{"id":24763,"date":"2022-02-10T16:54:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T07:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/?post_type=product&p=24763"},"modified":"2022-10-11T16:16:07","modified_gmt":"2022-10-11T07:16:07","slug":"antique-japanese-sword-wakizashi-attributed-to-sadakuni-nbthk-hozon-certificate","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/product\/antique-japanese-sword-wakizashi-attributed-to-sadakuni-nbthk-hozon-certificate\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Attributed to Sadakuni
NBTHK Hozon<\/span> Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antique Japanese Sword Wakizashi Attributed to Higo Daijyo Sadakuni with NBTHK Hozon<\/span> Certificate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Summary<\/strong>
\nThis blade is attributed to Higo Daijyo Sadakuni (\u80a5\u5f8c\u5927\u63be\u8c9e\u56fd), who was active in sword-forging during the Keicho era (1596-1615: Early Edo Period<\/strong>) in Echizen province (today’s Fukui prefecture). He belonged to Echizen Shimosaka School, one of the most prestigious schools in the province during the Edo period. He was a prominent figure in this school. It is said that he was a younger brother of the first-gen Yasutsugu, the founder of the school. And, Sadakuni was the teacher of Kotetsu (\u864e\u5fb9) in terms of Horimono technique(Engraving on the blades). Daijyo was an official rank only given to highly skilled swordsmiths back then.<\/p>\n

About Echizen Shimosaka School<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0It is said that the first-gen Yasutsugu was the founder of the Echizen Shimoasaka school. He was born in Shimosaka town in Shiga prefecture at the end of the Muromachi period(Late 16 century ). He built his career there until the beginning of the Keicho era(1596). However, he moved to Echizen province due to the relocation of the lord he served. He eventually was noticed and supported by Matsudaira Hideyasu, the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the founder of the Edo government. Hideysu was the feudal lord of Echizen province during the early Edo period.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0With the support of Hideyasu, the first-gen Yasutsugu was able to establish the Echizen Shimosaka school. And his school\u2019s fame became nationwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0By Hideyasu\u2019s recommendation, the first-gen Yasutsugu became Okakaekaji for the Tokugawa shogun family, meaning that he exclusively forged swords for the Shogun family. Yasutsu was acknowledged by the first and second Tokugawa Shoguns, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Tokugawa Hidetada.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The first-gen Yasutsugu received \u5eb7(YASU) from Tokugawa Ieyasu and changed his maker\u2019s name. He was also allowed to inscribe the holly oak symbol(family crest of Tokugawa) on the tang. The school flourished during the Edo period and trained many skilled apprentices. Sadakuni was one of the most famous apprentices among many swordsmiths who resided in Echizen province.<\/span><\/p>\n

About Echizen province<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0Echizen Province was famous for forging razor-sharp, practically designed swords. The Edo government, run by the Tokugawa clan, ordered many blades from the swordsmiths in this province during the Edo period(1603-1868). There were so many swordsmiths in Echizen province, originally from the Mino province(Gifu prefecture), which is known as one of the five great Japanese sword styles MINO-DEN.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0This blade is appraised as a Hozon Token(\u4fdd\u5b58\u5200\u5263) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:\u65e5\u672c\u7f8e\u8853\u5200\u5263\u4fdd\u5b58\u5354\u4f1a). This authentication paper was only given to authentic Japanese swords, well preserved with artistic value.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u3010Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong>
\nCutting Edge Length(Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a\u00a0 35.1 cm(<\/strong><\/span> 13.8 inches)<\/strong>
\nCurvature(Sori)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a 1.0<\/strong> cm(0.39 inches)<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0Japanese 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.<\/span><\/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.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0This Fuchi Kashira has a simple look and has an elegant black color. Instead of ornamental decoration such as gold or silver inlay, you could enjoy the texture and color of this metal material itself. You would find minor damages, such as scratches; we hope you will appreciate it as an antique texture.<\/span>
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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

\u00a0The Kara-Jishi (\u5510\u7345\u5b50) is the motif of this Menuki. Two Kara-Jishis are colored with shiny gold paint, and they are in good condition. You could enjoy the detailed carving lines. The Shishi (\u7345\u5b50) means a lion in Japanese, and the Kara-Jishi is a lion brought from the Continent to Japan in the Toh period (\u5510, Tang dynasty, 618-907). The Kara-Jishi typically has curly hair for its head, neck, body, and tail, as you see in this work. In Buddhism, the Kara-Jishi is regarded as a symbol of wisdom, and the Monju Bosatu (\u6587\u6b8a\u83e9\u85a9, Manjushri Bodhisattva) rides lions. According to a theory, the Kara-Jishi originates from the Komainu (\u72db\u72ac, stone guardian dogs that exorcize evil spirits).<\/span><\/p>\n

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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

\u00a0Oval-shaped Tsuba that has Kozuka and Kougai holes. The principal motif is the dragon, and clouds are also engraved. This dragon is carefully carved even in detail. You would enjoy its dignified figure. Initially, the dragon is an imaginary creature found in ancient traditions or myths. Furthermore, it is regarded as a symbol 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 the 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Now, please focus on the engraved inscription. You will find it next to the center hole. It is the signature of this Tsuba\u2019s maker and is written as follows: \u6210\u9f8d\u8ed2 \u6804\u5bff. The last golden square mark is probably his stamp. It is said he did well in the middle of the Edo period and lived in Osaka and Kyoto prefecture. As his name suggests, we think he was good at carving dragons (the dragon is written as \u9f8d in Japanese).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kougai<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aKougai is the equipment for Samurai to arrange or fix his hair style.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0This Kougai looks similar to the shape of chopsticks. Same as the Kozuka, it was originally decorated with golden coloring. We guess a kind of plant is designed on it.<\/span>
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Kozuka<\/strong>\uff1aKozuka is a small knife stored in Koduka Hitsu(groove of the sheath of the Japanese sword).<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0A Kogatana (\u5c0f\u5200, small knife) is stored in the Kozuka. The motif of this Kozuka is probably a Kabu (\u856a, turnip). Although some coloring has already been flaked off due to aging, it looks it was initially painted with bright golden color. It is one of the seven herbs of spring in Japan. People eat these herbs on January 7th, hoping for good health. Also, it is believed that it would protect people from evil spirits.<\/span>
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Saya<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>
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Authentication Paper<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No.3022031)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0NBTHK<\/span><\/a>, 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 December 2nd in the 1st year of Reiwa (2019). They appraised it as Hozon Touken, the blade 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> for your record if you request.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Registration Number :\u00a0<\/span> Osaka 121799<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0The Board of Education in Osaka 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\u00a0Samurai 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\u00a0The 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 400 Japanese swords for the past three years to amazing owners who appreciate its historical value. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Each 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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\u00a0To 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

\u00a0It is allow<\/span>ed 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>
\n<\/span>\u00a0We 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. 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.<\/p>\n

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* If the amount is above 1 million JPY, Stripe or wire transfer will be the only options for payment.<\/p>\n

\u3010Shipping\u3011<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany , France , Switzerland, 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

\u00a0We 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

\u00a0We 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

\u00a0It 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

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\u3010How to make sure the condition\u3011<\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0Please 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>
\n\u00a0Please con<\/span>tact 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
\n\u00a0Samurai’<\/span>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\u00a0After 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