This Wakizashi has been sold out and found a wonderful owner in the USA. It is now being appreciated as the photo below.
Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Naokatsu with NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Certificate
【Description】
Jiro Taro Naokatsu(次郎太郎直勝) was an apprentice of Taikei Naotane first and then adopted by his master(Naotane). Moving to Edo city, Naokatsu worked for the Akimono family, a prestigious family. Suishinshi Masahide, one of the most famous swordsmiths at the end of the Edo period, also worked for that family.
Suishinshi Masahide was the master of Naotane. From the fourth or fifth year of Tenpo period(1833-1844), he started to sign as Jiro Taro Naokatsu. It is said that his technique and skill could surpass his master, Naotane. If you are familiar with Gokaden(五箇伝), his style was the mix of Bizen-Den and Soshu-Den.
This Wakizashi comes with Tokubetsu Kicho Certificate authenticated by NBTHK, Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai, one of the old establishment to appraise Japanese swords. This blade has wide mihaba(width) and has no curvature. You would be amazed to feel how strong-looking it is once you hold in person.
【Blade 】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)： 33.1 cm(13.0 inches)
Curvature(Sori)： 0 cm(0 inch)
Hamon：The blade pattern created by the tempering process. Kogunome-Choji pattern/ Narrow Yakihaba/Nioi-Honi
Jimon：Visible surface pattern on the steel. It has Itame-Kitae.
Nakago：The Tang of a Japanese sword is called Nakago. On one side, it has inscribed maker’s name(Jiro Taro Naokatsu) and on the other side, the year and moth were engraved. It says this blade was forged in 11th year of Tenpo period in August) :1840 A.D.
【Koshirae:Sword Mountings】
Fuchi-Kashira：A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt. Waster buffalo was used to make Fuchi Kashira.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
Menuki has a design of a noble person and Matsuri Taiko (a traditional musical instrument for Japanese festivals). The material of Menuki is Shakudou, and gold/silver inlay is applied.
Habaki：Habaki is the equipment to make the blade not touch its scabbard inside. It prevents the blade from getting rusty and chipped.
Saya：Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword. It is lacquered with gray and flower pattern is designed.
Kozuka：Kozuka is the small knife stored in Kozuka Hitsu (groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).
Cicada is designed on this Kozuka. As this insect changes its looks, it symbolizes reborn. Therefore, Samurai loved the cicada pattern. Also, the cicada design has been regarded as a symbol of immortality. Cicadas stay on tall trees and eat only sap, and spend their time singing after becoming adults; therefore, cicada’s life-style has been compared the spirit of “Kouketsu Seihin (高潔清貧),” that means being honorable and unselfish, live a modest life. So, it is considered an ideal personality like hermits.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Certificate for the blade
NBTHK, also known as Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai, is one of the oldest Japanese sword appraising organizations in modern-day Japan. They authenticated the blade on March 11 th in the 53th year of Showa(1978). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Kicho Touken. The purchaser will receive this original certificate as well.
Registration Number : Kochi 12872
The Board of Education in Kochi 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.
—————————————————————–
【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 1-1.5 months to receive this permit. And we would like you to expect at least 2-3 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) or PayPal, both of which are secure payment methods. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. After confirming the payment from you, we will apply for an export permit. You can either pay in JPY, USD, EUR or GBP. The price is decided in Japanese Yen. The price in other currencies is calculated automatically based on the exchange rate.
【Shipping】
We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, Canada(BC, AB,ON), Mexico, Australia, UK, Germany and France. 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 UPS(USA only).
We normally ship by EMS(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post.When we receive an order from the USA, we will use UPS instead as EMS temporarily stops shipping from the USA to Japan due to COVID-19.
We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office/UPS. We will put 100 % insurance on the shipping document without any extra charge. Based on the total amount, there might be a duty tax 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.
*Please keep in mind that due to the spread of COVID-19, there are delays in shipping to many countries as most of the airlines are reducing the number of flights from Japan. 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. When you purchase a Japanese sword from us, you can get a Free sword maintenance kit, which appears in this video.
