NihontoWatchStock number:KA-030221Paper(Certificate):[N.B.T.H.K]Tokubetsu Hozon TokenCountry・Era:Yamato(Nara)・Nanbokucho periodBlade length(Cutting edge): 69.2cmCurve(SORI): 2.0cmWidth at the hamachi(Moto-Haba): 2.87cmThickness at the Moto-Kasane: 0.72cmWide at the Kissaki(Saki-Haba): 2.45cmThickness at the Saki-Kasane: 0.55cmLength of Koshirae : about 102cmHabaki: One parts, Gold foil HabakiSword tang(Nakago): Kiri file patternRivet Holes(Mekugiana): 3Shape(Taihai): Chu-kissaki,Shinogizukuri,IorimuneJigane(Hada):ItameTemper patterns(Hamon):SuguhaTemper patterns in the point(Bohshi):Midare turning KomaruRegistration Card: Fukushima【Additional Information】尻懸派は、千手院・手掻・当麻・保昌とともに、大和五派と呼ばれる、平安末期、あるいはさらに以前に興ったと考えられる大和国の日本刀刀工の一派です。尻懸派は、文永頃の則長を事実上の祖として大いに繁栄した流派です。同銘数代に渡り継承され、鎌倉時代後期から南北朝時代初期にかけて活躍は目覚ましく、その後も活躍して室町期の後代にまで続いています。この派の作風は、鎬が高く、鎬幅が広い造込みで、鍛えは板目が流れごころで、刃文は直刃基調という大和物共通の特色に加えて、刃中に小互の目を連れて焼く点に特徴があります。本作は、刃長が二尺二寸八分強で身幅、重ねは尋常。腰反りが利いた太刀姿が美しい一振です。地鉄は板目肌に杢交じり、処々流れて肌立ちごころとなり、地沸が付きます。刃文は直刃基調にやや湾れてを加え、尻懸らしく小互の目や小足が入り、匂口は明るく冴えます。更に刃中には砂流し頻りにかかり、金筋が入り働きます。帽子はやや乱れ加減になり先は掃きかけるなどして小丸へ短く返ります。本品には御写真の通りの金具が良くまとまった立派な拵が附いています。本刀は、地刃ともにいかにも尻懸派の作らしい造り込みの一口で、同派の見所と特色を存分に示した美しい拵が付いた御刀の優品です。白鞘、青貝微塵塗鞘打刀拵、金着一重はばき、特別保存刀剣鑑定書。
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Yamato-den · Yamato
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The Shikkake school (尻懸派) stands among the five great Yamato traditions (Yamato goha) that flourished in the shadow of Nara's powerful temples during the late Kamakura period. While traditionally attributed to Norihiro as founder, Norinaga (則長) is regarded as the de facto progenitor, documented through extant tantō bearing inscriptions of his age: forty-eight in Bunpō 3 (1319) and sixty-nine in Ryakuō 3 (1340). These datings place his birth in Bun'ei 9 (1272), establishing him as a contemporary of the school's early development. Works attributed to later generations extend into the Muromachi period, indicating successive transmission of the name across multiple generations. Given the concentration of sōhei (warrior monks) in Yamato Province, it is natural that Shikkake smiths produced numerous naginata, with more surviving examples attributed to this school than any other Yamato tradition. Shikkake workmanship shares the fundamental Yamato vocabulary: construction with high shinogi and conspicuously wide shinogi-ji; forging in itame that characteristically flows, often incorporating mokume and nagare-hada with areas trending toward masame near the edge; and steel exhibiting thickly adhering ji-nie with frequent, stout chikei and occasional nie-utsuri. The tempering centers on suguha-based patterns, yet the school's signature lies in its treatment of the hamon: while maintaining the suguha foundation, Shikkake smiths tempered small gunome in connected succession (ko-gunome-tsure), creating a gently undulating effect. Along the habuchi appear characteristic Yamato activities—hotsure, nijūba, kuichigai-ba, uchi-noke, and yubashiri—with well-adhering ko-nie producing a bright, clear nioiguchi interwoven with kinsuji and sunagashi.
The bōshi typically runs straight with vigorous hakikake, often tending toward yakizume or taking on a flame-like (kaen) character at the point. While some examples execute pure suguha patterns, the intermixing of running ko-gunome within the ha remains the critical diagnostic feature distinguishing Shikkake from other Yamato schools[[c:1]], particularly Taima, with which it shares close affinities. The school's legacy endures through works of exceptional quality and preservation. Surviving naginata of grand scale—some exceeding 2 shaku 7 sun—demonstrate Nanbokuchō-period construction with characteristic shallow flaring and deep curvature, often transmitted in rare ubu-nakago condition. Shortened katana attributed to the school display vigorous forging in which flowing grain and chikei interweave, producing steel of remarkable clarity (saeru), while the tempering exhibits thickly adhering, strongly luminous nie creating bright visual effects. The consistent appearance of well-refined jigane with dense ko-itame and abundant ji-nie, paired with distinctive tempering patterns that balance fundamental suguha with running ko-gunome, establishes Shikkake as a school whose characteristic features remain unmistakable across centuries of production. Works attributed to this tradition regularly survive in kenzen (sound and well-preserved) condition, testimony to both original forging quality and careful transmission through successive generations. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Norinaga則長 | 1317-1319 | 43 |
| Norinari則成 | 1312-1317 | 0 |
| Nagamitsu長光 | 1233-1234 | 0 |
| Sukehiro助弘 | 1308-1311 | 0 |
| Norisada則貞 | 1428-1429 | 0 |
Yamato in the Nanbokuchō period
When the Southern Court made its capital at Yoshino, in Yamato itself, the province’s schools were at their height: the late Tegai line, Shikkake Norinaga, and the pure masame of Hōshō. Their technique was already spreading across the provinces.
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 siteNo cooling-off period or returns; refund only if the purchased sword is proven fake, capped at purchase price (excludes commission sales, accessories, auction items).