Menu Close

Updated: 29 Mar 2024

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Mitsuhira
NBTHK Hozon Certificate

$3,213.44

DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
*There might be delay in shipment depending on countries

SHIPPING TO :
USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

INCLUDED : NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

Category Wakizashi ( SHINTO)
Age Early Edo period(Mid 17th century)
Swordsmith Taishin Hokkyo Minamoto(泰信法橋源) *attributed to Mitsuhira(光平)
Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate
Location Edo (today’s Tokyo)
Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 54.2 cm (21.3 inches)
Curvature: 1.2 cm (0.47inches)

More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us. 

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Mitsuhira with NBTHK Hozon Certificate 

【Description】

This blade is attributed to the work of Taishin Hokkyo Minamoto Mitsuhira(泰信法橋源光平) by NBTHK while the signature “Mitsuhira” part is gone due to Suriage(adjusting the length of the blade in the past). Minamoto Mitsuhira is also known as Heki Mitsuhira(日置光平).

Mitsuhira was born in Omi province(Today’s Shiga prefecture). He belonged to Ishido school, initially founded in Bizen province(today’s Okayama prefecture). It is said that Mitsuhira is a descendant of members of Ishido school who moved to Omi province from Bizen province during the Muromachi period.

It is said that during Seiho era(1645-1648), Mitshira moved from Omi province to Edo city along with other Ishido swordsmiths from the region. Mitsuhira is famous for founding the Edo Ishido school in the early Edo period.

He was recognized as one of the most skilled swordsmiths in Edo Ishido school. He revitalized the Bizen Ichimonji DEN tradition in Edo city when the Soshu DEN tradition was prevalent. He was excellent at forging Choji Midare Hamon, which is the signature characteristic of the Bizen Ichimonji tradition. Choji Midare is a type of Hamon(tempering line) consisting of Choji(clove) shapes, but the overall line of the Hamon has no definable form. There are five traditional sword forging methods in Japan; SOSHU DEN, BIZEN DEN, YAMASHIRO DEN, YAMATO DEN, and MINO DEN.

Mitsuhira received the title of Dewano kami(出羽守) in 1652(the first year of Jyo-Ou) and Hokkyo(法橋) in 1663(the third year of Kanbun era). He became a Buddist monk later on in his life, and he got another title Taishin(泰信). As this blade has the signature of Taishin Hokkyo, we believe this blade was forged after 1663.

He was allowed to inscribe a chrysanthemum emblem, which is the symbol of the Japanese emperor. His sword-forging technique was so great that the emperor licensed him to use this emblem, which was quite honorable for any swordsmiths.

 This blade 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). 

【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)54.2 cm ( 21.3 inches)
Curvature(Sori)1.2 cm( 0.47inches)


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


NakagoNakago is the tang of the Japanese sword.

Japanese swordsmiths left the black rust on the tang on purpose to prevent red rust while the tang is in its handle. And the discoloration of the tang was created over time, which 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 PaperNBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No.384136)

 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 12th in the 21th year of Heisei (2009). 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 :  Kanagawa 65520 
 The Board of Education in Kanagawa 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. This paper will need to be returned to the board of education when the sword being shipped abroad but you can receive a copy of it.

 

—————————————————————–

【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. 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 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, Mexico, UK, 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 either EMS or FedEx(Canada). 

  We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. When we receive an order from the Canada we will use FedEx instead as EMS temporarily stops shipping from Japan to those countries due to COVID-19. 

  We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office/FedEx. 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.

*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. 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 Powder, Peg remover, Oil Applicator). By watching the video instruction above , you can enjoy learning how to maintain your Japanese sword while appreciating it.

MORE ANTIQUE JAPANESE SWORD FOR SALE

READ KATANA ARCHIVE ARTICLE(Episode1-8)

LEARN JAPANESE SWORD TERMINOLOGY

SOLD

You may also like…

  • $2,512.56

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany , Hong Kong, France, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Mounting , Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi (KOTO)
    Age  Late Muromachi period (Mid-late 16th century)
    Swordsmith Attributed to Shimada Yoshisuke(島田義助: Unsigned)
    Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate
    Location Suruga province  (Shizuoka prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 33.5 cm( 13.2 inches)
    Curvature: 0.6 cm(0.23 inches) 

    Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.

  • $0.00

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany , Hong Kong, France, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Sword Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi ( KOTO)
    Age Estimated Late Muromachi period(450-550 years old)
    Swordsmith Attributed to Gassan(月山: Unsigned)
    Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate
    Location Deba province(today’s Yamagata prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 42.2 cm (16.6 inches)
    Curvature: 1.4 cm (0.55 inches)

    Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.

  • $2,644.80

    DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
    *We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.

    SHIPPING TO :
    USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany , Hong Kong, France, Australia
    *Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.

    INCLUDED : NBTHK Hozon Certificate , Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

    Category Wakizashi (SHINTO)
    Age Early Edo period (1624-1661)
    Swordsmith Tango no Kami Naomichi (丹後守直道)
    *Naomichi was cut due to Suriage
    Certificate NBTHK Hozon Certificate
    Location Settsu province (Today’s Osaka prefecture)
    Blade Size Cutting Edge Length:52.2 cm( 20.5 inches)
    Curvature: 1.6 cm (0.63 inches)

    Thank you for visiting our website. This sword was sold as each antique Japanese sword is one of a kind. However, we might be able to show you something similar because we have various types of swords available. Also, there are ones that aren’t listed on the website yet. Our customer service will help you find your ideal blade you will cherish for generations. Please feel free to contact us or check the list of swords. We will be more than happy to help you.