on the right corner of the photo.Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Naohide with Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
【Description】
Summary
This blade was signed by Soji Katsuya Naohide (荘司勝弥直秀) in the second year of the Keio era (1866: The end of the Edo period). Naohide was a highly skilled swordsmith active from the late Edo to the beginning of Meiji period. He was born in Tenpō 4 (天保四年, 1833) as the second son of Jirōtarō Naokatsu (次郎太郎直勝) and was the grandson of the renowned master Taikei Naotane (大慶直胤), one of the top-ranked shinshintō (新々刀) swordsmiths. Naohide resided in Shitaya (下谷, Edo) and later served as an official swordsmith for the Tsu Domain (Today’s Mie prefecture). Having trained under Taikei Naotane, he became a master craftsman (名工), highly regarded for his exceptional skill and sought after by collectors.
Jiro Taro Naokatsu (His Father)
His father, the first-gen Jiro Taro Naokatsu(次郎太郎直勝), was an apprentice of Taikei Naotane first and then adopted by his master(Naotane). Moving to Edo city, the first-gen worked for the prestigious Akimono family. Suishinshi Masahide, one of the most famous swordsmiths at the end of the Edo period, also worked for that family. Suishinshi Masahide was the master of Naotane. If you are familiar with Gokaden(五箇伝: Five Traditions of Japanese sword-forging), his remaining works had a strong influence from Soshu and Bizen DEN.
The first-gen Jiro Taro Naokatsu was deceased in the 5th year of the Ansei era (1858). His son (Shouji Yamon Naokatsu) took over the school and changed his maker’s name from Naoyoshi to Naokatsu. We believe the second-gen also mastered a high level of craftsmanship, considering that he was taught by his father and Naotane. He forged many excellent quality blades during this career and died in the 38th year of the Meiji era (1905).
Taikei Naotane (His grandfather)
Naotane was born in the seventh year of the Anei era (1778) into a family that made sickles, a farming tool, for living in Dewa Koku (Today’s Yamagata prefecture). From a younger age, he got interested in becoming a swordsmith while learning blacksmithing skills. During the late Kansei era (1789-1801), he left his hometown and moved to Edo City to become an apprentice for Suishinshi Masahide, one of the most reputable swordsmiths in Edo during that time. He learned excellent craftsmanship from Masahide in a house owned by Akimoto family, which was the head of Dewa Koku.
It is said that Naotane became an independent swordsmith in 1801. He started to serve Akimoto family in 1812 through the introduction from Suishinshi Masahide. And he received the honorable official title of Chikuzen Daijo (筑前大掾) in 1822. In 1848, he visited Kyoto and forged a Tachi blade for Takatsuka family, one of the imperial lineage, and received another title called Minosuke (美濃介). The more Naotane gained fame, the more often he was invited by a feudal lord or high-class Samurai in other provinces to forge blades. He created swords nationwide in his late career.
Horimono (Engraving)
This blade has beautiful engravings on both sides. You would find the Horimono (彫り物, sculpture) of Bonji (梵字) on one side, and on Suken (素剣) on the other.
Bonji (梵字) is Sanscrit characters carved into the blade invoking Buddhist deities. Sword carvings often depict Fudo Myo-O (不動明王, acalanātha) or his incarnations, and there are also Sanskrit characters that represent this god. Among the various Buddhist Buddhas, Fudo Myo-O was deeply worshiped by Samurai warriors. According to a theory, this god is the incarnation of Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来, Mahāvairocana, the principal image of esoteric Buddhism). Perhaps the most common type of Sanskrit character carved on the blades is the character “Kahn (カーン)”, which means Fudo Myo-O. There is also a Sanskrit character called “Kanmarn (カンマーン),” which is combined with the word “Man.” There was once a trend that Samurai warriors incorporated motifs with religious meaning into their battle costumes, such as armor and helmets, and this sword carving was also a way to express their religious beliefs.
The Suken is a simplified design of the Sanko-Duka-Ken (三鈷柄剣), which is a sword that the Fudo Myo-O (不動明王: acalanātha, one of the objects of worship in Buddhism) brings. It is an esoteric Buddhist tool used for esoteric prayer, meditation, purification, and amulets. It is believed that this sword would exorcize evil spirits.
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 a relatively long Hike Kizu (scratch on the surface of the blade). If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：80.9 cm (31.8 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：1.8 cm (0.70 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 koshirae of this sword features a consistent tiger motif, a powerful symbol in Japanese culture. The tiger (虎, tora) is seen as a brave and strong animal, and its pattern has been used as a talisman to ward off evil spirits.
In Japan, the tiger is often depicted alongside bamboo, as the two symbolize resilience and vitality—bamboo bends but does not break, while the tiger represents fearlessness and strength. The kanji for tiger (虎) is also associated with life force and energy, and tiger imagery has traditionally been used to wish for the strong and healthy growth of boys. This combination of tiger and bamboo reflects the ideal qualities of perseverance, courage, and enduring strength in Japanese culture.
Kōshu Tokubetsu Kichō (甲種特別貴重)
This koshirae comes with a Kōshu Tokubetsu Kichō (甲種特別貴重) certificate. The Kōshu Tokubetsu Kichō was a classification issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai (NBTHK, 日本美術刀剣保存協会) in the past. It was considered a higher-level certification than the standard Tokubetsu Kichō (特別貴重) and was awarded to Japanese swords and sword fittings of exceptional artistic and historical value. Although the NBTHK’s certification system has changed over time, items with this designation are recognized as authentic, well-preserved, and highly significant within the field of Japanese swords and fittings.
Fuchi-Kashira：A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
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.
Saya：Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
This Saya has a unique design with numerous fine lines.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 100128)
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 March 30th in the 58th year of Showa (1983). 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 : Kanagawa 15261
The Board of Education in Kanagawa prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword. It is called Jyu Hou Token Rui Tourokusho (銃砲刀剣類登録証). 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 1000 Japanese swords for the past few years (～2025) 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, UK, 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】
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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Thank you for reading all the information on the page. If you have any difficulty choosing the right Japanese sword for you, we will be more than happy to help you find the one that speaks to you the most. Please feel free to contact us.
