{"id":46299,"date":"2024-01-25T17:33:21","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T08:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/?post_type=product&p=46299"},"modified":"2024-06-16T23:50:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-16T14:50:59","slug":"antique-japanese-sword-tanto-signed-by-shimosakanthk-kanteisho","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/www.samuraimuseum.jp\/shop\/product\/antique-japanese-sword-tanto-signed-by-shimosakanthk-kanteisho\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique Japanese Sword Tanto Signed by Shimosaka
NTHK Kanteisho"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antique Japanese Sword Tanto signed by Shimosaka with NTHK Kanteisho<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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

\u00a0This blade was signed by Echizen Koku Shimosaka (\u8d8a\u524d\u56fd\u4e0b\u5742) during the Kan-Ei era (1624-1644: early Edo period), according to its NTHK appraisal. Shimosaka is the name of the prominent school located in Echizen province (today’s Fukui prefecture). This blade was created by a member of this school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\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.\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

\u00a0 By Hideyasu\u2019s recommendation, the first-gen Yasutsugu became an 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

\u00a0 The first-gen Yasutsugu received \u5eb7(YASU) from Tokugawa Ieyasu in the 11th year of the Keicho era (1606) 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The blade has Ranma Sukashibori, a traditional openwork technique. We assume whoever owned this blade in Samurai times must have been wealthy enough to order such intricate design on the blade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Horimono<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The Horimono (\u5f6b\u7269, blade sculpture) is one of the elements of this blade\u2019s beauty. The history of the Horimono in Japan is old. It went back about 1,300 years ago. Japanese swords initially had the Chokutou (\u76f4\u5200, straight blade) shape. It changed its form to the Wantou (\u6e7e\u5200, curved blade) shape in the age when Samurai appeared. Samurai warriors fought on the battlefields for their life. Japanese swords were integral weapons that divided the lives and deaths of warriors. They expressed their wishes for divine protection by applying their religious objects to the Horimono, as seen on this blade.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Initially, people enjoyed the decorativeness of the Horimono as a symbol of authority. However, Samurai warriors attached importance to its practicality and religiousness. One theory says decorative elements have been strengthened again in the Horimono since the Edo period, which was a peaceful time, and characters such as auspicious animal or plant designs, Japanese poems, and Chinese poems were also carved. By inquiring into the history of the Horimono, you would notice that the demand for Japanese swords changed as the times changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The Kurikara-Ken (\u5036\u5229\u4f3d\u7f85\u5263) is the motif of this Tanto’s Horimono. Fudo Myo-O (\u4e0d\u52d5\u660e\u738b, acalan\u0101tha) holds this blade with his right hand. 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). The Kurikara-ken was named due to the appearance that Kurikara Ryu-O (\u5036\u5229\u4f3d\u7f85\u9f8d\u738b, dragon) is winding around the sword. It is believed that Kurikara-Ken could cut off worldly desires: Sandoku (\u4e09\u6bd2). Sandoku is the three fundamental earthly desires: Ton (\u8caa, greed), Jin (\u778b, anger, grudge), and Chi (\u7661, delusion, complaint).<\/span><\/p>\n

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*Please keep in mind that there are some noticeable Kitae Kizu and black rust on this blade. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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\u3010Blade\u3011<\/span><\/strong>
\nCutting Edge Length (Nagasa)<\/span><\/strong>: <\/span>28.7 cm (11.3 inches)<\/strong><\/span>
\nCurvature (Sori)<\/span><\/strong>: <\/span>0 cm (0 inches) \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Hamon<\/strong>:<\/span>
\nThe crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process.<\/strong><\/span>
\nJimon(Jihada)<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span>
\nvisible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Nakago<\/strong>: <\/span>Nakago 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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Habaki<\/strong>: <\/span>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>
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Authentication Paper<\/strong>: <\/span>NTHK Kanteisho Certificate for the blade<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0NTHK<\/span><\/a>, also known as NPO Nihon Touken Hozon Kai, is the oldest organization for sword authentication of Japanese swords in modern times. It was established in 1889 during the post-Samurai era. They authenticated the blade on January 21th in the 6th year of Reiwa (2024).\u00a0 The purchaser will receive this original certificate as well. We can also translate what is written into English and make a PDF file<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> for your record if you request.<\/p>\n

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Registration Number<\/span><\/strong>: <\/span>Osaka 108212<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0The Board of Education in Osaka prefecture issued a registration paper for this sword. It is called Jyu Ho Token Rui Torokusho (\u9283\u7832\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.
\n\u00a0This 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><\/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 700 Japanese swords for the past few years (\uff5e2024) 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 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. 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

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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, Germany , Belgium, France, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/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

\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

* If you live in the UK and like to purchase an authentic Japanese sword, please contact us first and click here<\/span><\/span> <\/a>to know the detail.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u3010Review\u3011<\/strong>
\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

\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