Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Signed by Ujinobu Ganmaku with NBTHK Tokubestsu Hozon Certificate
【Description】
Summary
This blade was signed by Ujinobu Ganmaku (氏信岩捲), who was especially active during the late Muromachi period (1521-1528) in Mino province. He belonged to Ganmaku school. Ganmaku school originally was a part of Jyumyo school, one of the most prestigious schools in Mino province. It is said that the school’s name came from the fact that the swordsmiths settled in the village called Ganmaku in Gifu prefecture. The blades forged by Ganmaku swordsmiths are famous for their sharpness. And, their blades were also named Ishikiri (cutting stone) to emphasize the sharpness. This blade was created in the middle of Sengoku Jidai(warring state period: late 15th -late 16th century). There was fierce rivalry among strong feudal lords over lands, political power, and natural resources during this time. We believe Ujinobu might have forged swords for Samurai warriors participating in battles.
About Jyumyo School
The JYUMYO school has its origins from YAMATO(NARA Pref.) and moved to Mino province in the KAMAKURA period. Their name “JYUMYO” means life span or longevity. As its meaning is so hopeful, their swords were prized as a celebrated gift to feudal lords among the SAMURAI society. The tradition continued for centuries, right up until the end of the EDO period.
About Mino province
The MINO swordsmiths style, also known as MINO-DEN, basically has the TOGARI(Pointed shapes protruding from the Hamon )in a classic straight line and random temper line with some white Utsuri. MINO-DEN had its origin from YAMATO-DEN in the late KAMAKURA period(1280-1330). It flourished in the MUROMACHI period(1333-1573) and continued until the EDO period(1603-1868).
MINO-DEN exceedingly prospered during Sengoku Jidai(Warring State period) due to the high demand for weapons. And the location of Mino province beat others. Akechi Mitsuhide controlled Mino province, and Nobunaga Oda ruled Owari province, and Tokugawa Ieyasu was the lord of Suruga (Neighboring areas). There was high demand from those powerful feudal lords and their retainers. Furthermore, so many wars occurred between the Kanto region and the Kyoto area. Mino is located in the middle, making feudal lords feel convenient to order swords from MINO-DEN. The blades forged in MINO provinces also had the reputation of their practical design and sharpness. Many feudal lords demanded swords forged in the Mino province.
This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token(特別保存刀剣) 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, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value.
*Please keep in mind that there is a relatively long Kitae Kizu on Shinogiji of the blade. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)：52.9 cm (20.8 inches)
Curvature(Sori)：1.4 cm (0.55 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 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.
The Kashira part of this Fuchi Kashira is decorated with the Nanako-Ji (魚子地) technique. This process makes a uniform minimal protrusions pattern by hitting the Nanako-Ji Tagane (魚子地鏨, a chisel for this technique) on a metal surface. This decorative technique is often seen on sword mountings.
The motif designed on this Kashira part is a Daikon (大根, Japanese white radish). Among this vegetable patterns, there is a Hutamata Daikon (二股大根, forked radish). Its design represents a happy marriage, and it is an offering for gods (especially for Daikokuten/Mahakala) based on transmission, wishing plentiful harvests, success in business, or prosperity of descendants.
On the other hand, a Tonbo (蜻蛉, dragonfly) is engraved on the Fuchi part. Dragonflies have been inhabited in Japan for a long time. Since they prey quickly, their heroic figure was sometimes the object of belief. The dragonfly was called the Kachimushi (勝ち虫, winning insect) during the Warring States period because of its fearless character. Dragonflies fly around fast to catch pests, moving only forward, not backward. Therefore, people thought the behaviors of this insect showed the spirit of Futaiten (不退転); it is a state of mind or a state in which a person has some conviction and does not give in to difficulties. It is very persuasive that Samurai warriors cherished this design as an auspicious motif because of the spirit that Samurai should be prepared for the battlefields. Not only for sword mountings, dragonfly patterns were also incorporated into various items such as helmets, armor, battle coats, etcetera.
Above all, the dragonfly patterns combined with arrows and iris flowers were pleased. Allow was once one of the Samurai’s primary weapons. Needless to say, it is closely related to Samurai culture. The Iris flower is called the Shoubu (菖蒲) in Japanese, and there is the word Shoubu (勝負), which means battle. So, “Shoubu” (菖蒲, iris flower) and “Shoubu” (勝負, fight), these two words have the same pronunciation; therefore, the iris flower pattern reminds Samurai warriors battlefields.
Tsuka and Menuki：Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
Seeing from the gaps of the Tsukamaki threads, you would find a figure of an animal that looks similar to a lion on each side of the handle. These beasts are the Karajishi (唐獅子). The Shishi (獅子) means a lion in Japanese, and the Karajishi is a lion brought from the continent to Japan in the Toh period (唐, Tang dynasty, 618-907). The Karajishi typically has curly hair for its head, neck, body, and tail. You could see curly hair patterns on the bodies of Karajishis of this work. A simplified pattern of this curly hair is carved as the body hair pattern of the Karajishi on this Inro. In Buddhism, the Karajishi is regarded as a symbol of wisdom, and Monju Bosatu (文殊菩薩, Manjushri Bodhisattva) rides lions. According to a theory, the Karajishi is the origin of Komainu (狛犬, stone guardian dogs that exorcize evil spirits). It shows this beast motif has been familiar to Japanese people since ancient times.
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 shape. About the design, you would see countless small flower patterns. These are probably created by hammering iron with a chisel. Due to the shape of each flower, we think the Kogiku (小菊, small chrysanthemum) is its model. A long time ago, chrysanthemums were used as a medicine for obtaining a long life in the continent, and it was brought to Japan with this thought in the Nara period (648-781). The chrysanthemum symbolizes autumn, and people have greatly appreciated it since ancient times. This flower has been likened to the sun as its petals form radially. That is why chrysanthemum designs are treated as the symbol of perpetual youth and longevity or good health.
Small gold-colored spheres are also scattered throughout. It enhances the decorativeness of this Tsuba. The large and small particles of light seem to be twinkling stars in the sky. We would say it is an elegant work that has both practicality and beauty.
Kozuka：Kozuka is a small knife stored in Kozuka Hitsu(groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).
A Kogatana (小刀, small knife) is stored in the Kozuka. The blade part has rusted over time, indicating that it has a very long history. About the design of this Kozuka, we estimate it depicts houses, and the trees growing near them are engraved in an abstracted style.
Saya： Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.
Authentication Paper：NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 1019732)
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 March 10th in the 5th year of Reiwa (2023). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially 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 300669
The Board of Education in Tokyo 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】
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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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