After the Ōnin War broke the Ashikaga order, a century of Sengoku warfare armed nearly every province in Japan. The era rewards a discriminating eye: routine work exists in quantity, and beside it stand custom blades of the first rank.
This antique katana is signed by Sadamori of the Takada school, active during the late Muromachi period (early-mid 16th century) in Bungo province. It comes with a full koshirae mounting and shirasaya, and is accompanied by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate. The blade features a simple oval-shaped tsuba with kozuka and kogai holes, and the koshirae includes a Fuchi-Kashira with a Sarute, and Menuki depicting chrysanthemum flowers.
NihontoWatchmei · Takada · Muromachi · nagasa 68.9cm · sori 1.51cm
Bungo · around 1532-1555
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
1 piece on the market now
The Muromachi period (1392 to 1573)
After the Ōnin War broke the Ashikaga order, a century of Sengoku warfare armed nearly every province in Japan. The era rewards a discriminating eye: routine work exists in quantity, and beside it stand custom blades of the first rank.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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 siteReturns/exchanges limited to defects caused by shipping (except willful misconduct or gross negligence by the company); customers must contact within 72 hours of receiving the product.
