Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Tachibana Yasuhiro with Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate
【Description】
This blade was signed by Bitchu no Kami Tachibana Yasuhiro(備中守橘康広). Yasuhiro was active in sword-forging during the Kanbun (1661-1673: Early Edo Period). Yasuhiro belonged to a prestigious sword school called Kishu Ishido and Osaka Ishido School. The back of the tang has an inscription of Kikumon (chrysanthemum emblem). He was allowed to inscribe this emblem, which is the symbol of the Japanese emperor. His sword forging technique was so great that the emperor permitted him to use this emblem, which was honorable for any swordsmith.
Ishido School
His father, Tosa Shogen Tachibana Yasuhiro(土佐将監橘康廣), was born in Omi province, located in Shiga prefecture. And he belonged to Omi Ishido school during the early Edo period. Ishido school was initially founded by Sukenaga, an offspring of Ichimonji Sukemune, who made Fukuoka Ichimonji school in Bizen province(Today’s Okayama prefecture). During 1492-1501(Late Muromachi period), Sukenaga and his school moved from Bizen province to Omi province after being summoned by Gamou family, a powerful feudal line in that region. Sukenaga started to live in front of Ishido temple, and he changed his surname to Ishido.
Kishu＆ Osaka Ishido School
As of the early Edo period, many Ishido swordsmiths moved to other parts of Japan, looking for better opportunities. There are four areas: Edo, Osaka, Kishu(Wakayama prefecture), and Chikuzen(Fukuoka prefecture). Omi Ishido school is the origin of whole other Ishido branches that flourished during the Edo period.
Following this trend, Yasuhiro’s father, who belonged to Omi Ishido school, moved from Omi province to Kishu province. It is said that the father was the founder of Kishu Ishido school and played an essential role in making this school prosperous.
Yasuhiro was born as the son of the head of Kishu Ishido school. And he mastered excellent sword forging techniques from his father. And it is said that Yasuhiro served Tokugawa Yorinobu, the first head of Kishu domain, who was the 10th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Yasuhiro exclusively forged swords for Kishu domain for many years.
Later in his career, Yasuhiro received the honorable title “Bitchu no Kami” in 1657 and moved to Settsu city in Osaka to spread the tradition of Ishido school. He built the foundation of Osaka Ishido school. Yasuhiro is known as one of the most prominent figures that made Osaka Isido school prosperous during the early Edo period.
Osaka city flourished as a castle town and became the business center during the early Edo period. Many swordsmiths moved to Osaka to look for better opportunities. They not only forged swords for those Samurai who lived in Osaka but also for feudal lords nationwide. Among many swordsmiths active in the same period as Yasuhiro, he was one of the most famous figures in Osaka Ishido school.
It is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Touken (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.
【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length (Nagasa): 70.6 cm (27.8 inches)
Curvature (Sori): 2.1 cm (0.82 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).
Fuchi-Kashira: A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
This Fuchi Kashira seems to be made of brass. The curved pattern is engraved like a spiral.
Tsuka and Menuki: Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
The Ume (梅, Japanese apricot blossom) flowers are the motifs of this Menuki. Golden paint is applied to these petals and buds. Japanese apricot blossoms begin to bloom in winter when snow still covers trees. Therefore, Japanese people thought this flower tells the arrival of spring. The same as cherry blossom, it has been appreciated for a long time in Japan. People enjoy its adorable petal shape and scent, gracefully branched trees, and compose many poems. Since it comes out in the cold season, it symbolizes the power of perseverance and vitality.
The Ume pattern profoundly relates to the Tenjin (天神) faith. This belief honors the soul of Sugawara-no Michizane (菅原 道真, 845-903), and he cherished this flower. Michizane excelled in academics and was appointed and promoted by the emperor back then. However, other aristocrats envied his promotions, and Michizane was demoted to the Kyushu (九州) region, far from the capital. And he passed away two years later. After his death, the capital suffered great natural disasters. And people who opposed Michizane had unfortunate experiences. People thought that his spirit caused these things, and the capital was terrified at that time. One day, when such a situation continued, Michizane possessed a person and demanded to enshrine himself. The imperial court accepted his request and built a shrine in Kyushu to appease his spirit. This was managed by the Sugawara family, a family of scholars. And Michizane, who excelled in studies during his lifetime, came to be worshiped as the god of learning. Because of this background, it is said that many family crests with the Ume designs were used in the Kinki and Kita-Kyushu regions. A former owner of this sword might have worshipped such a religious idea.
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 iron Tsuba has Yotsu-Mokkou (四ツ木瓜) shape. About the design, the Karakusa (唐草, arabesque) pattern is inlaid with brass. It is a plant pattern in which vine stems and leaves 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 the 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, meaning 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.
Saya: Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
This Saya is coated with stingray skin.
Authentication Paper: NBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 1008017)
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 15th in the 30th year of Heisei (2018). 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: Oita 11649
The Board of Education in Oita 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.
【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, 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.
【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.
