説明
Antique Japanese Sword Katana Attributed to Fujiwara Takada with NBTHK Kicho
Certificate for the blade
【Description】
This blade is attributed to a work of a swordsmith of Takada school in Edo period. Takada school was founded by Takada Tomoyuki in Takada village, Ohita prefecture, during the Nanbokucho period. (1334-1338 A.D). Tomoyuki went to Bizen province(today’s Okayama prefecture) to master the sword-forging techniques of BIZEN and came back to the village and trained his apprentices. That is how Takada school started.
Those who forged swords in Takada village before the Edo period are called Taira Takada and Fujiwara Takada during the Edo period. Based on the NBTHK certificate, this blade is categorized as Fujiwara Takada.
During Sengoku Period(the warring state period: from late 15 C to late 16 C), the Takada school forged many swords for feudal lords in Kyushu island. It is said that the reputation of the blades forged by Takada school was close to MINO or BIZEN swords, two of which are the most famous sword forging places. This highly skilled sword forging technique was passed down to later generations in the Edo period.
Generally speaking, Kyushu island was prosperous in sword-making because of the long history of trading with Asian countries. To gain an advantage in trading, many feudal lords on this island fought against each other. Takada school was able to receive many orders as the demand increased among those lords.
The material of Japanese swords(high-quality iron sand and charcoal) was abundant in the mount Sobo Katamuki, located near Takada village. We believe Takada school prospered because of its geographic location and natural resources.
*Please keep in mind that there are some Kitae Kizu and black rusts on the blade. If you like to see the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【Blade】
Cutting Edge Length(Nagasa)
:
71.3 cm (28.1 inches)
Curvature(Sori)
:
2.1 cm (0.83 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 (Sabbard), Tsuka (Handle), Tsuba (Handguard).
Fuchi-Kashira
:
A pair of matching sword fittings that cover the upper and bottom parts of its sword hilt.
The cloud pattern (雲, kumo) is designed on this Fuchi Kashira. Clouds bring rain and snow, and their movements significantly affect the weather of the day. Due to its supernatural power, a theory says that gods, spirits, and dragons dwell in the clouds. As mentioned in the dragon design (please check Episode 2), a religion worships the dragon as a water god in Japan. It might be one of the reasons why the combination of dragon and clouds motifs is often seen even in sword mountings.
The cloud pattern has been associated with magical power, and people thought it an omen of lucky things. In addition, some people wished to obtain a leisurely life in comfort by seeing clouds’ movements (that floats in the sky). Or, as clouds appear repeatedly, its design represents reincarnation. Samurais were always on the verge of life and death on the battlefield. They might have believed in the power of this pattern. And they had incorporated it into the design of their sword mountings, such as Tsuba.
Tsuka and Menuki
:
Tsuka is the handle of the Japanese sword and Menuki is its decoration.
The motif of this Menuki is the Koi (鯉, domestic carp). Based on an ancient foreign story, many fi