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.
This is a Tachi by the smith Imaizumi Toshimitsu, made in Showa 16 (1941) when he was 43 years old. It features a wide body, a shallow curvature, and a bright, clear jihada with fine chikei. The hamon is a vibrant choji-midare with long choji-ashi, and the boshi returns to a small maru. The blade is accompanied by a silver habaki, shirasaya, and NBTHK Hozon Token certificate.
mei · Showa · nagasa 69.7cm · sori 1.2cm




Okayama · around 1926-1989
2 pieces on the market now
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.
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 siteIf you judge that the condition of the delivered item differs significantly from the photos or description on our site, a return is possible. However, the return shipping cost is the customer's responsibility. To use cooling-off, please apply in writing by postal mail within one week of the item's arrival. The return shipping cost is the customer's responsibility.
¥1,000,000
This is a Tachi by the smith Imaizumi Toshimitsu, made in Showa 16 (1941) when he was 43 years old. It features a wide body, a shallow curvature, and a bright, clear jihada with fine chikei. The hamon is a vibrant choji-midare with long choji-ashi, and the boshi returns to a small maru. The blade is accompanied by a silver habaki, shirasaya, and NBTHK Hozon Token certificate.
mei · Showa · nagasa 69.7cm · sori 1.2cm




Okayama · around 1926-1989
2 pieces on the market now
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.
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 siteIf you judge that the condition of the delivered item differs significantly from the photos or description on our site, a return is possible. However, the return shipping cost is the customer's responsibility. To use cooling-off, please apply in writing by postal mail within one week of the item's arrival. The return shipping cost is the customer's responsibility.
¥1,000,000