Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Sadayuki with Hozon Certificate
【Description】
According to NBTHK that authenticated this blade, it was forged by Sadatsugu in the late Muromachi period(450-500 years old). There were more than one swordsmith who signed as Sadatsugu back then and NBTHK doesn’t specify which Sadatsugu forged this blade. Nevertheless, you can see great sword-forging technique from the late Muromachi period.
Based on the characteristic of the blade, we can easily assume this blade was forged in the Bizen domain (today’s Okayama prefecture), which is famous for Bizen Den, one of the five most famous Japanese sword tradition.
When this blade was forged, Japan was in the warring state called Sengoku Jidai where there were so many rivalry and wars between regional feudal lords. The length of this blade is more than 70 cm long and must have been easy for its owner to handle it back then. It would be nice to have a piece that was forged in the warring state period.
This blade has very intricate Hamon (tempering line) and Sadatsugu must have been skilled enough to make such beatiful Hamon on this blade. The entire width is relatively narrow from the bottom to the tip, which makes this blade look elegant.
This blade is appraised as a Hozon Token(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, well preserved with artistic value.
Please keep in mind that there are a couple of Kitae Kizu on the blade as well as tiny black rust spots. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa): 70.4 cm( 27.7 inches)
Curvature(Sori): 2.0 cm( 0.79 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.
A type of arabesque pattern is designed on this Fuchi part and is inlaid with golden paint (probably gold or brass). It is a design in which stems and leaves of vines are twined and make curves. As ivy has a strong vitality and grows up without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. In Japanese, the vine is called Tsuru (蔓), and it has another pronunciation; “Man.” There is a word 万 (it is also read Man), which means thousand. In the arabesque 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.
At the Kashira part, a cloud pattern might be designed, and the gold paint is applied to it, the same as the Fuchi part.
Tsuka and Menuki:Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
It is challenging to judge the motif of this Menuki by seeing the gaps from the Tsukamaki thread. We could say that it seems golden paint was initially applied to it. Although some coloring has already flaked off due to aging, we hope you will enjoy it as a part of an antique texture.
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 antique Tsuba is decorated with a variety of geometric patterns. Straight lines and curves are finely combined so that it seems as if each pattern is arranged to fill the gaps.
On one side of this Tsuba, you would find the same circle-shaped patterns are designed. It might be treated as a family crest in this work. This mark is categorized as the Hachisuka-Manji (蜂須賀卍) or Maru-ni Manji Mon (丸に卍文). The Manji motif itself is one of the patterns brought to Japan with the introduction of Buddhism. A theory says it is initially related to Hinduism. This design represents luck, and it also it has been used as an emblem of temples.
Please let us introduce to you a Samurai who used this crest: Hachisuka Koroku (蜂須賀 小六, his real name is Masakatsu), who was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s oldest vassals. The Hachisuka family was a feudal lord based in the Hachisuka District in Owari Province (尾張, today’s western part of Aichi prefecture). Koroku also temporally served under famous Samurais such as Saito Dozan or Oda Nobutaka. In any case, Koroku decided on Hideyoshi as the lord of his life. And he remained loyal to Hideyoshi until his death. Many other Samurai families used the Manji pattern for their family crests; it shows how popular this design was among Samurais.
Saya: Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
Authentication Paper:NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No.3026069)
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 May 24th in the 20th year of Heisei (2021). They appraised it as Hozon Touken, the blade 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 : Ibaraki 15977
The Board of Education in Ibaraki 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 350 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. 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 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, UK, Germany, Switzerland, 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 either EMS or FedEx(Canada).
We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. When we receive an order from the 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.
* 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.
【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.