{"id":18501,"date":"2021-07-13T22:40:04","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T13:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/?post_type=product&p=18501"},"modified":"2022-09-07T17:29:14","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T08:29:14","slug":"antique-japanese-sword-katana-signed-by-masamori-nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-certificate","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/product\/antique-japanese-sword-katana-signed-by-masamori-nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-certificate\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Masamori
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon<\/strong> <\/span>Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Masamori with <\/span>Tokubetsu Hozon<\/span> <\/span>Certificate<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u3010Description\u3011<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This blade was forged by Ashu Ishikawa Masamori(\u963f\u6d32\u77f3\u5ddd\u6b63\u5b88) in the sixth year of Kansei(1794: Late Edo period). Ashu is the name of the province in Tokushima prefecture where he lived when he forged this blade. His real name was Ishikawa Shohei(\u77f3\u5ddd\u5c0f\u5e73).<\/p>\n

During the last years of the Edo period, Ashu (Awa) province was ruled by Hachisuka clan, a prestigious feudal line. The 10th head of this clan, Hachisuka Shigeyoshi, sent four skilled swordsmiths to Suishinshi Masahide, one of the most famous swordsmiths in Edo city back then. Ishikawa Masamori, Masanao(his brother), and the other two learned sword forging skills from Masahide in Edo city.<\/p>\n

Masamori improved his craftsmanship under the supervision of Suishinshi Masahide. After finishing the apprenticeship, he also created his work in Iwakura(Aichi prefecture) and Edo(Tokyo). He trained many apprentices in his career. His work has a close resemblance to his master Suishinshi Masahide.<\/p>\n

This blade was registered under the board of education in Tokushima prefecture, where this blade had been forged. We presume the descendant of a Samurai had preserved it for generations.<\/p>\n

This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon certificate issued by NBTHK. This authentication paper was only given to Japanese swords, especially worth preserving by Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai(the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword).<\/p>\n

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\u3010 Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong>
\nCutting Edge Length(Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a 69.7 cm(27.44 inches)<\/strong>
\nCurvature(Sori)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a1.06 cm(0.42 inches)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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For more detailed measurement of the blade\/sword mounting<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Hamon<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a
\nThe crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process<\/strong>
\nJimon(Jihada)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a
\nvisible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nakago<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNakago is the tang of the Japanese sword. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Koshirae:\u00a0Koshirae is the mounting of the Japanese sword. There are several parts that consist of Koshirae such as Saya(Scabbard), Tsuka( Handle), Tsuba(Handguard).<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Fuchi-Kashira<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aA pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Golden cobwebs are designed on this Fuchi Kashira. If you focus on the Fuchi part, you will find a spider. This Fuchi Kashira has a bumpy surface. A spider web can be seen in the concave part of the uneven surface, and it looks as if these spider webs are stretched in a cave.<\/p>\n

Spiders nest and catch preys with their web; people considered the spider pattern as \u201cgrabbing happiness\u201d or \u201cattracting things.\u201d The cobweb appears in Nihonshoki (\u65e5\u672c\u66f8\u7d00, Nihongi, The Chronicles of Japan), Kokin Wakashu (\u53e4\u4eca\u548c\u6b4c\u96c6, an early anthology of Japanese poetry) and also Heike Monogatari (\u5e73\u5bb6\u7269\u8a9e, The Tale of the Heike). When the cobweb goes down in the morning, it was thought, \u201cthe person you are waiting for will come.\u201d The spider pattern has been appreciated due to its beautiful nest shape and the meaning of the design.
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Tsuka and Menuki<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aTsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

A kind of insect is the motif of this Menuki. It might be a fly or bee. If it is a fly, we could imagine that this insect was chosen with the intention of a combination with a spider (as mentioned above, a spider is this Menuki\u2019s motif). Spiders prey upon harmful insects such as flies. This Menuki\u2019s flies are pretty large compare to the spider which is depicted on the Fuchi Kashira. As it has googly eyes, it seems it is threatening opponents. The figure of a tiny spider aiming for a fly that is larger than itself appears to be a metaphor for a battle of Samurai with clever schemes against strong enemies.
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\nTsuba and Habaki<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aTsuba 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A variety of insects are designed for this Tsuba. On the surface, there are a bee, a cricket, and a mantis. On the other side, you could find a butterfly and a snail. We would consider that each character might have been chosen because of its meanings.<\/p>\n

For example, the mantis is called Kamakiri (\u87f7\u8782) in Japanese, and there is another name \u201cOgami-Mushi (\u62dd\u307f\u866b),\u201d or \u201cInori-Mushi (\u7948\u308a\u866b).\u201d Both of these names mean a praying insect. Mantises hold their arms together, and their long wings cover their lower bodies. As this posture looks like a priest who prays to God, the mantis is likened to a \u201cpraying mantis.\u201d Mantises lay well. Therefore, the mantis is considered a symbol of children.<\/p>\n

About the butterfly pattern, there is the following theory. A larva becomes a chrysalis, and it grows up to a butterfly. As this insect changes its looks, it symbolizes reborn; therefore, Samurai loved the butterfly pattern. Also, as butterflies make a couple on good terms, this motif represents happy marriage.<\/p>\n

It is just a guess, but we would imagine the reason why a snail is designed here. Snails move very slowly, so it takes a considerable amount of time and effort to reach their destination. However, its accumulated effort will undoubtedly be acquired as power. Now, doesn\u2019t the snail look like a symbolic design that encourages Samurais to do their daily discipline to play an active part on the battlefield someday?<\/p>\n

These are examples of views to interpret the meanings of motifs. We hope you would also enjoy guessing them.
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\nSaya<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>
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Authentication Paper<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0NBTHK<\/a><\/span><\/span>, 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 April 2nd in the 11th year of Heisei (1999). 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<\/span><\/a><\/span> for your record if you request.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Registration Number : <\/span>Tokushima<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span> 1377<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Board of Education in Tokushima prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword . It is called Jyu Token Rui Torokusho(\u9283\u5200\u5263\u985e\u767b\u9332\u8a3c). Bunkacho(The Agency for Cultural Affairs) acknowledges a Japanese sword with this paper as a work of art.
\nThe 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.
\nThis 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u3010About us\u3011<\/span><\/strong>
\n\u00a0 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u3010Japanese Sword& Export Process<\/strong>\u3011<\/span>
\n\u00a0 The Japanese swords we deal with are hand-forged edged swords made in Japan. It was made from the traditional carbon steel called TAMAHAGANE(\u7389\u92fc)<\/span><\/a>. 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 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.
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\u00a0 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<\/strong> to receive this permit after submitting required documents. And we would like you to expect at least 1-1.5 months<\/strong> for your order to arrive at your given address after you ordered. For more detailed info, please click here<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u3010Payment Method\u3011<\/strong>
\nWe accept payment through Stripe <\/strong>(Credit card), PayPal<\/strong>, 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. <\/span>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, EUR <\/strong>or GBP<\/strong>. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u3010Shipping\u3011<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany , France and Hong Kong<\/strong><\/span>. 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<\/strong><\/span> as long as we can send antique Japanese swords by either EMS or FedEx(Canada).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 We normally ship by<\/span> EMS<\/strong>(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. When we receive an order from the Canada we will use <\/span>FedEx<\/strong> instead as EMS temporarily stops shipping from Japan to those countries due to COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office\/FedEx. 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 *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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u3010How to make sure the condition\u3011<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0 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.<\/span> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u3010How To Contact Us\u3011<\/strong>
\nPlease 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.<\/p>\n

\u3010The Art of Nihonto(Japanese Sword)<\/strong>\u3011
\nSamurai’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.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u3010A Guide to Japanese Sword Maintenance<\/strong>\u3011<\/span>
\n\u00a0 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<\/span><\/strong> sword maintenance kit, which appears in this video<\/span>.
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