{"id":29659,"date":"2022-07-14T12:56:32","date_gmt":"2022-07-14T03:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/?post_type=product&p=29659"},"modified":"2022-11-11T17:04:15","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T08:04:15","slug":"antique-japanese-sword-katana-signed-by-iemori-nbthk-hozon-certificate","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/product\/antique-japanese-sword-katana-signed-by-iemori-nbthk-hozon-certificate\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Iemori
NBTHK Hozon <\/span>Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Summary\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
\n\u00a0This blade was signed by Bizen Osafune Iemori (\u5099\u524d\u9577\u8239\u5bb6\u5b88) in the second year of the O-Ei era (1395: Early Muromachi period). While some letters of the signature are not legible, NBTHK concluded that it was signed by Iemori, judging from the remaining signature and its characteristics. The maker’s name Iemori lasted three generations. And based on the year this blade was forged, we believe the third-gen Iemori created this beautiful sword.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The first Iemori was active from 1329 to 1331 (The early Nanbokucho era). The second-gen was present during 1356-1379 (The late Nanbokucho period). And lastly, the works of the third gen were made in\u00a01379-1428<\/strong>\u00a0(Late Nanbokucho-early Muromachi period).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Iemori is categorized as a Kozori swordsmith. Kozori is a group of swordsmiths who belonged to Osafune school in Bizen during the Nanbokucho-early Muromachi period but were not part of major branches such as Kanemitsu school. Iemori is said to have been a student of Hatakeda school in Bizen province.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Iemori (\u5bb6\u5b88) was considered an auspicious name from ancient times because Ie means family, and Mori means protection in Japanese. By having this name, people believed their family would be protected. It is said that the blades signed by Iemori were known as precious gifts among feudal lords, wishing prosperity for the receivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

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BIZEN Province\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
\n\u00a0BIZEN is located near the Chugoku Mountains, where iron sands, one of the essential materials for making Japanese swords, were abundant. Furthermore, BIZEN swordsmiths had close access to Yoshi River, where they could find water and charcoal. This geological location contributed to the swordsmiths forging high-quality refined blades. We presume BIZEN was quite active in sword-forging from ancient times. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0It is said that BIZEN DEN (one of five special sword forging traditions) was created by groups of swordsmiths there during the late Heian era (Late 12th century ). These ancient swordsmiths in Bizen province are called Ko-Bizen (Old Bizen) swordsmiths. By inheriting the sword forging techniques from Ko-Bizen swordsmiths, the Bizen Osafune school flourished from the mid-Kamakura period until the late Muromachi period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Horimono<\/strong>
\n\u00a0You can find a Tsurugi (Double-edged blade) Horimono at the bottom of the blade.<\/span>
\nThis might be Kurikaraken. 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).<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0 This 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

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\u3010 Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong>
\nCutting Edge Length(Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a 66.5 cm (26.1 inches)<\/strong>
\nCurvature(Sori)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a1.8 cm (0.7 inches)<\/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><\/span>\uff1aNakago is the tang of the Japanese sword. <\/strong><\/span><\/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.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0The Kashira part has a simple look. Since we can see a slight trace of golden paint, it might have been initially colored with gold or brass, but now it is challenging to see due to aging. Minor damages and dents tell us its long history. On the other hand, the Fuchi part has a decorative appearance. You would find that several buildings and some stone walls surrounding them are depicted. And these motifs are colored with golden paint. The shapes of the stones that make up the stone wall are clearly carved.<\/span><\/p>\n

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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

\u00a0This Menuki is composed of a rod-shaped part and a continuous geometric pattern part. The brightness of the gold-colored part is attractive. We believe this design is Mitsui Geta, a kind of family crest design. Its motif is \u4e95, a Japanese letter that means\u00a0 a well. This pattern consists of three \u4e95 letters. A famous feudal famiy, Ii (\u4e95\u4f0a) used the same family crest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \"\"
\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

\u00a0Oval-shaped Tsuba that has Kozuka and Kougai holes. The combination of straight lines makes this Tsuba\u2019s symmetrical design. Although this Tsuba is not decorated with gold or silver inlays, you can enjoy its well-balanced shape and the texture of the metal material itself. Also, as a kind of geometric pattern is used the same as the Menuki, this common feature makes sense of unity in the Koshirae.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\nSaya<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Authentication Paper<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNBTHK Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 3025087)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\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 Nov. 9th in the 2nd year of Reiwa (2020). They appraised it as Hozon Touken, the blade 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<\/span><\/a><\/span> for your record if you request.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Registration Number : Kumamoto 565<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The Board of Education in Kumamoto 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 (\uff5e2022) 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.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\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 allo<\/span>wed 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, 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

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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, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, 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

\u00a0We normally ship by EMS<\/strong>(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. When we receive an order from the Canada we will use 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 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 w<\/span>ebsite. 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’s history is a profound, eloquent legacy of ancient Japanese warriors in which millions of people worldwide are being fascinated. If y<\/span>ou 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