A pair of menuki featuring a dragon design. The menuki are made of gold and are attributed to the Mino school. They are certified as Hozon by the NBTHK and date to the early Edo period.
NihontoWatch
Mino School
Edo
Unsigned
Hozon (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 |
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 siteWe accept returns within 3 days counted from the item's arrival date. Items that have been altered cannot be handled. Return shipping is the customer's responsibility. If the destination is overseas, returns are as a rule not possible.
A pair of menuki featuring a dragon design. The menuki are made of gold and are attributed to the Mino school. They are certified as Hozon by the NBTHK and date to the early Edo period.
NihontoWatchMino School
Edo
Unsigned
Hozon (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 |
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 siteWe accept returns within 3 days counted from the item's arrival date. Items that have been altered cannot be handled. Return shipping is the customer's responsibility. If the destination is overseas, returns are as a rule not possible.
