\u3010Description\u3011<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n About swordsmith<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n This blade is attributed to the work of Sue Soshu Masahiro(\u672b\u76f8\u5dde\u6b63\u5e83) by NBTHK, one of the most reputable Japanese sword appraising organizations in modern time. Sue Soshu refers to the blades forged by the swordsmiths in Sagami province during the mid-late Muromachi period(late 14th-late 16th century).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to available records, the maker\u2019s name Masahiro lasted seventh generations from the Nanbokucho-late Muromachi period(mid 14th -late 16th century). Based on the characteristic of this blade, we assume it could have been forged by the fourth-gen Masahiro, who was active around the Kosho era(1455-1457).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The first-gen Masahiro is said to have been an apprentice of Masamune, one of the most famous swordsmiths in Japanese history. Masahiro served the Hojyo clan during Sengoku Jidai(Warring state period) to meet the high demand for weapons. Masahiro was one of the most famous swordsmiths who mastered Soshu traditions(Soshu DEN) along with Sadamune, Hiromitsu Masamune.<\/span><\/p>\n Soshu Den<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The foundation of Soshu traditions (Soshu DEN) dates back to the establishment of the Kamakura government(1185-1333). The Shogun at the time, Hojo Tokiyori, gathered swordsmiths of Yamashiro-Den and Bizen-Den to create a new tradition named Soshu-Den.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Following the Mongolian Invasion caused in 1274 and 1281, they had to improve the strength of their swords. Skilled swordsmiths such as Shintougo Kunimitsu, Yukimitsu, and Masamune pursued their craft to bring Soshu-Den to the exquisite level, achieving both beauty and practicality that they had not seen before.<\/span><\/p>\n Horimono<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n This blade also has Horimono(the inscription) of Sanscrit letter and Kurikara Ken. <\/span>Kurikara-Ken (\u5036\u5229\u4f3d\u7f85\u5263) is the sword that Fudo Myo-O (\u4e0d\u52d5\u660e\u738b, acalan\u0101tha) holds with his right hand(you can see it on the tang part). Fudo Myo-O is one of the objects of worship in Buddhism. According to a theory, it is the incarnation of Dainichi Nyorai (\u5927\u65e5\u5982\u6765, Mah\u0101vairocana, the principal image of esoteric Buddhism). Kurikara-ken was named due to its appearance that Kurikara Ryu-O (\u5036\u5229\u4f3d\u7f85\u9f8d\u738b, dragon) is winding around the sword. It is believed Kurikara-Ken could cut off worldly desires: Sandoku (\u4e09\u6bd2). Sandoku is the three fundamental earthly desires; Ton (\u8caa, greed), Jin (\u778b, anger, grudge), Chi (\u7661, delusion, complaint).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Construction of this blade<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The construction of this blade is called Osoraku Zukuri. It has a very long tip whose length is close to the rest of the cutting edge in the sword. This construction has been very popular among Japanese sword collectors because of its elegant yet muscular appearance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Please keep in mind that there is a partial black rust on Mune area(back bone of the blade). If you like to know the detail condition, please feel free to contact us.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u3010 Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong> Hamon\uff1a<\/span> Nakago<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNakago is the tang of the Japanese sword. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Horimono:\u00a0<\/strong>Horimono is an inscription or sculpture on Japanese swords.<\/strong><\/p>\n 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).<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/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 The Kiku Mon (\u83ca\u7d0b, chrysanthemum pattern) and the Karakusa Zu (\u5510\u8349, arabesque motif) are designed for this Fuchi Kashira. Chrysanthemums are engraved semi three-dimensionally, and the arabesque pattern is colored with golden paint. It remains this gold color in good condition, and it is an element of the gorgeousness of this work.<\/p>\n A long time ago, the chrysanthemum was used as a medicine for obtaining a long life, and it was brought to Japan from the Continent with this thought in the Nara period (648-781). Chrysanthemum symbolizes autumn, and Japanese people have appreciated it very much since ancient times. As its petals form radially, the chrysanthemum has been likened to the sun. That is why this flower pattern is treated as the symbol of perpetual youth and longevity or good health. Also, this plant motif has a deep relationship with the Samurai culture. It would be interesting to focus on these points of view.<\/p>\n About the arabesque pattern, it is a design in which stems and leaves of vines are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows up without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. These auspicious plant motifs are designed for this Fuchi Kashira.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fighting men are the motifs of this Menuki. According to the certificate, these men are Ushiwaka (\u725b\u82e5\/ \u725b\u82e5\u4e38, Ushiwakamaru) and Benkei (\u5f01\u6176). In Japan, there is a very famous story about them. The plot of the folklore is as follows. In Kyoto, there was a rumor that a violent man, Benkei, had robbed swords from Samurais on the road. Benkei tried to collect a thousand swords. On the day when he will get the thousandth, he met Ushiwaka on the Gojo bridge. Benkei aimed at Ushiwaka\u2019s sword and challenged him to a duel. However, it was Ushiwaka who won the battle. Ushiwak dodged Benkei\u2019s long sword and threw a fan at his forehead, and Benkei turned over. Benkei surrendered to Ushiwaka and became Ushiwaka\u2019s follower. Based on this story, in this Menuki, the man who brings a fan is Ushiwaka, and the other man who has a Naginata (\u8599\u5200, pole-shape weapon) is Benkei.<\/p>\n Tsuba 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 Fighting men are the motifs of this Menuki. According to the certificate, these men are Ushiwaka (\u725b\u82e5\/ \u725b\u82e5\u4e38, Ushiwakamaru) and Benkei (\u5f01\u6176). In Japan, there is a very famous story about them. The plot of the folklore is as follows. In Kyoto, there was a rumor that a violent man, Benkei, had robbed swords from Samurais on the road. Benkei tried to collect a thousand swords. On the day when he will get the thousandth, he met Ushiwaka on the Gojo bridge. Benkei aimed at Ushiwaka\u2019s sword and challenged him to a duel. However, it was Ushiwaka who won the battle. Ushiwak dodged Benkei\u2019s long sword and threw a fan at his forehead, and Benkei turned over. Benkei surrendered to Ushiwaka and became Ushiwaka\u2019s follower. Based on this story, in this Menuki, the man who brings a fan is Ushiwaka, and the other man who has a Naginata (\u8599\u5200, pole-shape weapon) is Benkei.<\/p>\n Saya<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This scabbard is painted with brown lacquer, and its irregular color scheme makes this beautiful work. In addition, you would find tiny decoration parts that give off a glittering and elegant shine. This ornamental scabbard painting is called the Aogai Mijin Nuri (\u9752\u8c9d\u5fae\u5875\u5857). It uses the Aogai (\u9752\u8c9d, kind of seashell). Finely crushed shells are coated with lacquer. It emits a unique blue-green color with a rainbow-colored glow.<\/p>\n Kozuka<\/strong>\uff1aKozuka is a small knife stored in Kozuka Hitsu(groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).<\/b><\/p>\n Fighting men are the motifs of this Menuki. According to the certificate, these men are Ushiwaka (\u725b\u82e5\/ \u725b\u82e5\u4e38, Ushiwakamaru) and Benkei (\u5f01\u6176). In Japan, there is a very famous story about them. The plot of the folklore is as follows. In Kyoto, there was a rumor that a violent man, Benkei, had robbed swords from Samurais on the road. Benkei tried to collect a thousand swords. On the day when he will get the thousandth, he met Ushiwaka on the Gojo bridge. Benkei aimed at Ushiwaka\u2019s sword and challenged him to a duel. However, it was Ushiwaka who won the battle. Ushiwak dodged Benkei\u2019s long sword and threw a fan at his forehead, and Benkei turned over. Benkei surrendered to Ushiwaka and became Ushiwaka\u2019s follower. Based on this story, in this Menuki, the man who brings a fan is Ushiwaka, and the other man who has a Naginata (\u8599\u5200, pole-shape weapon) is Benkei.<\/p>\n Authentication Paper<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Certificate for the blade\uff06 Hozon Certifiate for Koshirae(sword mounting)<\/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 March 25th in the 48th year of Showa(1973). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Kicho, an old form of certifiate. NBTHK issued a Hozon certificate for the Koshirae on April 2nd, 2021. The purchaser will receive these original certificates as well. We can also translate what is written into English and make a PDF file<\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for your record if you request.<\/span><\/p>\n Registration Number : Toyama5878<\/span><\/strong><\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n —————————————————————–<\/p>\n \u3010About us\u3011<\/span><\/strong> \u3010Japanese Sword& Export Process<\/strong>\u3011<\/span> 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<\/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 Hong Kong and Australia<\/span><\/a><\/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).\u00a0<\/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.\u00a0<\/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 * If you live in Australia and like to purchase an authentic Japanese sword, please click here<\/span><\/span> <\/a>to know the detail.<\/strong><\/p>\n *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>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sagami_gokaden_0927.jpg\")
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\nCutting Edge Length(Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a\u00a0 33.6 cm (13.2 inches)<\/span><\/strong>
\nCurvature(Sori)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a1.66 c<\/strong>m(0.65 inches)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/tousin2-16-scaled.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/top1-14-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
\nJimon(Jihada)\uff1a<\/span>
\nvisible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/katana-17.jpg\")
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\nTsuka and Menuki<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aTsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/tuka-16-scaled.jpg\")
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\n\u00a0The Board of Education in Toyama 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\/10\/top-23-scaled.jpg\")
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\n 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 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 350 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, CAD,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 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><\/strong><\/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. By mastering how to clean the Japanese sword, its aesthetic beauty will last forever.<\/span><\/p>\n