Bishu Osafune Norimitsu is a wonderfully famous name in the sword world; the first generation was a swordsmith of the Bizen Osafune Kozori school during the Nanbokucho period. To distinguish him from Norimitsu (則光), he has been respectfully called "Ho-Norimitsu" since ancient times. The daito is a work from the Muromachi period, Eisho 9th year (1512) (510 years ago), by the 5th generation Norimitsu Saemon-no-jo, and is ranked as ryo-wazamono. The sugata features a thick motokasane with a high koshizori, displaying a sword shape with a distinct difference between the motomihaba and sakimihaba. The jigane is a finely packed ko-itame hada, forged into a bright jitetsu, and the ji clearly displays a vivid midare-utsuri, which is magnificent. The hori consists of a bo-hi with a kado-dome, executed skillfully. The hamon is a sugu-cho based on nioi-deki with nie, mixed with gunome, showing active work within the ha. Since ancient times, he has been said to be a swordsmith with skill equal to Yoso Saemon-no-jo Sukesada, and this sword represents that well. The shoto is by the 3rd generation Norimitsu, son of the 2nd generation, from the Muromachi period, Bun'an 2nd year (1445) (577 years ago). He was a student of Kozori Norimori. The sugata features the koshizori of the Bizen-den, showing a graceful wakizashi shape with a difference between the motomihaba and sakimihaba. The jitetsu is forged in ko-itame hada, displaying a magnificent midare-utsuri in the ji. The hamon is in nioi-deki with nie, featuring gunome-ba and choji-ba, as skillfully executed as one might see in a famous wakizashi by Osafune Yasumitsu. The Norimitsu lineage continued from the 1st to the 6th generation, but they were all master smiths with no disparity in quality or evaluation between them. Although Norimitsu is famous, extant works are very few, making this a highly precious daisho. The daisho-koshirae fitted to this pair is also wonderfully luxurious, adding further splendor to these masterpiece blades by Norimitsu. On this occasion, an elderly connoisseur has entrusted these to us, saying, "I have grown old, so please pass these on to the next generation at a low price." Therefore, we are offering them at a special bargain price. Please enjoy this precious Norimitsu daisho.
NihontoWatchBETANanbokucho · nagasa 68.2cm · sori 2.6cm
Bizen-den · Bizen
21 pieces on the market now
The Kozori (小反り) form a loose body of Bizen smiths who worked at and around Osafune in the closing decades of the Nanbokucho period and on into early Muromachi, and the NBTHK defines them less by descent than by exclusion: they are the late-Osafune hands who fall outside the specific lineages of Kanemitsu, Chogi, Motoshige and the Omiya group, gathered under one name as a convenience. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Hidemitsu秀光 | 1375-1392 | 19 |
| Iesuke家助 | 1394-1428 | 11 |
| Nariie成家 | 1352-1362 | 21 |
| Iemori家守 | 1377-1406 | 15 |
| Moromitsu師光 | 1375-1390 | 7 |
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.
Bishu Osafune Norimitsu is a wonderfully famous name in the sword world; the first generation was a swordsmith of the Bizen Osafune Kozori school during the Nanbokucho period. To distinguish him from Norimitsu (則光), he has been respectfully called "Ho-Norimitsu" since ancient times. The daito is a work from the Muromachi period, Eisho 9th year (1512) (510 years ago), by the 5th generation Norimitsu Saemon-no-jo, and is ranked as ryo-wazamono. The sugata features a thick motokasane with a high koshizori, displaying a sword shape with a distinct difference between the motomihaba and sakimihaba. The jigane is a finely packed ko-itame hada, forged into a bright jitetsu, and the ji clearly displays a vivid midare-utsuri, which is magnificent. The hori consists of a bo-hi with a kado-dome, executed skillfully. The hamon is a sugu-cho based on nioi-deki with nie, mixed with gunome, showing active work within the ha. Since ancient times, he has been said to be a swordsmith with skill equal to Yoso Saemon-no-jo Sukesada, and this sword represents that well. The shoto is by the 3rd generation Norimitsu, son of the 2nd generation, from the Muromachi period, Bun'an 2nd year (1445) (577 years ago). He was a student of Kozori Norimori. The sugata features the koshizori of the Bizen-den, showing a graceful wakizashi shape with a difference between the motomihaba and sakimihaba. The jitetsu is forged in ko-itame hada, displaying a magnificent midare-utsuri in the ji. The hamon is in nioi-deki with nie, featuring gunome-ba and choji-ba, as skillfully executed as one might see in a famous wakizashi by Osafune Yasumitsu. The Norimitsu lineage continued from the 1st to the 6th generation, but they were all master smiths with no disparity in quality or evaluation between them. Although Norimitsu is famous, extant works are very few, making this a highly precious daisho. The daisho-koshirae fitted to this pair is also wonderfully luxurious, adding further splendor to these masterpiece blades by Norimitsu. On this occasion, an elderly connoisseur has entrusted these to us, saying, "I have grown old, so please pass these on to the next generation at a low price." Therefore, we are offering them at a special bargain price. Please enjoy this precious Norimitsu daisho.
NihontoWatchBETANanbokucho · nagasa 68.2cm · sori 2.6cm
Bizen-den · Bizen
21 pieces on the market now
The Kozori (小反り) form a loose body of Bizen smiths who worked at and around Osafune in the closing decades of the Nanbokucho period and on into early Muromachi, and the NBTHK defines them less by descent than by exclusion: they are the late-Osafune hands who fall outside the specific lineages of Kanemitsu, Chogi, Motoshige and the Omiya group, gathered under one name as a convenience. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Hidemitsu秀光 | 1375-1392 | 19 |
| Iesuke家助 | 1394-1428 | 11 |
| Nariie成家 | 1352-1362 | 21 |
| Iemori家守 | 1377-1406 | 15 |
| Moromitsu師光 | 1375-1390 | 7 |
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.
