Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Hizen Koku Yoshikane with <\/span>Tokubetsu Hozon<\/span> <\/span>Certificate<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u3010Description\u3011<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This blade was signed by Hizenkoku Yoshikane (\u80a5\u524d\u56fd\u5409\u5305) during the late Edo period (Bakumatsu era). Hizenkoku is the name of the domain in today’s Saga prefecture. Yoshikane belonged to Tadayoshi school and is known as an apprentice of the 8th-gen Tadayoshi (8th head of the school).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0It is assumed that Yoshikane dedicated his career to helping the 8th-gen Tadayoshi (his master) with his highly skilled craftsmanship. There aren’t many remaining blades made by Yoshikane. However, Yoshikane was one of the most skilled sword makers in Hizen domain during the late Edo period, aside from the 9th-gen Tadayoshi and Yoshimune. Those three swordsmiths are known as Hizen Sanmeiko (Three prominent swordsmiths in Hizen domain ) during the Bakumatu era (the end of the Edo period).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0According to available records, Yoshikane forged blades for Shima Yoshitake and Eto Shinpei, both of whom were Samurai participating in Sagano no Ran (\u4f50\u8cc0\u306e\u4e71), a civil war that happened in the 7th year of the Meiji era in Saga domain to protest against the newly founded Meji government. Based on this fact, the blades forged by Yoshikane were demanding and popular among Samurai warriors in Hizen during the late Edo period.<\/span><\/p>\n The founder of Tadayoshi school<\/span><\/strong> Hizen Domain<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0 It is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token<\/strong>(\u7279\u5225\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, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value.<\/span><\/p>\n *Please keep in mind that there are a couple of Kitae Kizu and black rust on this blade while they are all minor. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u3010 Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong> <\/p>\n Hamon<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a <\/p>\n 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 <\/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 \u00a0The surface of this Fuchi Kashira is worn, so currently, it is challenging to see its detail. We assume a combination of a dragon and clouds is engraved on it. Initially, the dragon was an imaginary creature found in ancient foreign traditions or myths. Furthermore, it is regarded as 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, the belly is Mizuchi (\u86df, a mythical animal in Japan that looks like a snake and has 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 \u00a0Clouds bring rain and snow, and their movements significantly affect the day’s weather. Due to its supernatural power, a theory says that gods, spirits, and dragons dwell in the clouds. In Japan, a religion worships the dragon as a water god. It might be one of the reasons why this combination design is often seen even in sword mountings.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Chrysanthemums are the motifs of this Menuki. Golden paint was applied to their petals and remains relatively in good condition. A long time ago, chrysanthemums were used as a medicine for obtaining a long life in the continent, and it was brought to Japan with this thought in the Nara period (648-781). The chrysanthemum symbolizes autumn, and people have greatly appreciated it since ancient times. This palnt has been likened to the sun as its petals form radially. That is why this flower pattern is treated as the symbol of perpetual youth and longevity or good health.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0This Tsuba is decorated with auspicious theme. A landscape is depicted on its front. We could find a classical design called the Ichi-Fuji Ni-Taka San-Nasubi (\u4e00\u5bcc\u58eb \u4e8c\u9df9 \u4e09\u8304\u5b50, one Mt. Fuji, two hawks, and three eggplants).” In Japan, these are considered auspicious signs if they appear in the first dream of the new year. There are several theories as to why these motifs were chosen. A view says that it is because Tokugawa Ieyasu (\u5fb3\u5ddd \u5bb6\u5eb7, 1543-1616), who opened the Edo Shogunate, loved Mt. Fuji, falconry, and the first eggplant of the season. It is also said that each object’s name compared to a good meaning word as follows: Fuji (\u5bcc\u58eb) and Buji (\u7121\u4e8b, safe, safely), Taka (\u9df9) and Takai (\u9ad8\u3044, high), and Nasu (\u8304\u5b50, eggplant) and Nasu (\u6210\u3059, make, achieve). This Tsuba’s maker might have incorporated this design because of his wishes for the success of his essential work or his desire for a successful career.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0On the backside of this Tsuba, Japanese letters are engraved. They are arranged one letter at the top, bottom, left, and right. And if we rearrange them according to the actual words, it could quote the following expression: \u9577\u547d\u5bcc\u8cb4 (Choumei Huuki). It means one must live a long life, have wealth, and have a high social status. The letter “\u5bcc” means having a lot of assets. And the letter “\u8cb4” means high status.<\/span><\/p>\n Saya<\/strong><\/span>\uff1a Saya is the scabbard for the Japanese sword.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> Authentication Paper<\/strong><\/span>\uff1aNBTHK TOKUBETSU Hozon Certificate for the blade (No. 1019733)<\/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 March 10 in the 5th year of Reiwa (2023). 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>Kagawa 7298<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0The Board of Education in Kagawa 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. <\/p>\n —————————————————————–<\/p>\n \u3010About us\u3011<\/span><\/strong> \u3010Japanese Sword& Export Process<\/strong>\u3011<\/span> \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. \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 an export permit. If you live in Japan, please click here <\/span><\/a>before you make a purchase.<\/p>\n \u3010Payment Method\u3011<\/strong> * 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> \u00a0We normally ship by EMS<\/strong>(Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. <\/span>We will send you a tracking number for your order as soon as we hand it to the post office. 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 \u3010Review\u3011<\/strong> \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\/08\/hizen_OCMOJ_0802.jpg\")
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\n\u00a0The first-gen Tadayoshi was born and raised in the Saga domain. In 1596, under the domain\u2019s order, he went to Kyoto to learn the sword-forging technique from Umetada Myojyu(\u57cb\u5fe0\u660e\u5bff), one of the greatest swordsmiths in the early Edo period. He improved his craftsmanship and returned to the Saga domain two years later (1598). The first head of the Nabeshima clan, Nabeshima Katsushige, appreciated the work of the first-gen Tadayoshi very much. Then, Katsushige appointed him as his Okakaekaji, a swordsmith who exclusively forged swords for a specific domain or clan. And Tadayoshi started to stay near Saga castle, which is the headquarter of the Nabeshima clan. And, he founded Hizen Tadayoshi school, which trained more than 100 swordsmiths during the Edo period.\u00a0 Yoshikane is one of them.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u00a0The swordsmiths in the Hizen province worked under the auspices of the Nabeshima clan such as Yoshikane. They could produce beautiful Jigane-patterned blades, also known as Hizen To, using and mixing carbon steel made in western countries. Hizen Koku had been flourishing by international trading. The geographic location of this domain made it possible to have easy access to western carbon steel.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nCutting Edge Length(Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a 66.2 cm (26.0 inches)<\/span><\/strong>
\nCurvature(Sori)<\/span><\/strong>\uff1a 1.3 cm (0.51 inches)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/kagawa_toushin4-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\/2023\/10\/katana-5.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\/2023\/10\/tuka-scaled.jpg\")
\u00a0 \u00a0 ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tuka2-1-scaled.jpg\")
\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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tuba-1-scaled.jpg\")
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\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\/2023\/10\/touroku-4-scaled.jpg\")
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\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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/5623eabfdde4147c0ecdc704028c6ecd.jpg\")
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\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 700 Japanese swords for the past few years (\uff5e2024) 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. 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 CHF <\/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\u00a0We have shipped authentic Japanese swords to the USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, 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 EMS.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/48026a8af882b8fafae180fa48fbd5f4.jpg\")
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\n\u00a0Here is o<\/span>ne of the reviews we received from a customer who purchased an authentic Japanese sword from us. For more reviews, please click here.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a>
\n\u201cMy experience overall with the whole process was wonderful. I had many questions about the history and process to purchase these treasures. All my questions were answered very timely and complete. The staff is very knowledgeable and very well versed if any questions do arise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
\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
\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
\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
\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