Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis is a katana signed by Hitachi no Kami Muneshige, a direct disciple of the first Sukehira and brother-disciple of the famed second Sukehira. The blade exemplifies the early Osaka shintō tradition, showing the vigor and artistry of the school’s formative years. It is housed in a plain shirasaya with a silver foil habaki.
NihontoWatchOffered by Tokyo Nihonto
Settsu · around 1661-1673
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
2 pieces on the market now
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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/exchanges only for manufactured defects or incorrect products; notify within 72 hours of delivery. Cancellation only within 2 hours of placing. Customer pays return shipping. Refund within 3 business days of package arrival.