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 Gendaito katana made by Akamatsu Taro Kanehiro, a modern smith from Kumamoto Prefecture. The blade features elaborate carvings by Kono Sadamitsu, including a dokko-ken and kurikara on the omote, and goma-hi and tsume on the ura. It comes in shirasaya and was made in Heisei 2 (1990).
NihontoWatchmei · Gendaito · nagasa 74.2cm · sori 2.2cm
Higo (Yatsushiro) · Heisei-Reiwa
9 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.
Cooling-off (returns or exchanges) is accepted within 3 days of the item's arrival. Return shipping and refund transfer fees are the customer's responsibility. Fees other than the item price (transfer fees, credit card fees, etc.) cannot be refunded. Returns and refunds are not available for overseas destinations.
