Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Hirotaka with NBTHK Tokubestsu Hozon Certificate
【Description】
This blade was signed by Hoki no Kami Fujiwara Hirotaka (伯耆守藤原汎隆), who was active during the early Edo period (mid late 17th century). Hirotaka is known as one of the prominent figures among those who belonged to Echizen Shimosaka school. He was an apprentice of Kanetane (兼植), one of the most famous swordsmiths in Echizen province.
He received the honorable title of Hoki no Kami (伯耆守), which was only given to prestigious swordsmiths. Hirotaka is also known for forging very sharp swords, which made him and his work classified as Wazamono Toko (業物刀工).
Echizen Province was prosperous during the Edo period, being ruled by the Echizen Matsudaira clan, a direct retainer of the Tokugawa clan who ruled the Edo government. Many skilled swordsmiths moved to Echizen from different regions because of high demand among Samurai who lived there. Among them, a lot of renowned swordsmiths were originally from the Mino province (today’s Gifu prefecture), such as Hirotaka’s master, Kanetane. They are called Echizen Seki swordsmiths.
The MINO swordsmiths style, also known as MINODEN, basically has the TOGARI (Pointed shapes protruding from the Hamon) in a classic straight tempering line and random wavy pattern. MINO DEN had its origin from YAMATO DEN in the late Kamakura period (1280-1330). It flourished in the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and continued until the Edo period (1603-1868). This blade has some characteristics of the Mino DEN style.
*Wazamono is a classification of Japanese swords and swordsmiths used in Japan to identify historic blades of exceptional quality in the book written by Kaiho Kenjaku (懐宝剣尺) in 1797.
This blade 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 are a few black rusts and Kitae Kizu on this blade. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)： 48.4 cm (19.0 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：1.1 cm (0.43 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 Nanako-Ji (魚子地) technique is decorated on the surface of the Fuchi Kashira, Kozuka and Kougai, which makes a beautiful harmony. By hitting with the Nanako-Ji Tagane (魚子地鏨, chisel used for this technique), delicate fish egg-shaped protrusions are made on the surface of the metal. This process is often seen and is one of the elements that add gorgeousness to the appearance of metalworks.
Fuchi-Kashira：A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
We assume the feathers, which are painted gold, are depicted on the Fuchi.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
The motif of this Menuki is Niwatori (鶏: rooster and hen).
In ancient times, this bird was used for rituals to offer to gods. It is said this is why the chicken pattern was incorporated into family crests. As this bird tells the arrival of morning, people regard it as the Ake-no Tori (明けの鳥, bird of the dawn). Also, chickens have been treated as auspicious birds because they sing at first in the new year. In another theory, there is a wordplay: Yoikoto-wo “Tori”komu (良いことを取り込む, “take” good things). This Tori (取り) and Tori (鳥, bird) are associated based on the common pronunciation. Some people believe that this bird would bring a plentiful harvest or success in business. This Menuki design might have been chosen due to these ideas.
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 Tsuba’s Mimi (耳, edge) is framed with a thin golden metal plate. This decorative process is called the Fukurin (覆輪), and one of its purposes is to add beauty to works. In addition, it has practicality, such as preventing the wear of the edge part. Also, it prevents wear and tear on the Kimono if the edge damages it by touching the cloth.
About the design, we assume the cloud pattern is engraved with the openwork. Clouds bring rain and snow, and their movements significantly affect the weather of the day. Due to its supernatural power, a theory says that gods, spirits, and dragons dwell in the clouds. The cloud pattern has also been associated with magical power, and people thought it an omen of lucky things. In addition, some people wished to obtain a leisurely life in comfort by seeing clouds’ movements (that floats in the sky). Or, as clouds appear repeatedly, its design represents reincarnation. Samurai were always on the verge of life and death on the battlefield. They might have believed in the power of this pattern. And they had incorporated it into the design of their sword mountings, such as Tsuba.
Kozuka：Kozuka is a small knife stored in Kozuka Hitsu(groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).
On this Kozuka, a small bird trying to eat a nut of a tree is depicted. This bird might be the Suzume (雀, sparrow). As sparrows form a flock and act among birds, the sparrow pattern represents abundant crops and prosperity. It is said this bird has been used as a motif since the late Heian period (1094-1184). Their tiny and adorable figures have attracted people for a long time.
Kougai：Kougai is the equipment for Samurai to arrange or fix his hair style.
Same as the Kozuka, the motif of this Kougai might be the Suzume (雀, sparrow).
In addition, on the edge of this Kougai, the Karakusa (唐草, arabesque) pattern is depicted. It is a design in which vine stems and leaves are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows 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, 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.
Saya： Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 1022196)
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 Feb 21st in the 6th year of Reiwa (2024). 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 : Hyogo 126547
The Board of Education in Hyogo 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, Canada, Mexico, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, 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】
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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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