Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Masashige with NBTHK Hozon Certificate
【Description】
This blade was signed by Bushu Shitahara Ju Masashige (武州下原住正重). Bushu Shitahara is the name of the area in the Tokyo area today where he created this blade. The maker’s name, Masashige, lasted several generations during the Azuchi Momoyama-early Edo period (1573-1615). And we estimate this blade was forged by the first-gen Masashige, who was active during the early Azuchi Momoyama period (the late 16th century).
Masashige belonged to the Bushu Shitahara school in today’s Tokyo (Hachioji city). It thrived from the end of the Muromachi period to the late Edo period (Late 16th century to Late 19th century). It is said that Yamamoto Norishige founded the school. Shitahara is a group of swordsmiths who originally served the Hojo clan, a powerful feudal clan during the late Muromachi period-Azuchi Momoyama period.
It is said that the first-gen Masashige was the son of Terushige, a renowned swordsmith who belonged to this school. Masashige learned sword-forging techniques from this father. Terushige is written as 照重 in Japanese. One of the Kanji letters, 照, was given by the head of the Hojo clan, Hojo Ujiteru (北条氏照), because of his superb craftsmanship.
After the Toyotomi clan destroyed the Hojo clan in the Azuchi Momoyama period, Shitahara started to serve the Tokugawa clan as Okakae Kaji, swordsmiths exclusively working for a specific feudal family. Most of the Shitahara swordsmith’s real sir name was Yamamoto. They especially flourished during the late Muromachi period-early Edo period. They kept forging for the Tokugawa clan until the end of the Edo period.
As you can see, Masashige’s active period was from the Azuchi Momoyama-early Edo period. That signifies that he forged blades during the heyday of this school. And you can see beautiful craftsmanship from this Wakizashi.
Also, you can see interesting Kissaki (tip of the blade) called Shobu Zukuri (菖蒲造り). There is no Yokote on this blade. Yokote is the borderline between the tip and cutting edge. We are confident you will appreciate the elegant look of this blade.
Horimono (Engraving)
You can see Horimono (彫物: blade sculpture) on both sides of this blade. The Horimono is one of the elements of this blade’s beauty. This pattern is called the Gomahashi (護摩箸). It is a horimono in the form of the ritual chopsticks used in both Shinto and Buddhist rites.
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 and high quality with artistic value.
*Please keep in mind that there are a couple of Kitae Kizu on the blade. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：42.7 cm (16.8 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：1.3 cm (0.51 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.
On the Fuchi part, fine multi-layered lines are engraved diagonally.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
We estimate the motif of this Menuki is the dragon (龍, Ryu). 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.
In ancient China, the dragon pattern was used for emperors’ clothing so that people strictly defined its shape or even the number of nails. On the other hand, the dragon pattern does not have detailed rules to represent classes in Japan. However, still, it maintains its meaning as the all-purpose auspicious pattern.
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.
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.
The Kassen Zu (合戦図) is the theme of this Tsuba’s design. You would find the figures of Samurai warriors riding their horses or ships. This Tsuba depicts the scenery of a waterside battlefield. Since they wore luxurious armor and fought on horseback, we assumed they were Samurai of a certain high status. While some colorings have already faded due to aging, golden paint remains relatively in good condition. There is a famous battle that has been incorporated into designs: the Genpei Kassen (源平合戦). It is possible that such notable historical events had influenced Tsuba’s design.
The Kassen Zu is also seen in the Byoubu (屏風, folding screen) works. According to a theory, Kassen Zu designed folding screens that were made after the beginning of the Edo period. Therefore, many of them did not necessarily depict reality as it was. For that reason, we often find inconsistencies in Kassen Zu Byoubu based on historical research. The Kassen Zu was more concerned with showing authority than historical accuracy, and political intentions were involved.
*Please keep in mind that there are a few noticeable rust on this Tsuba.
Kozuka：Kozuka is a small knife stored in Kozuka Hitsu(groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).
It seems that Fuji (藤, Japanese wisteria) is the motif of this Kozuka. Wisteria has strong fertility and grows being entwined with other trees. Therefore, people regarded this flower as a symbol of longevity and prosperity for future generations. Also, its Japanese name Fuji (藤) is likened to another word Fushi, which is written as “不死,” which means immortality. That is why the Fujiwara (藤原) family, who reached the height of glory in the Heian period (794-1185), used this motif for their family name and family crest. A theory says that more than 100 types of wisteria’s family crest designs in the Edo period. We could assume how this motif was popular among people. Besides, wisterias bloom downward. Its appearance was likened to a scene in which the gods or Buddha is descending to the earth.
Saya： Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
This scabbard is covered with black lacquer. Due to its high waterproof effect, lacquer has been used since ancient times in Asia. The blade of a Japanese sword is made of iron, and moisture is the greatest enemy of iron. For the purpose of carrying the blade without degrading it, people devised a method of coating the scabbard with lacquer. To prevent not only moisture but also rain and snow from penetrating the inside of the scabbard, it was necessary to apply multiple layers of lacquer. The Nurushi (塗師, lacquerers) was born precisely because advanced techniques were required to handle the complicated processes.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 324948)
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 July 11th in the 2nd year of Heisei (1990). 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 : Tokyo 157264
The Board of Education in Tokyo issued a registration paper for this sword. It is called Jyu Hou Token Rui Torokusho (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.
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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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