This katana is a typical work of Musashi no Kami Yoshikado, made before he changed his name to Bokuden, showcasing his high skill. Yoshikado, originally from Mino Seki, was a smith of the Zenjo school who moved to Hitachi Mito and was later employed by the Mito family. The blade comes with a koshirae featuring a black lacquered saya with polished ray skin, and is housed in a shirasaya.
NihontoWatchmei · Seki Zenjo · Kanei (1624-1644) · nagasa 70.2cm · sori 1cm
Mino-den · Mino · around 1624-1644
Tōken Taikan top 49%
1 piece on the market now
Mino-den · Mino
4 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kaneshige兼重 | 1504-1521 | 0 |
| Kaneyoshi兼吉 | 1854-1860 | 0 |
| Kanekado兼門 | 1428-1429 | 0 |
| Yoshikado吉門 | 1624-1644 | 0 |
| Chikanori近則 | 1818-1864 | 0 |
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
For two and a half centuries of peace the sword was the warrior’s legal badge rather than his weapon. Each great city developed its own manner, Edo’s tested strength against Ōsaka’s polished brilliance, until demand thinned in the era’s last decades.
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 siteCooling-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.
