NihontoWatchThis katana is a work by Gassan Sadakatsu, born in 1869 as the eldest son of the Imperial Household Artist Gassan Sadakazu (1st Gen.). It features a distinctive Ayasugi-hada (wood grain pattern) with ji-nie and chi-kei, and a chu-suguha hamon with ko-nie. The blade is signed with the smith's name and a date from Taisho 11 (1922), and comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate.
NihontoWatchOffered by Tsuruginoya
Shinshinto · Settsu
27 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadaharu貞晴 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1926-1989 | 0 |
| Yoshiaki吉明 | 1844-1848 | 0 |
| Naonobu直信 | 1854-1860 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1830-1863 | 0 |
Shōwa to the present: destruction and revival
The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
The NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords) is a public-interest incorporated foundation founded in 1948 and supervised by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunkachō); it is based at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. Its expert panels physically examine each submitted work (shinsa) and issue a certificate (kanteishō) ranking it by artistic and historical merit. NBTHK papers are the most widely recognized standard of authentication for Japanese swords and fittings.
NBTHK official siteReturns accepted within 8 days of receipt (cooling-off). Excludes items with alterations, exhibitions, or photography; return shipping is customer's responsibility. No returns/refunds for overseas deliveries.
¥2,650,000