A tsuba by Matahei, the 5th master of the Higo Hayashi school. This guard exhibits dense iron and a purplish black patina, typical of the Hayashi school. The design features Paulownia (Kiri), and remnants of a lacquer finish are visible in the Katakiri carving.
NihontoWatchBETAmei · Hayashi · Edo
Hayashi Shigeyuki
Edo
Higo
Signed
Hozon
Higo · Higo
1 piece on the market now
Higo · Higo
27 pieces on the market now
The Hayashi school of Higo metalworkers traces its origins to Hayashi Matahichi, founder of the lineage, who was born in Kumamoto in Keichō 18 (1613). His personal name was Seisaburō Shigeharu, and "Matahichi" served as his professional art name.
The family's ancestral roots lay in Owari Province, where they worked as gunsmiths (teppō kaji), though tradition holds they also produced tsuba from time to time. In the generation of Matahichi's father, Seibei, the family relocated to Higo Kumamoto in service to Katō Kiyomasa as gunsmiths. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Matashichi又七 | — | 52 |
| Shigemitsu重光 | — | 11 |
| Shigeyuki重之 | — | 0 |
| Matahachi又八 | — | 0 |
| Toshichi藤七 | — | 0 |
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft 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 siteAll sales are final and no refund will be issued. Individual refund conditions may be offered on request. For items with third-party certificates (e.g. NBTHK), a return is offered if the certificate is proven falsified and claimed within one year after shipment.
A tsuba by Matahei, the 5th master of the Higo Hayashi school. This guard exhibits dense iron and a purplish black patina, typical of the Hayashi school. The design features Paulownia (Kiri), and remnants of a lacquer finish are visible in the Katakiri carving.
NihontoWatchBETAmei · Hayashi · Edo
Hayashi Shigeyuki
Edo
Higo
Signed
Hozon
Higo · Higo
1 piece on the market now
Higo · Higo
27 pieces on the market now
The Hayashi school of Higo metalworkers traces its origins to Hayashi Matahichi, founder of the lineage, who was born in Kumamoto in Keichō 18 (1613). His personal name was Seisaburō Shigeharu, and "Matahichi" served as his professional art name.
The family's ancestral roots lay in Owari Province, where they worked as gunsmiths (teppō kaji), though tradition holds they also produced tsuba from time to time. In the generation of Matahichi's father, Seibei, the family relocated to Higo Kumamoto in service to Katō Kiyomasa as gunsmiths. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Matashichi又七 | — | 52 |
| Shigemitsu重光 | — | 11 |
| Shigeyuki重之 | — | 0 |
| Matahachi又八 | — | 0 |
| Toshichi藤七 | — | 0 |
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft 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 siteAll sales are final and no refund will be issued. Individual refund conditions may be offered on request. For items with third-party certificates (e.g. NBTHK), a return is offered if the certificate is proven falsified and claimed within one year after shipment.
