説明
Antique Japanese Sword Katana Signed by Tegarayama Tadashige with
Tokubetsu Hozon
Certificate
【Description】
Summary
This blade was signed by Tegarayama Tadashige (手柄山忠繁) in the first year of the Man-En era (1860: The end of the Edo period). Banshu is another name for Harima province in today’s Hyogo prefecture. Tegarayama is the school Tadashige belonged to. The founder of this school is Ujishige. The maker’s name, Ujishige, lasted a few generations.
His Master (Tegarayama Ujishige)
First, Ujishige signed 氏重. While the name’s pronunciation was the same, a different Kanji character was used for the second letter. They used 氏重 as their maker’s name between the 1 -3 generations. And they received Yamato Daijo, an honorable official title from the imperial court, for their excellent craftsmanship. However, the fourth generation Ujishige had to change it to 氏繁 by the order made by Harima province. In 1788, the 4th-gen Ujishige was hired by Matsudaira Sadanobu, the third head of Shirakawa domain in Fukushima prefecture, as an Okakaekaji. Okakaekaji is a swordsmith exclusively serving one domain or lord. And the 4th-gen Ujishige was also forged in Edo city (Today’s Tokyo). He received Kai no Kami in 1803, being acknowledged by Matsudaira Sadanobu.
It is said that one of the blades forged by the 4th-gen Ujishige was owned by Nagakura Shinpachi, a member of Shinsengumi (新選組), a military unit formed as guards or Shogun at the end of the Edo period.
The school’s name Tagarama came from the fact that they forged blades near Tegarayama mountain. Tegara means achievement in Japanese, and because of this auspicious name, the blades made by members of Tegarama school were popular among high-class Samurai.
The Background History
Japan enjoyed a relatively peaceful time from the early Edo period to the mid-Edo period(the 1600s-1760s) because of the stable economy and the powerful government run by Tokugawa Shogun. Samurai didn’t have many opportunities to utilize his Katana sword in public or on battlefields during this time. Thus, they carried their swords more as a symbol of their social status. The demand for weapons decreased accordingly compared to the previous Warring state period called Sengoku Jidai. (1467-1600)
However, toward the end of the Edo period(1764-1876), the Japanese sword’s role changed dramatically. With the poverty spreading in Japan, there were so many riots initiated by the civilians. Japanese sword started to play an essential role in maintaining public safety.
Pressure from foreign countries to open Japanese borders also forced Samurai to order strong-looking swords to survive this tumultuous time. We believe many swordsmiths, including Tadashige, made great efforts to forged high-quality, practical blades for their masters to prepare for battles.
There was a civil war between Tokugawa’s military government and the new Meiji government at the end of the Edo period. That means the original owner of this Katana might have seen the moment when Samurai’s life changed forever. This blade has a strong looking and must have been practical to use in that demanding time.
This blade is appraised as a
Tokubetsu Hozon Token
(特別保存刀剣) 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, especially well preserved and high quality with artistic value.
*Please keep in mind that there is a very tiny chip on the tip of the blade. If you like to know the detailed condition, please feel free to contact us.
【 Blade】
Cutting Edge Length (Nagasa)
:
68.4 cm (26.9 inches)
Curvature (Sori)
:
1.7 cm (0.67 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 ru
