Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Naminohira Yukiyasu with NBTHK Hozon Certificate
【Description】
Summary
This wakizashi was signed by Naminohira Yukiyasu (波平行安) from Satsuma Province (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture), and is believed to have been forged during the late Muromachi period (late 15th-early 16th century).
The Naminohira school was established in the late Heian period by Masakuni, a swordsmith of the Yamato tradition who migrated to Satsuma. Blades produced before the late Nanbokucho period are referred to as Ko-Naminohira (Old Naminohira), while those made afterward are known as Sue-Naminohira (Later Naminohira). Swordsmiths of this lineage were known for incorporating the characters “Yuki” (行) or “Yasu” (安) into their signatures.
The name Naminohira literally means “calm waves,” and as such, swords from this school were especially prized by samurai in naval forces as auspicious weapons. According to legend, when Masakuni sailed from Yamato to settle in Satsuma, he offered a sword to the sea in prayer for safe passage and to calm the waves. From that time on, he adopted the name Naminohira Yukiyasu (波平行安), meaning “the waves are calm, and the path is peaceful.” From the late Heian period to the end of the samurai era, the Naminohira family upheld their craft and legacy for nearly a thousand years. The maker’s name, Yukiyasu, lasted many generations and according to its NBTHK appraisal, this particular blade was signed by a late-gen Yukihira from the late Muromachi period.
Also, the other side of the tang bears a gold-inlaid inscription: “禹渡海安全秀吉與清政” (translated as “Yu / crossing the sea / safety / Hideyoshi / gives to Kiyomasa”). This is thought to express a prayer to Yu the Great—a legendary Chinese ruler known for taming floods—for safe passage across the sea, and suggests that Toyotomi Hideyoshi may have presented this sword to Kato Kiyomasa. The phrase appears to reference the Bunroku and Keicho campaigns (Japan’s military expeditions to Korea in the late 16th century). However, as noted in the NBTHK appraisal, only the presence of the gold inlay itself is confirmed. There is no historical documentation to verify the accuracy of the inscription’s implied origin.
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 few noticeable Kitae Kizu on the blade. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：52.8 cm (20.7 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：0.9 cm (0.35 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.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
The motif of this Menuki is a buffalo (水牛, suigyu). Buffalos are not naturally found in Japan, but they were first imported from China in the 7th century. It is said that buffalos are 10 times stronger than Japanese caws, so they often represent power and energy. Also, they were still rare in Edo period, so it can be said that they are the representation of wealth.
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 motif on the tsuba is cherry blossoms in scattered bloom (桜散図, sakura-chiru-zu), depicting a scene of full spring with petals fluttering across the entire surface.
Cherry blossoms are one of the most iconic symbols of spring in Japan and have been cherished for centuries. Their motif is not only used in sword fittings, but also widely featured in kimono designs and traditional interior furnishings.
According to one theory, cherry blossoms were believed to house the deity of grain, making them a symbol of agricultural fertility and an abundant harvest. In ancient times, people would gather under blooming cherry trees to pray for a prosperous farming season—an early custom that is said to have evolved into today’s hanami, or cherry blossom viewing picnics.
Saya： Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
The motif of the metal part on the bottom part of the Saya (Saya Jiri) is Karakusa pattern (唐草, Arabesque). It is a pattern in which stems and leaves of vines are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows up without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. Vine is called 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.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 3035318)
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 December 4th in the 6th year of Reiwa (2024). 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 : Iwate 29495
The Board of Education in Iwate prefecture 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, UK, 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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