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 Katana made by Motohisa, the 4th generation smith from Gamagori, Aichi, born in 1934. He is known for his Bizen-den style chaotic hamon, Yamato-den masame hada, and Hizen-style suguha. This particular blade, made when the smith was 40 years old (1974), features a fine jitetsu and a flamboyant hamon in the Bizen Ichimonji style, and was famously cherished by the master of Toyama-ryu and Nakamura-ryu Battodo, Taizaburo Nakamura.
NihontoWatchmei · Ishido Unju · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 72.3cm · sori 1.8cm
Aichi · 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.
We could not find an authenticity certificate on the seller’s listing. Japanese swords and fittings are normally papered by the NBTHK (or the NTHK). Without one, the attribution is the seller’s own assessment and has not been independently verified — treat it with caution and ask the dealer about certification before buying.
For one-of-a-kind items such as swords, sword fittings, and antiques, please contact us about a return within 3 days of the item's arrival and ship it back within 8 days. Refunds are issued the same day the returned item arrives.
