Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchMasatoshi (正利) was a swordsmith from Mino province in the late Muromachi period(1532-1558). He was a son of Sakakura Masayoshi. He forged swords in the Sakakura town near Seki city(the central area in the Mino province), so he was also called Sakura Seki swordsmith. It is said that he had a technological exchange with Muramasa school, a prestigious sword-making school back then. The signature of Masa(正) made by Masatusgu resembles that of Masa(正) made by Muramasa(村正) to support this reasoning. The MINO swordsmiths style, also known as MINO-DEN, basically has the TOGARI(Pointed shapes protruding from the Hamon )in a classic straight line and random temper line with some white Utsuri. MINO-DEN had its origin from YAMATO-DEN in the late KAMAKURA period(1280-1330). It flourished in the MUROMACHI period(1333-1573) and continued until the EDO period(1603-1868). MINO-DEN especially prospered during Sengoku Jidai(Warring State period) due to the high demand for weapons. And the location of Mino province beat others. Akechi Mitsuhide controlled Mino province, and Nobunaga Oda ruled Owari province, and Tokugawa Ieyasu was the lord of Suruga (Neighboring areas). There was high demand from those powerful feudal lords and their retainers. Furthermore, so many wars occurred between the Kanto region and the Kyoto area, and Mino is located in the middle, making feudal lords feel convenient to order swords from MINO-DEN. The blades forged in MINO provinces also had the reputation of their practical design and sharpness. Many feudal lords demanded swords forged in the Mino province. It is appraised as a Hozon Touken (保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK (Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai: 日本美術刀剣保存協会). Fuchi-Kashira It seems golden paint was initially applied to this Fuchi Kashira. Although most colorings have already faded due to aging, it shows us its long history. We hope you would enjoy it as an antique texture. Tsuka and Menuki You would find the figure of a shrimp on each side of the handle. These shrimps hunch their back and fold their bodies. They are sculpted with a realistic expression, giving off a dignified atmosphere. From its characteristic elongated antennas, we believe this Menuki’s motif is the Ise-Ebi (伊勢海老, spiny lobster). According to a theory, Japanese people already ate shrimp in the Heian period (794-1185). However, it was expensive for ordinary citizens, so only the nobility and high-class people could enjoy it. People started using shrimp as a good-omen pattern and appreciated designing it for their family crests in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). In the Samurai’s society, as shrimp is covered with a hard shell, it was thought that a shrimp represents the figure of a brave Samurai who wears armor. It has the meaning that wishes the fate of a Samurai will last for a long time. Shrimp has been likened to an older adult because of its long feelers. Also, shrimps actively jump even though they are bowed. That is the reason why the shrimp pattern is treated as a symbol of perpetual youth and longevity. This animal shed its molt several times to grow up; therefore, some people have considered it is a symbol of success in life. Additionally, the red color of Ise-Ebi’s body was treated as a color that would exorcise evil spirits. These multiple good meanings might have inspired this Menuki’s design. Tsuba and Habaki This iron Tsuba has a Yotsu-Mokkou shape with Kozuka and Kougai holes. There are three dog-like animals on the front, and you would find the same animal on the backside too. Grass grows in colonies around it, and a waterfall flows. It seems golden and silvery colorings were applied to these motifs. We estimate these animals are the Karajishis (唐獅子). The Shishi (獅子) means a lion in Japanese, and the Karajishi is a lion brought from the continent to Japan in the Toh period (唐, Tang dynasty, 618-907). As seen in this work, Karajishis typically have curly hair for their head, neck, body, and tail. In Buddhism, the Karajishi is regarded as a symbol of wisdom, and Monju Bosatu (文殊菩薩, Manjushri Bodhisattva) rides lions. According to a theory, the Karajishi is the origin of Komainu (狛犬, stone guardian dogs that exorcize evil spirits). It shows this beast motif has been familiar to Japanese people since ancient times. Although not depicted in this Tsuba, this sacred beast has often been designed in combination with peony flowers. It is one of the motifs that has been popular with Japanese people since ancient times as a lucky charm. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on Dec. 14th in the 4th year of Reiwa (2022). They appraised it as Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society.
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Mino-den · Mino · around 1504-1521
Tōken Taikan top 49%
1 piece on the market now
Where Masatoshi stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
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Mino-den · Mino
1 piece on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masatoshi正利 | 1504-1521 | 1 |
| Masatoshi正俊 | 1487-1489 | 1 |
Mino in the Muromachi period
Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
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.
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