Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Attributed to Aoki Motonaga with NTHK Kanteisho Certificate
【Description】
Summary
This blade is attributed to Bishu Aoki Motohira (尾州青木元長), who was active at the end of the Edo period (Bunka era: 1804-1818). Bishu is another name for Owari province. He learned sword-forging techniques from various masters, including the 6th-gen Nobutaka in Owari province (Today’s Aichi prefecture), Ozaki Suketaka in Settsu province (Today’s Osaka prefecture), Oku Motohira in Satsuma province (today’s Satsuma province). We assume he must have aspired to learn highly skilled craftsmanship from these masters.
His birthname was Kiheibei, and he first signed Nobunao (信直) after becoming an apprentice of the 6th-gen Nobutaka (六代信高) during the Bunka era (1804-1818). We believe Motonaga was allowed to use one Kanji letter of his master’s name, Nobu (信), after being acknowledged by Nobutaka. After finishing his apprenticeship and gaining fame in Owari province, he moved to Osaka to learn sword-forging techniques from Ozaki Suketaka (尾崎助隆), who was famous for creating Toranba, a particular wavy tempering line. He was eager to master more intricate craftsmanship after staying in Osaka. In the third year of the Kyowa era (1803), he moved to Satsuma province and served Oku Motohira (奥元平), one of the most famous swordsmiths in the region back then. During his stay in the Satsuma province, he changed his name from Nobunao to Motonaga (元長). On this occasion, he also received a Moto (元) letter from his master. He learned various techniques from prestigious makers, and eventually, he settled near Nagoya castle in Aichi prefecture.
Tsukuri (Structure)
This blade has an interesting Tsukuri (structure). One side was made with Shinogi Zukuri, and the other side with Hira Zukuri. Shinogi Zukuri is the typical structure of the Japanese sword. A Japanese sword forged with the ridgeline near the Mune (backbone of the blade). There is Yokote in the Shinogi Zukuri Japanese swords. Yokote is the borderline between the tip and cutting edge. Hira Zukuri is a sword made flat on both sides without any ridgelines. This kind of Tsukuri was common in the Soshu tradition, one of the five Japanese sword-forging traditions.
Horimono (Engraving)
The Horimono (彫物, blade sculpture) is one of the elements of this blade’s beauty. Two different Horimos are engraved on each side. The one is the Suken (素剣) pattern. It 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. The other side shows dragon.
Initially, the dragon is an imaginary creature found in ancient Chinese traditions or myths. Furthermore, it is regarded as a symbolic beast of auspicious signs. Its body is likened to nine animals: antlers are deer, the head is a camel, eyes are demons, the neck is a snake, belly is Mizuchi (蛟, mythical animal in Japan which looks like a snake and have a horn and four legs), scales are fish, claws are falcons, palms are tigers, and ears are cows. It was thought that the dragon would reign at the top of all animals because of its odd-looking appearance. Also, in Japan, there is a belief that worships dragon as a water god and is called Ryujin Shinkou (竜神信仰). Since rice cultivation flourished in this country, water is always an essential resource. Therefore, the dragon motif has been familiar to Japanese people since a long time ago.
*Please keep in mind that there is partial black rust on the blade. We will have this blade partially polished without additional cost if you purchase this Wakizashi. However, we would like you to know that it will take additional months for it to be polished before shipping the sword to you. For more detail, please feel free to contact us.
【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)： 37.2 cm (14.6inches)
Curvature(Sori)： 0.8 cm (0.31 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.
Habaki：Habaki is the equipment to make the blade not touch its scabbard inside. It prevents the blade from getting rusty and chipped.
Authentication Paper：NTHK Kanteisho Certificate for the blade
NTHK, also known as NPO Nihon Touken Hozon Kai, is the oldest organization for sword authentication of Japanese swords in modern times. It was established in 1889 during the post-Samurai era. They authenticated the blade on June 16th in the first year of Reiwa (2019). 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 : Saga 19392
The Board of Education in Saga 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 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, Finland 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】
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【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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