説明

Antique Japanese Sword Tachi signed by Moritsugu w ith NBTHK JUYO TOKEN Certificate 【Description】 This blade is signed by Moritsugu (盛次), a swordsmith belonging to the prestigious Aoe school (青江派). There were five known smiths who bore the name Moritsugu, ranging from the Ko-Aoe period to the early Muromachi era (Ōei period, 1394–1428). Based on the workmanship of this blade, it is believed to have been forged by a smith of the Yoshitsugu group (吉次門) around the Shōkei era (正慶, 1332–1334). The Bitchū province (today’s western Okayama Prefecture) has long been known as one of Japan’s leading iron-producing regions, naturally giving rise to numerous outstanding swordsmiths. Among them, the Aoe school became the mainstream lineage. The school originated in the late Heian period and reached its peak from the late Kamakura through the Nanbokuchō period. In Japanese sword terminology, Aoe works are classified into three periods: Ko-Aoe (Old Aoe): Late Heian to early Kamakura, Chū-Aoe (Middle Aoe): Mid-Kamakura to early Nanbokuchō and Sue-Aoe (Late Aoe): Late Nanbokuchō and onward. The founder of the school is said to be Yasutsugu (安次), active in the late Heian period in what is now Kurashiki City. Another famous swordsmith family in Bitchū was the Seno school, founded by Noritaka (則高). Among the Aoe smiths, Moritsugu was particularly distinguished—he trained Sadatsugu, Tsuguie, and Tsunetsugu, who later became renowned as part of the Gobankaji (御番鍛冶), the twelve master swordsmiths selected by Emperor Go-Toba (後鳥羽上皇). The emperor, passionate about the art of sword forging, ordered one swordsmith each month to craft a blade for him, a system unique in Japanese history. The Bitchū region, situated near the Chūgoku Mountains, offered ideal conditions for swordmaking—abundant iron sand, plentiful water sources, and easy access to charcoal via the Takahashi River. This environment allowed the Aoe smiths to produce blades of exceptional purity and quality. Tachi Based on its characteristics, NBTHK judged it as a Tachi. Tachi was mainly used by an armored Samurai with one hand on horseback from the Heian period (794-1185 A.D.) until the early Muromachi period. TACHI was suspended loosely on the left waist with its edge facing the ground so that you could draw it faster to cut down soldiers on the ground. Appraisal This blade is appraised as a JUYO TOKEN (重要刀剣) issued by NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai: 日本美術刀剣保存協会). This authentication paper was only given to authentic Japanese swords, exceptionally well preserved and of high quality with artistic value. JUYO is one rank higher than Tokubetsu Hozon. To be eligible for a Juyo Token, it needs to be appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token first. It is extremely rare for an antique Japanese sword to be appraised as JUYO TOKEN, and it is highly desirable among Japanese sword collectors. 【Blade】 Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa) : 72.6 cm (28.5 inches) Curvature(Sori) : 2.2 cm (0.86 inches) Hamon : The crystalline structure which forms along the cutting edge of a blade as a result of the hardening process Jimon(Jihada) : visible steel surface pattern created by folding and hammering during forging process Kissaki : Kissaki is the tip of the Japanese sword. Nakago : Nakago is the tang of the Japanese sword. Japanese 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. 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). The Fuchi-Kashira are decorated with the Mitsuba Aoi (三つ葉葵紋, three hollyhock leaves) crest. The surface is finished in the Nanako-ji (魚々子地) technique, in which tiny circular grains are evenly punched to create a fine textured background. Fuchi-Kashira : A pair of ma