Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Sano Yukihide with NBTHK Hozon Certificate
【Description】
This blade was signed by Sano Yukihide (左行秀) in August, the first year of the Keio era (1865). The signature also says Edo Ni Oite (於江府), which means “in the Edo city.” Yukihide was born in the 10th year of the Bunka era (1813) as the second son of Ito Gozaemon in Chikuzen province (Today’s Fukuoka prefecture). He first signed Nobukuni (信国) and changed it to Yukihide (行秀). He was an offspring of a member of Chikuzen Samonji school, one of the most prestigious schools during the Nanbokucho period in the region. He called himself the 39th-gen offspring of Samonji.
During the Tenpo era (1831-1845), he moved to Edo city. He became an apprentice of Shimizu Hisayoshi, who studied under Hosokawa Masayoshi, one of the most famous swordsmiths at the end of the Edo period. One of the earliest works signed by Yukihide is from the 11th year of the Tenpo era (1840). After finishing his apprenticeship, he went to Tosa province (Today’s Kouchi prefecture) in 1846 and learned sword-forging techniques from Sekita Katsuhiro. His master died in 1855, and in the following year, Yukihide was appointed as an Okakaekaji for Tosa province. Okakaekaji is a swordsmith who exclusively forged swords for a specific clan or domain. His craftmanship was highly acknowledged, and he was able to receive this honor. He is categorized as a top-tier swordsmith who was active at the end of the Edo period. Since this blade was registered in Kouchi prefecture, it is likely that this blade was originally owned by a descendant of Samurai family from the end of the Edo period.
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 with artistic value.
*Please keep in mind that there is Hike Kizu (light scratch made by sheathing and unsheathing the blade). If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：37.2 cm ( 14.6 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：0.6 cm (0.23 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
Nakago：Nakago 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.
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.
The same family crests are arranged on this Fuchi Kashira. This crest is called the Maru-ni Tachibana (丸に橘), which is a type of the Tachibana (橘) pattern. The Tachibana is a descendant of mandarin oranges. It has a strong aroma, and is resistant to snow damage, and grows well. Because of these charactaristics, there is an anecdote that a person of good character and dignity was compared to being “like a Tachibana.” The custom of displaying peach blossoms and Tachibanas during the Momo-no Sekku (桃の節句, the Girl’s Festival, March 3rd) to this day. According to a theory, Tachibana came to be used as a motif of family crests because it was a prized plant.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
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 has a symmetrical design. While we ar unsure, we estimate this Tsuba’s design was made a combination of the Mokkou (木瓜) patterns. The Mokkou design is a pattern that has been depicted on a Mokou (帽額, cloths for decorating the hanging edge of the curtain and blinds). A theory says that the Mokkou was named after the name of this silk cloth made of silk, “帽額 (Mokou).” Another view says that it was modeled after the cut end of a Boke (written as also 木瓜 in Japanese), which is a plant of the rose family. The Mokkou pattern has also been used for family crests. It is one of the five major family crests used in many houses. As a design to pray for the prosperity of descendants, it is speculated that many people favored its good omen. Such ideas might have inspired this Tsuba’s design.
Saya： Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 3027254)
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 Dec 3rd in the 3rd year of Reiwa (2021). 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 : Kouchi 12682
The Board of Education in Kouchi 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, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Finland 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 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.
【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】
Please contact us through email, Facebook Messenger or Live Chat if you have any questions. You can find each icon on the right side of the website. Please click one of them to reach us. We will reply to you within 1-2 business days.
【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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