Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis blade was signed by Musashi no Kami Fujiwara Kanenaka(武蔵守藤原兼中) during the early Edo period. There is also an inscription on the backside of the tang, saying that it was made in Echizen province(today’s Fukui prefecture). It is said that Kanenaka was a descendant of Magoroku Kanemoto, one of the most famous swordsmiths in Mino province(today’s Gifu prefecture). He was born in the 8th year of the Keicho era(1603) and lived until the Tenwa era(1681-1684). He originally started his career in Mino province. He forged swords in Echizen province(today’s Fukui prefecture) during the Eiroku era(1658-1670). There was also a record of him forging swords in Edo city. Since this was forged in Echizen, we assume it was created about 340-370 years ago. Echizen Province was prosperous during the Edo period, being ruled by the Echizen Matsudaira clan, a direct retainer of Tokugawa clan who ruled the Edo government. Many skilled swordsmiths moved to Echizen from different regions because of high demand among Samurai who lived there. Among them, there were many renowned swordsmiths who were originally from the Mino province(Gifu prefecture), such as Kanenaka. They are called Echizen Seki swordsmiths. Musashi no Kami was an honorable title that was only given to highly-skilled swordsmiths back then. We believe Kanenaka’s artistry was excellent enough to be recognized back then. This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token(特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). Fuchi-Kashira The dragon swimming in the sea is depicted for this Fuchi Kashira. Its mustache is colored with gold. In Japan, there is a belief that worships a dragon as a water god. Therefore, it is understandable that the combination of dragon and water (wave) is designed for sword mountings. We imagine that this dynamic subject was favored among Samurais. Also, the dragon motif has often been combined with the cloud pattern. Since rice cultivation flourished in this country, water is always an essential resource. And clouds would bring blessed rain. A theory says dragons dwell in clouds; we think that is why this combination is also often seen. You will find the signature at the side of the Fuchi part that says Goto Senjyo (後藤仙乗), who was the forth son of the seven-gen Goto Kenjyo. Tsuka and Menuki Same as the Fuchi Kashira, the dragon is the motif of this Menuki. It seems the gold paint was initially applied to it. Dragons twist their bodies and show their distinguished figures. Originally, the dragon was an imaginary creature found in ancient traditions or myths. Furthermore, it is regarded as a symbolic beast of auspicious signs. Its body is likened to nine animals: antlers are deer, the head is a camel, eyes are demons, the neck is a snake, belly is the Mizuchi (蛟, mythical animal in Japan which looks like a snake and have a horn and four legs), scales are fish, claws are falcons, palms are tigers, and ears are cows. It was thought that the dragon would reign at the top of all animals because of its odd-looking appearance. Tsuba and Habaki Yotsu-Mokkou-shaped Tsuba that has Kozuka and Kougai holes. The Mokkou shape, its origin is a shape of eggs. When a quince (it is written 木瓜 in Japanese) is cut into round slices, its cross-section looks similar to this shape; therefore, it was named as the Mokkougata (木瓜形) Tsuba. Yotsu-Mokkougata (四ツ木瓜形, a combination of four Mokkou shapes) Tsuba is often seen as you see in this work. The scenery of the moonlit night is depicted for this Tsuba. You would find the moon is shining behind the pine tree. The combination of these motifs creates a sacred atmosphere in work. Since ancient times, the sun and the moon have been treated as objects of worship. Some people considered them the symbol of authority. The moon pattern has various shapes depending on the waxing and waning of the moon: full moon, half-moon, crescent, or hazy moon. There is also the idea: as the moon changes its shape depending on its fullness, it represents growth and development. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on Feb 25th in the 3rd year of Reiwa (2021). They appraised it as a Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society.
Kanenaka兼中
Offered by Samurai Museum
This piece has sold
Get an email when a new Kanenaka piece hits the market.
Echizen · around 1681-1684
Tōken Taikan top 76%
2 pieces on the market now
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
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.