Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Kunishige with <\/span>Tokubetsu Hozon<\/span> <\/span>Certificate<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u3010Description\u3011<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This blade was signed by Otsuki Yogo Uemon I Kunishige(\u5927\u6708\u4e0e\u4e94\u53f3\u885b\u9580\u5c09\u56fd\u91cd). The back of the signature also says Bitchu Koku Mizuta Jyunin(\u5099\u4e2d\u56fd\u6c34\u7530\u4f4f\u4eba). It is estimated that this swordsmith was active during the early Edo period(Mid-Late 17th century).<\/p>\n Kunishige belonged to Bitchu Koku Mizuta school, which had been founded by the descendants of Ko AOE Tametsugu(\u53e4\u9752\u6c5f\u70ba\u6b21) in the late Muromachi period(1530-).<\/p>\n Tametsugu is one of the most famous swordsmiths in the late Heian period-early Kamakura period(Late 12C-Early 13C). One of his works is designated as a national treasure of Japan.<\/p>\n AOE(\u9752\u6c5f) is the name of the school Tametsugu belonged to. It was located in Kurashiki city, Okayama prefecture today. AOE school was prosperous during the Kamakura-Nanbokucho era(-Late 12C-Late 14C), but it almost disappeared in the Muromachi period. However, because of the descendants of Tametsugu, the Ko AOE-style sword became popular again and revitalized the school by changing its name to Bitchu Koku Mizuta school.<\/p>\n The Bitchu Koku Mizuta school flourished from 1530-1700(The end of the Sengoku period to the mid-Edo period) in today\u2019s Okayama prefecture. About 60 swordsmiths who belonged to Mizuta school and Kunishige were the most prestigious smith name only selected swords maker were allowed to use in this school. During the Edo period, many Kunishige swordsmiths moved to other parts of Japan.<\/p>\n There are two major groups in Kunishige swordsmiths during the Edo period. One is called Oyogo Kunishige school(\u5927\u4e0e\u4e94\u56fd\u91cd\u6d3e), lead by Master Otsuki\uff08\u5927\u6708\uff09and the other is called Kono school(\u6cb3\u91ce\u6d3e) lead by Tameie(\u70ba\u5bb6). As you can guess from this swordsmith\u2019s name, this Kunishige belonged to Oyogo Kunishige school. We believe he must have been a prestigious swordsmith as he was allowed to use \u5927\u6708\u4e0e\u4e94 in his signature.<\/p>\n This blade is stored in Tachi(\u592a\u5200) Koshirae. Tachi was mainly used by an armored Samurai with one hand on horseback from the Heian period (794-1185 A.D.) until the early Muromachi period. TACHI was suspended loosely on the left waist with its edge facing the ground so that you could draw it faster to cut down soldiers on the ground. 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 <\/p>\n \u3010 Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong> For more detailed measurement of the blade\/sword mounting<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Hamon<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a <\/p>\n 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 <\/p>\n 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 <\/p>\n 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 Small circular protrusions are arranged without any disturbance and decorate the entire surface of this Fuchi Kashira. This technique is called Nanako-Ji (\u9b5a\u5b50\u5730). The ground is hit by the Nanako-Ji Tagane (\u9b5a\u5b50\u5730\u93e8, chisel used for this technique). It makes us feel the maker’s expert skill.<\/p>\n Although most parts of the golden color have already been flaked off due to aging, it seems the gold was initially painted on the Fuchi Kashira. It gave the elegant impression for the appearance of this sword’s Koshirae, of course including Fuchi Kashira. Tsuka and Menuki<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aTsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Dragons coil their elongated bodies around swords. This design is called Kurikara Ken (\u5036\u5229\u4f3d\u7f85, the sword that Fudo Myo-O brings his right hand). It is said the Kurikara Ryu (\u5036\u5229\u4f3d\u7f85\u9f8d) changed its figure to this fire. Fudo Myo-O (\u4e0d\u52d5\u660e\u738b) is a protective god in Buddhism, particularly Japanese Shingon Buddhism. This god was also known as a god of wars.<\/p>\n The dragon itself is also a trendy motif for sword mountings. Initially, the dragon is an imaginary creature found in ancient traditions or myths. Furthermore, it is 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 (\u86df, 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. As there are many works of dragon design for Koshirae, we would guess that many Samurais loved this beast motif. Aoi-Gata Tsuba is made from iron. The golden metal is applied to Kozuka and Kougai holes. If you focus on four corners of this Tsuba, you will find heart mark-shaped holes. It is called the Inome Sukashi (\u732a\u306e\u76ee\u900f\u304b\u3057). The Inome pattern has been used since ancient times. As its name implies, the eyes of the boar are the origin of this design. Some people believed that the Inome design works as an amulet to protect them from evil spirits or fire. Also, it is said it would bring good luck. This pattern is often used for Aoi-Gata Tsuba. Also, the Inome design is found in traditional Japanese architectures such as shrines or temples and used Gegyo (\u61f8\u9b5a, decoration under the roof, where the roof is jointed) or metal fittings for hiding timber joints.<\/p>\n The principal motif of this Tsuba is the clouds. Clouds that are layered on top of each other are sculpted semi-three-dimensionally and colored with golden metal. We would imagine that this motif might have been chosen due to this Menuki\u2019s design to combine dragons and clouds. According to a theory, dragons dwell in the clouds. And clouds bring the blessed rain. In Japan, there is a belief that worships dragon as a water god and is called Ryujin Shinkou (\u7adc\u795e\u4fe1\u4ef0). Since rice cultivation has been flourished in this country, water is always an essential resource. That is, clouds have a deep connection with dragons. 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 Feb 25th in the third year of Reiwa (2021). 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 Registration Number : <\/span>Kanagawa<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span> 14590<\/strong> <\/p>\n —————————————————————–<\/p>\n \u3010About us\u3011<\/span><\/strong> \u3010Japanese Sword& Export Process<\/strong>\u3011<\/span> \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. \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> \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 \u3010How to make sure the condition\u3011<\/strong><\/span> \u3010How To Contact Us\u3011<\/strong> \u3010The Art of Nihonto(Japanese Sword)<\/strong>\u3011 \u3010A Guide to Japanese Sword Maintenance<\/strong>\u3011<\/span>
\nBecause of its gorgeous looking, having a Tachi-style sword mounting became a social status among Samurai. We presume this blade was owned by a high-ranked Samurai who was wealthy enough to own a blade forged by a famous swordsmith with the Tachi-style sword mounting.<\/p>\n
\nCutting Edge Length(Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a 68.5 cm( 27.0 inches)<\/strong>
\nCurvature(Sori)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a1.21 cm(0.47 inches)<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/tousin11-scaled.jpg\")
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\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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/katana-5.jpg\")
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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
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\nSaya<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>
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\n\u00a0 The Board of Education in Kanagawa 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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/KEN09590-scaled.jpg\")
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\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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/5623eabfdde4147c0ecdc704028c6ecd.jpg\")
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\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
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\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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/SSL_payment_1222-01-1.jpg\")
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\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
\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
\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
\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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