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Updated: 29 Mar 2024

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Moritsuna
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

$5,554.09

DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
*There might be delay in shipment depending on countries

SHIPPING TO : USA, Australia, UK, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Hong Kong
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Mounting, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

Category Katana( SHIN TO)
Age Ealy Edo Period(1624-1645: Kansei era)
Swordsmith Sakon Shogen Moritsuna(左近将監盛綱)
Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
Location Awa province (Today’s Tokushima prefecture)
Blade Size Length: 61.3  cm( 24.1 inches) , Curvature:1.0 cm(0.39 inches)

Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Moritsuna with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate 

【Description】

This blade was forged by Sakon Shogen Moritsuna(左近将監盛綱), who lived in Awa province in Tokushima prefecture during the early Edo period(approx 1624-1645: Kansei era). Sakon Shogen is the name of an official position in the ancient Japanese government. Given that he inscribed this job title in his signature, he must have been skilled enough to receive this honorable title.

During the early Edo period, Awa province was ruled by Hachisuka(蜂須賀) clan. Hachisuka clan flourished by serving Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi before the Edo period and also served Tokugawa clan during the Edo period. Since Moritsuna lived in Awa province and highly skilled, we assume that he might have worked for Hachisuka clan, forging swords for them. The smith’s name Moritsuna lasted until the modern-day.

You can see the beautiful Midare Hamon on this blade, and it is in excellent condition. The blade is accompanied by beautiful sword mountings with a traditional black scabbard.
This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon certificate issued by NBTHK. This authentication paper was only given to Japanese swords, especially worth preserving by Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai(the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword).

【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)61.3  cm( 24.1 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


 

NakagoNakago 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(Sabbard), Tsuka(Handle), Tsuba(Handguard).

 

Fuchi-KashiraA pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.

 A scene at the waterside is depicted for this Fuchi Kashira. A boat is parked, and three birds are flying in the sky. You could find birds in the following photo of the Tsuka. These birds might be wild geese. The wild goose is a migratory bird that represents fall. Its pattern is also called “Karigane (雁金)” and used for family crests. This bird is engraved by not only a realistic figure but also a very simplified shape: Hiragana (ひらがな, a kind of Japanese letter) “he (へ)” shape that sometimes makes also wild goose. The surface of Fuchi is decorated with the Nanakoji technique (魚子地). The ground is hit by the Nanako-Ji Tagane (魚子地鏨, chisel used for this technique). It makes delicate fish egg-shaped protrusions on the entire surface of the Tsuba. The Nanako-Ji with the same size of particles lined up regularly makes us feel the maker’s expert skill.

Tsuka and MenukiTsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.

 By seeing the golden turtle’s shell, this Menuki’s motif might be a turtle. Also, we could guess that it is the Genbu (玄武, Xuanwu / Black Tortoise) as we can see the head that probably has a long neck that allows you to look straight back. Genbu is a member of Shijin (四神, Four Symbols of the Chinese mythology). Shijin controls four directions of the sky; the Genbu protects north. Its appearance is often depicted as a long-legged turtle coiled with snakes. In ancient China, a theory regarded a turtle as the symbol of longevity and immortality, and a snake was considered the symbol of reproduction and propagation. This motif might have been brought to Japan with this idea. In Japan, the turtle pattern itself has been appreciated for a long time as a symbol of longevity, the same as a Chinese theory.  
   
Tsuba and HabakiTsuba 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. 

 Yotsu-Mokkou-shaped iron Tsuba that has Kozuka and Kougai holes. It seems the same type of bird is designed for this Tsuba, the same as the Fuchi Kashira. These birds are engraved in semi-three-dimensionally. Their eyes, legs, and straight lines that express the flow of the wind are inlaid with brass. Thanks to these lines, this Tsuba’s design has a dynamism; you would enjoy the vitality appearances of wild geese. We would imagine that these birds’ looks have the same concept in Samurai’s figure who will go to the battlefield. 

Saya Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.  

Authentication PaperNBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade

 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 December 2th in the first year of Reiwa (2019). 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 226808
  The Board of Education in Tokyo prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword . In order to obtain this paper, the sword needs to be traditionally hand forged. With this paper, its owner can legally own an authentic Japanese sword in Japan. This paper will need to be returned to the board of education when the sword being shipped abroad but you can receive a copy of it. 

 

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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 300 Japanese swords 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. 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, EUR or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate.

【Shipping】
  We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, UK, Germany , France and Hong Kong. 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 either EMS or FedEx(USA, Australia, Canada).

  We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. When we receive an order from the USA, Australia or Canada we will use FedEx instead as EMS temporarily stops shipping from Japan to those countries due to COVID-19.

  We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office/FedEx. 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.

  *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.

【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.

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. When you purchase a Japanese sword from us, you can get a Free sword maintenance kit, which appears in this video.

MORE ANTIQUE JAPANESE SWORD FOR SALE

READ KATANA ARCHIVE ARTICLE(Episode1-8)

LEARN JAPANESE SWORD TERMINOLOGY

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