you have any difficulty assembling the sword or cleaning the blade, you can feel free to contact us.
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