This katana is attributed to Sainoo Morihiro, a swordsmith of the Hiroga school active in Hoki Province during the Tensho era (1573-1592). The blade is appraised as Hozon Token by the NBTHK, indicating its authenticity and artistic value. It comes with a full koshirae mounting featuring a Fuchi-Kashira with a wave motif, Menuki with Fenghuang, and a Tsuba with an openwork folding fan design.
Certificate reading — 無銘（道祖尾守広）
NihontoWatchBETAmumei · Hiroga · Tensho (1573-1592) · nagasa 64.7cm · sori 1cm
Wakimono · Hoki · around 1573-1592
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
1 piece on the market now
Where Morihiro stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Wakimono · Hoki
Phase: Sue-Hoki末伯耆· 1334–1600
6 pieces on the market now
Where Ko-Hoki belongs to the dawn of the curved blade under Yasutsuna and the Ohara circle, Sue-Hoki names the province's late continuation, the smiths of Hoki who worked through the closing phase of the Muromachi period rather than its founding age. The setsumei gather this later body around a few documented lines. Chief among them is the Hiroyoshi (広賀) name, also read Hiroga and Hiroka, which the records first place around the Bunmei era (1469 to 1487) and carry on into the shinto period across several generations. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yasutsuna安綱 | 987-1150 | 35 |
| Ohara大原 | 987-1596 | 17 |
| Sadatsuna貞綱 | 1184-1185 | 19 |
| Hiroyoshi廣賀 | 1532-1565 | 6 |
| Aritsuna有綱 | 1181-1182 | 5 |
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 limited to defects caused by shipping (except willful misconduct or gross negligence by the company); customers must contact within 72 hours of receiving the product.
This katana is attributed to Sainoo Morihiro, a swordsmith of the Hiroga school active in Hoki Province during the Tensho era (1573-1592). The blade is appraised as Hozon Token by the NBTHK, indicating its authenticity and artistic value. It comes with a full koshirae mounting featuring a Fuchi-Kashira with a wave motif, Menuki with Fenghuang, and a Tsuba with an openwork folding fan design.
Certificate reading — 無銘（道祖尾守広）
NihontoWatchBETAmumei · Hiroga · Tensho (1573-1592) · nagasa 64.7cm · sori 1cm
Wakimono · Hoki · around 1573-1592
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
1 piece on the market now
Where Morihiro stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Wakimono · Hoki
Phase: Sue-Hoki末伯耆· 1334–1600
6 pieces on the market now
Where Ko-Hoki belongs to the dawn of the curved blade under Yasutsuna and the Ohara circle, Sue-Hoki names the province's late continuation, the smiths of Hoki who worked through the closing phase of the Muromachi period rather than its founding age. The setsumei gather this later body around a few documented lines. Chief among them is the Hiroyoshi (広賀) name, also read Hiroga and Hiroka, which the records first place around the Bunmei era (1469 to 1487) and carry on into the shinto period across several generations. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yasutsuna安綱 | 987-1150 | 35 |
| Ohara大原 | 987-1596 | 17 |
| Sadatsuna貞綱 | 1184-1185 | 19 |
| Hiroyoshi廣賀 | 1532-1565 | 6 |
| Aritsuna有綱 | 1181-1182 | 5 |
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 limited to defects caused by shipping (except willful misconduct or gross negligence by the company); customers must contact within 72 hours of receiving the product.
