(Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu Kanteisho included) An astonishing pair of daisho meito with Shimazu family provenance has appeared. Honami Kosa, who wrote the soejyo (accompanying certificate), is the 6th generation head of the Honami Kozan line during the Bakumatsu period, also known as Kisaji or Tadahiro. The daito, appraised at 15 oban (150 ryo), is by the famous Bingo Mihara Masachika. In the sword world, he is renowned for leaving behind a sword 500 years ago with a witty mei: "A heavy eater, a heavy drinker, and a heavy rice-cake eater, yet a poor smith"—a wonderful piece of history. Bingo is present-day Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture. This daito is a precious blade with a nenkio of Tenbun 2 (1533) (492 years ago). The sugata of this sword features koshi-zori with funbari at the moto; it is a rito-zukuri with a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba, a high shinogi, and a shaved shinogi-ji, remaining kenzen to this day. The jigane is a well-tightened ko-itame hada with faint utsuri appearing in the ji. The hamon is nioi-deki with ko-nie, consisting of gunome-ba and ko-midare-ba, becoming sugu-cho toward the saki with fine nie appearing along the habuchi, fired as a blade that looks exceptionally sharp. The shoto, appraised at 20 oban (200 ryo), is a masterpiece wakizashi with a 2-ji mei by the famous Oei Bizen master smith Yasumitsu, dating to around Oei 20 (1413) (612 years ago). The sugata is slightly koshi-zori with a wide moto-mihaba and wide saki-mihaba, showing a magnificent and powerful form. The jigane is forged in itame hada with distinct mokume hada appearing beautifully. The horimono consists of bo-hi with soe-hi, skillfully carved. The hamon is nioi-deki with bright, open-bottomed gunome-ba; while there is some o-hada in parts, please accept it as "aikyo" (charming character) for such a meito. The koshirae is a luxurious daisho set featuring the Shimazu family mon, crafted by Ishiguro Masachika, an exclusive kinko master for the Shimazu family, adding further splendor to this pair. We are offering these precious daisho meito with Shimazu provenance and matching koshirae—which have been cherished until now by a branch head of a prominent chapter of the NBTHK—at a special discounted price. Please do enjoy them.
NihontoWatchBETAden · Muromachi · nagasa 68.5cm · sori 2.4cm
Yamato-den · Bingo · around 1532-1555
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 60%
2 pieces on the market now
Yamato-den · Bingo
Phase: Sue-Mihara末三原· 1394–1596
4 pieces on the market now
Where Ko-Mihara closes at the end of the Nanbokuchō period, Sue-Mihara takes up the Bingo tradition through the Muromachi era. The setsumei place the later production in the same Mihara orbit but spread across several named hands and affiliated branches: Kai Mihara Masamori, whose Muromachi katana often carry the long "Mihara-jū Kai _" signature; and the closely tied Hokke Ichijō line, whose founder Ichijō is traditionally called a son of Mihara Masaie and whose generations continued from the Ōei era into the late Muromachi. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masamune正宗 | 1469-1487 | 0 |
| Masaoki正興 | 1521-1528 | 0 |
| Nagashige長重 | 1487-1489 | 0 |
| Kaneyasu兼安 | 1469-1487 | 0 |
| Takakane高兼 | 1504-1521 | 0 |
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
(Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu Kanteisho included) An astonishing pair of daisho meito with Shimazu family provenance has appeared. Honami Kosa, who wrote the soejyo (accompanying certificate), is the 6th generation head of the Honami Kozan line during the Bakumatsu period, also known as Kisaji or Tadahiro. The daito, appraised at 15 oban (150 ryo), is by the famous Bingo Mihara Masachika. In the sword world, he is renowned for leaving behind a sword 500 years ago with a witty mei: "A heavy eater, a heavy drinker, and a heavy rice-cake eater, yet a poor smith"—a wonderful piece of history. Bingo is present-day Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture. This daito is a precious blade with a nenkio of Tenbun 2 (1533) (492 years ago). The sugata of this sword features koshi-zori with funbari at the moto; it is a rito-zukuri with a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba, a high shinogi, and a shaved shinogi-ji, remaining kenzen to this day. The jigane is a well-tightened ko-itame hada with faint utsuri appearing in the ji. The hamon is nioi-deki with ko-nie, consisting of gunome-ba and ko-midare-ba, becoming sugu-cho toward the saki with fine nie appearing along the habuchi, fired as a blade that looks exceptionally sharp. The shoto, appraised at 20 oban (200 ryo), is a masterpiece wakizashi with a 2-ji mei by the famous Oei Bizen master smith Yasumitsu, dating to around Oei 20 (1413) (612 years ago). The sugata is slightly koshi-zori with a wide moto-mihaba and wide saki-mihaba, showing a magnificent and powerful form. The jigane is forged in itame hada with distinct mokume hada appearing beautifully. The horimono consists of bo-hi with soe-hi, skillfully carved. The hamon is nioi-deki with bright, open-bottomed gunome-ba; while there is some o-hada in parts, please accept it as "aikyo" (charming character) for such a meito. The koshirae is a luxurious daisho set featuring the Shimazu family mon, crafted by Ishiguro Masachika, an exclusive kinko master for the Shimazu family, adding further splendor to this pair. We are offering these precious daisho meito with Shimazu provenance and matching koshirae—which have been cherished until now by a branch head of a prominent chapter of the NBTHK—at a special discounted price. Please do enjoy them.
NihontoWatchBETAden · Muromachi · nagasa 68.5cm · sori 2.4cm
Yamato-den · Bingo · around 1532-1555
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 60%
2 pieces on the market now
Yamato-den · Bingo
Phase: Sue-Mihara末三原· 1394–1596
4 pieces on the market now
Where Ko-Mihara closes at the end of the Nanbokuchō period, Sue-Mihara takes up the Bingo tradition through the Muromachi era. The setsumei place the later production in the same Mihara orbit but spread across several named hands and affiliated branches: Kai Mihara Masamori, whose Muromachi katana often carry the long "Mihara-jū Kai _" signature; and the closely tied Hokke Ichijō line, whose founder Ichijō is traditionally called a son of Mihara Masaie and whose generations continued from the Ōei era into the late Muromachi. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masamune正宗 | 1469-1487 | 0 |
| Masaoki正興 | 1521-1528 | 0 |
| Nagashige長重 | 1487-1489 | 0 |
| Kaneyasu兼安 | 1469-1487 | 0 |
| Takakane高兼 | 1504-1521 | 0 |
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
