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Updated: 12 Oct 2024

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Daisho signed by Fujiwara Masahiro NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

$21,594.93

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

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

INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate×2, Shirasaya Case×2, Koshirae Mounting×2, Traditional Sword Carrying Case×2, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support

Category Katana& Wakizashi (Shinto)
Age Early Edo Period (Approx. 1658-1673)
Swordsmith Hizenkoku Kawachi no kami Fujiwara Masahiro
(肥前国河内守藤原正廣)
Certificate NBTHK Tokubetsu Certificate 
Location Hizen province (Saga prefecture)
Blade Size Cutting Edge Length: 70.4  cm ( 27.7 inches)
Curvature: 1.9 cm (0.75 inches)

Cutting Edge Length: 53.0 cm ( 20.9 inches)
Curvature: 1.3 cm ( 0.51 inches)

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

SOLD

Antique Japanese Sword Daisho signed by Fujiwara Masahiro with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate

【Description】

Hizenkoku Kawachi no kami Fujiwara Masahiro

 This blade was signed by Hizenkoku Kawachi no kami Fujiwara Masahiro (肥前国河内守藤原正廣), also known as the second-gen Masahiro. He was especially active in sword-forging during the early Edo period (Approx. 1658-1673). He was born in the fourth year of Kan-Ei era (1626) as the child of the first-gen Masahiro.

 The second-gen Masahiro received the honorable official title named Musashi Daijyo(武蔵大掾) in the third year of Manji era(1660) and promoted to Musashi no Kami(武蔵守) next year. He eventually received Kawachi no Kami(河内守) in the fifth year of Kan-Ei era (1665) after his father, first-gen Masahiro, was deceased. The second-gen died at the age of 73 in the 12th year of Genroku era(1699). We believe this blade was forged after 1665 as the signature includes Kawachi no Kami, his last title. Kami or Daijyo is an honorable official title given by the emperor for highly-skilled swordsmiths.

 Hizenkoku, located in Saga prefecture, is the name of the place where the second-Masahiro forged swords. His linage dates back to the beginning of the Edo period, when the first-gen Tadayoshi, his great grandfather, founded the school. Tadayoshi is known as one of the greatest swordsmiths in the early Edo period in Japanese sword history.

 His father, the first-gen Masahiro, is also a famous swordsmith in the province. The first-gen Masahiro started to serve Nabeshima Katsushige when he was 17 years old. Nabeshima Katsushige became the head of Saga Domain in Hizen in 1607.
The first-gen Masahiro was selected as Okakae Kaji for the Nabeshima clan, meaning he exclusively forged swords for the feudal family. The second-gen Masahiro, the swordsmith who forged this blade, was also an Okakaekaji for this clan. Nabeshima clan ruled Hizenkoku during the Edo period, which indicates that Masahiro served a powerful feudal lord.

 The swordsmiths in the Hizen province worked under the auspices of the Nabeshima clan like the second-gen Masahiro. They were able to produce beautiful Jigane-patterned blades, also known as Hizen To, using and mixing carbon steel made in western countries. Hizenkoku had been flourishing by international trading. The geographic location of this domain made it possible to have easy access to western carbon steel.

The first-gen Tadayoshi (His grand grandfather)

 The first-gen Tadayoshi was born and raised in the Saga domain. In 1596, under the domain’s order, he went to Kyoto to learn the sword-forging technique from Umetada Myojyu(埋忠明寿), one of the greatest swordsmiths in the early Edo period. He improved his craftsmanship and returned to the Saga domain two years later (1598). The first head of the Nabeshima clan, Nabeshima Katsushige, appreciated the work of the first-gen Tadayoshi very much. Then, Katsushige appointed him as his Okakaekaji, a swordsmith who exclusively forged swords for a specific domain or clan. And Tadayoshi started to stay near Saga castle, which is the headquarter of the Nabeshima clan. And, he founded Hizen Tadayoshi school, which trained more than 100 swordsmiths during the Edo period.  Masahiro is one of them.

 

What is Daisho?

 Daisho is a pair of two Japanese swords Samurai carried. During the Edo period, having Daisho in public places was considered social status for Samurai. Furthermore, Samurai were required to wear them under the law back then. Daisho is written as 大=Big and 小=Small. Dai part means Katana, and Sho part means Wakizashi. They have such a fancy appearance that we believe a high-ranked Samurai owned them. We are confident you would like this pair of Daisho Koshirae. And based on the style of the sword mounting, they are categorized as DENCHU KOSHIRAE(Sword mountings for entering a castle), which is very formal style of the mountings.

Appraisal

These blades are 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.

 

【 Blade】

-Katana
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)70.4  cm ( 27.7 inches)
Curvature(Sori)1.9 cm (0.75 inches)

-Wakizashi
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)  53.0 cm ( 20.9 inches)
Curvature(Sori)1.3 cm ( 0.51 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

-Katana


-Wakizashi


NakagoNakago 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(Sabbard), Tsuka( Handle), Tsuba(Handguard).

Fuchi-KashiraA pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.

Tsuka and MenukiTsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.

 Initially, the dragon is an imaginary creature found in ancient Chinese traditions or myths. Furthermore, it is regarded as a symbolic beast of auspicious signs. Its body is likened to nine animals: antlers are deer, the head is a camel, eyes are demons, the neck is a snake, belly is Mizuchi (蛟, mythical animal in Japan which looks like a snake and have a horn and four legs), scales are fish, claws are falcons, palms are tigers, and ears are cows. It was thought that the dragon would reign at the top of all animals because of its odd-looking appearance.

  In ancient China, the dragon pattern was used for emperors’ clothing so that people strictly defined its shape or even the number of nails. On the other hand, the dragon pattern does not have detailed rules to represent classes in Japan. However, still, it maintains its meaning as the all-purpose auspicious pattern.

  Also, in Japan, there is a belief that worships dragon as a water god and is called Ryujin Shinkou (竜神信仰). Since rice cultivation flourished in this country, water is always an essential resource. Therefore, the dragon motif has been familiar to Japanese people since a long time ago. 



Tsuba and HabakiTsuba 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. 
     

Saya Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.  

Authentication PaperNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the Katana (No. 1014715) & Wakizashi blade (No. 1014716 )

 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 these two blades on Feb 25th in the third year of Reiwa  (2021). They appraised Katana and Wakizashi as a Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society. The purchaser will receive these original certificates as well. We can also translate what is written into English and make a PDF file for your record if you request. 

Registration Number : Mie 2966-2967

The Board of Education in Mie  prefecture issued a registration paper for this Katana and Wakizashi blade . 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 500 Japanese swords for the past three years (~2023) 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, Switzerland, 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 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.

*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.

【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.

 

MORE ANTIQUE JAPANESE SWORD FOR SALE

SWORDS WITHOUT CERTIFICATES FOR SALE

READ KATANA ARCHIVE ARTICLE(Episode1-8)

LEARN JAPANESE SWORD TERMINOLOGY

 

 Thank you for reading all the information on the page. If you have any difficulty choosing the right Japanese sword for you, we will be more than happy to help you find the one that speaks to you the most. Please feel free to contact us.

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    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.