Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Kunihira with Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
【Description】
Summery
This blade was signed by Satusma Koku Ju Kunihira (薩摩国住国平), who was active during the mid Edo period (the early – mid 18th century). According to its NBTHK appraisal, this blade was forged during the Enkyo era (1744-1748). Satusma Koku is the area which was located in today’s Kagoshima prefecture, and Satsuma Koku Ju means he resided in this area when he forged the blade. Kunihira is also called Oku Taro Zaemon. Kunihira first signed Tadakane (忠金) or Kaneyoshi (包善) as his signature on his blades, and later changed it to Kunihira (国平).
Satsuma province had a high ratio of Samurai population compared to other parts of Japan. And they are famous for their military power ruled by Shimazu clan. We assume a swordsmith needed to be very skilled to stay active and popular in this demanding place. Kunihira was one of them.
In 1721, he went to Edo to forge swords at the Shiba hama Palace, under the wardship of Masakiyo and Yasuyo, who had been invited by the Shogunate. His blades still have been highly appreciated.
His background
He is said to be the nephew or cousin of Oku Tadakiyo, a swordsmith of Satsuma province. And he learned sword-forging techniques from Maruta Sozaemon Masafusa, who was an apprentice of Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa, a representative swordsmith of Mino province (today’s Gifu prefecture) in the late Muromachi period. Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa is also known as an Okakaekaji, a swordsmith who exclusively forged swords for a specific domain or clan, of Oda Nobunaga (織田信長), one of the most famous warlords in history. Mino province is also famous for the sword-forging tradition called MINO-DEN (美濃伝). Masafusa moved from Mino to Satsuma later and became a founder of a group of swordsmiths which adopted the Mino style, so his apprentice Kunihira also might have been influenced by such traditional sword-forging style.
MINO-DEN
The swordsmiths of Mino province, with their unwavering dedication and unparalleled craftsmanship, developed a unique sword-forging tradition known as MINO-DEN. This tradition was characterized by the TOGARI (Pointed shapes protruding from the Hamon ) in a classic straight line and a random temper line with some white Utsuri. MINO-DEN, with its roots in YAMATO-DEN in the late KAMAKURA period (1280-1330), flourished during the Nanbokucho-Muromachi period (1333-1573) and continued its legacy until the Edo period (1603-1868). The evolution and endurance of MINO-DEN stand as a testament to the skill and artistry of these swordsmiths.
MINO-DEN especially prospered during Sengoku Jidai (Warring State period) due to the high demand for weapons. And the location of Mino province beat others. Akechi Mitsuhide controlled Mino province, Nobunaga Oda ruled Owari province, and Tokugawa Ieyasu was the lord of Suruga (Neighboring areas). There was high demand from those powerful feudal lords and their retainers. Furthermore, so many wars occurred between the Kanto region and the Kyoto area. Mino was located in the middle, making feudal lords feel it was convenient to order swords from MINO-DEN. The blades forged in MINO provinces also had a reputation for their practical design and sharpness. Many feudal lords demanded swords forged in the Mino province.
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 are a couple of chips on this blade. If you purchase this Katana, we will be happy to have these parts polished without additional cost so that the chip will be much less noticeable. We would like you to bear in mind that it will take additional months before receiving the sword because of the polishing.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：71.5 cm (28.1 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：1.0 cm (0.39 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
Kissaki：Kissaki is the tip of the Japanese sword.
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).
The sword mountings of this Katana’s Koshirae are related to one motif: Hannya-no Men/Hannya (般若面/般若). Hannya-no Men/Hannya is a kind of Noh (能, a form of Japanese drama performed in masks and costumes), and is a mask of a vengeful spirit that expresses a woman’s jealousy and resentment. Therefore, a Hannya is a mask of a Kijo (鬼女, a monster that turned a human woman into a demon, a female demon). There are two long horns on its forehead. On the top of the head, like other female masks such as Ko-Omote (小面), the hair is drawn on the left and right, but in the case of Hannya, the hair is disheveled to express a ferocious look. Artificial eyebrows (eyebrows drawn with eyebrow ink above the original eyebrows) are drawn on the forehead. The eyes beneath the furrowed eyebrows are opened with enlarged pupils. The mouth opens wide, revealing upper and lower teeth fitted with metal fittings and two pairs of fangs. The characteristic feature of the Hannya mask is that the upper half has a sad expression with frowning eyebrows, while the lower half has a wide-open mouth expressing fierce anger. This kind of design is said to represent the dual nature of the demon woman’s heart, which is filled with anger and sadness.
Fuchi-Kashira：A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
Karakusa (唐草, arabesque) pattern is depicted on the Fuchi. The Karakusa pattern is a design in which stems and leaves of vines are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows up without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. Vine is called Tsuru (蔓) in Japanese, and it has another pronunciation; “Man.” There is a word 万 (it is also read Man), which means ten thousand. In the Karakusa pattern, leaves and vines are connected like Obi (帯, belt). The word “帯” can also be read “Tai.” Due to its pronunciation, the term “代 (Tai)” is associated. From this word-association game, an idiom 万代 is associated, and it means a thousand generations. In other words, we could imagine that people used this design wishing prosperity and longevity for their clans for a long time.
As for the Kashira part, Hannya-no Men/Hannya (般若面/般若) is engraved three-dimensionally. Its horns are cut short, but the fearful expression on its face is still striking.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
The Hannya-no Men/Hannya (般若面/般若) on this Menuki has horns, eyes, and a tongue, which are painted gold, adding decorativeness to it.
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.
The front side of this Tsuba, the impressive Hannya-no Men/Hannya (般若面/般若) is carved in high relief. Also, if you look at the back side, you can find a T-shaped stick. It might be Uchizue (打杖), which is one of the props used in Noh plays. It is usually used by demons, dragon gods, and others to use their divine powers.
Saya：Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
On the head of this Saya, it seems Kinchaku (巾着, money pouch), also called Kinno (金嚢, money bag), is depicted. It is a bag used to hold amulets, money, perfumes, or others. It is made of beautiful cloth, and the mouth is tied with a string. The Kinchaku is one of the motifs of the Takaradukushi (宝尽くし) pattern, which is a combination of various treasures and each item has good meanings. It is said these motifs would bring good luck. The Kinchaku pattern has also been applied to various items such as Kimono (着物, traditional Japanese costume) and Obi (帯, belt for Kimono).
Authentication Paper：NBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 1022189)
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 Feb 21st in the 6th year of Reiwa (2024). 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 : Hyogo 43120
The Board of Education in Hyogo 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 700 Japanese swords for the past few years (～2024) 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 the export permit.
【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, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, 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.
* If you live in the UK and like to purchase an authentic Japanese sword, please contact us first and click here to know the detail.
【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】
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【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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