Antique Japanese Sword Tanto Signed by Nobukazu with NBTHK Hozon Certificate
【Description】
Unjyu Nobokazu was an apprentice of seventh-gen Sekido Korekazu, who was a famous SOSHU-DEN swordsmith. He exclusively served the Ayabe clan in Kyoto prefecture. Ayabe clan was run by Kuki(九鬼) family, who was a navy working for Nobunaga Oda or Hideyoshi Toyotomi during the Sengoku Jidai(The warring state period). The family was prestigious, and they were depicted as a pirate feudal lord in war chronicles during the Edo period(1603-1868).
Nobukazu forged this Tanto in the third year of the Keio era(1867). He was active at sword making before the Edo period(-1868) ended, and the Tokugawa government lost their political power.
There aren’t so many remaining works left by Unjyu Nobukazu today.
This sword has a Hozon certificate issued by NBTHK. This authentication paper was only given to Japanese swords, worth preserving by Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai(the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword). Though the part of the signature is missed due to adjusting the length of the blade in the past, NBTHK appraised this sword and concluded the blade was forged by Unjyu Nobukazu.
This sword comes with a beautiful Koshirae(scabbard＆sword fitting).
【Blade】
Length： 28.0 cm(11.0 inches)
Curvature： 0.1 cm(0.04 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
【Other details】
Fuchi-Kashira：A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt
Plain and simple Fuchi Kashira decorates the Tsuka.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration
Male faces are designed for Menuki with gold. They have compelling expressions.
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
Kozuka：Kozuka is a small knife stored in Koduka Hitsu(groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).
A Wagasa (和傘, Japanese umbrella) is designed for Kozuka. Wagasa is made of bamboo and traditional Japanese paper. Of course, it is to avoid the rain, but it has also been considered an amulet to protect its user from evil spirits. In the Edo period, it is said people judged the rank or relations of master and servant based on designs of Wagasa.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK 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 August 26th in the 28th year of Heisei(2016). 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 : Hyogo 122904
The Board of Education in Hyogo 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.
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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(BC, AB,ON), 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 UPS(USA only).
We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post.When we receive an order from the USA, we will use UPS instead as EMS temporarily stops shipping from Japan to the USA due to COVID-19.
We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office/UPS. We will put 100 % insurance on the shipping document without any extra charge. Based on the total amount, there might be a duty tax 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.
