A pair of unsigned menuki in the Mino style, depicting Hairyu (dragons). The menuki are made of gold. They are certified as Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu by the NBTHK.
NihontoWatch
Mino School
Edo
Mino
Unsigned
Tokuho (NBTHK)
Kinko · Mino
23 pieces on the market now
The Mino metalworking tradition emerged as a distinct school of early kinkō (sword-fittings artisans) active from the late Muromachi period through the Momoyama era. Rooted in the broader stream of ko-kanagu-shi (early metal-fittings makers), Mino craftsmen developed alongside but separate from the courtly Gotō lineage, serving a different aesthetic sensibility. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsuharu光春 | — | 0 |
| Mitsunaka光仲 | — | 0 |
| Mitsunobu光伸 | — | 0 |
| Nakayuki仲之 | — | 0 |
| Nagamasa長正 | — | 0 |
A Hozon-certified fitting of notably superior craftsmanship and condition, often with signature or workmanship of high reference value.
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).
A pair of unsigned menuki in the Mino style, depicting Hairyu (dragons). The menuki are made of gold. They are certified as Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu by the NBTHK.
NihontoWatchMino School
Edo
Mino
Unsigned
Tokuho (NBTHK)
Kinko · Mino
23 pieces on the market now
The Mino metalworking tradition emerged as a distinct school of early kinkō (sword-fittings artisans) active from the late Muromachi period through the Momoyama era. Rooted in the broader stream of ko-kanagu-shi (early metal-fittings makers), Mino craftsmen developed alongside but separate from the courtly Gotō lineage, serving a different aesthetic sensibility. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsuharu光春 | — | 0 |
| Mitsunaka光仲 | — | 0 |
| Mitsunobu光伸 | — | 0 |
| Nakayuki仲之 | — | 0 |
| Nagamasa長正 | — | 0 |
A Hozon-certified fitting of notably superior craftsmanship and condition, often with signature or workmanship of high reference value.
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).
