This is a tanto attributed to Naoe Shizu from Mino province, dating to the Oan era (Nanbokucho period). It features a robust form with a wide body and slight curvature, characteristic of its period. The jitetsu shows vibrant ji-kei with fine ji-nie, and the hamon is a shallow notare mixed with gunome and tobiyaki, reminiscent of Soshu-den masters like Shizu Saburo Kaneuji. It comes with a black lacquer saya with 'Shida-ba' (fern leaves) kage-makie aikuchi koshirae.
mumei · Nanbokucho · nagasa 27.5cm · sori 0.18cm











Mino-den · Mino
17 pieces on the market now
Within the province of Mino, in the decades of the Nanbokucho period, a body of smiths gathered at Naoe carrying forward the manner of Shizu Saburo Kaneuji, and from that locality they took the name Naoe Shizu. Kaneuji, originally a member of the Yamato Tegai group who studied under Masamune of Sagami and is counted among the Ten Disciples of Masamune (Masamune jittetsu), settled first at Shizu in Mino and established a flourishing school. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kanetomo兼友 | 1336-1340 | 11 |
| Kaneuji兼氏 | 1342-1345 | 3 |
| Kanetomo兼伴 | 1467-1469 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1390-1394 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1368-1375 | 0 |
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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
This is a tanto attributed to Naoe Shizu from Mino province, dating to the Oan era (Nanbokucho period). It features a robust form with a wide body and slight curvature, characteristic of its period. The jitetsu shows vibrant ji-kei with fine ji-nie, and the hamon is a shallow notare mixed with gunome and tobiyaki, reminiscent of Soshu-den masters like Shizu Saburo Kaneuji. It comes with a black lacquer saya with 'Shida-ba' (fern leaves) kage-makie aikuchi koshirae.
mumei · Nanbokucho · nagasa 27.5cm · sori 0.18cm











Mino-den · Mino
17 pieces on the market now
Within the province of Mino, in the decades of the Nanbokucho period, a body of smiths gathered at Naoe carrying forward the manner of Shizu Saburo Kaneuji, and from that locality they took the name Naoe Shizu. Kaneuji, originally a member of the Yamato Tegai group who studied under Masamune of Sagami and is counted among the Ten Disciples of Masamune (Masamune jittetsu), settled first at Shizu in Mino and established a flourishing school. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kanetomo兼友 | 1336-1340 | 11 |
| Kaneuji兼氏 | 1342-1345 | 3 |
| Kanetomo兼伴 | 1467-1469 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1390-1394 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1368-1375 | 0 |
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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.