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.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchHizenkoku Saga Jyu Minamoto Tanehiro(肥前國佐賀住源種廣) is a Japanese swordsmith who forged swords in Hizen province in Saga prefecture, located in Kyushu island. Tanehiro might have had interaction with Tadayoshi school, one of the most prestigious schools in Hizen Province, based on his style. Tadayoshi school worked for the Nabeshima clan and lasted for generations. They prospered by having more than 100 swordsmiths through the Edo Period.The swords produced in Hizen province are called Hizen-To, which is famous for its beauty in Jigane. (Visible surface pattern on the steel) This sword has a Tokubetsu Hozon certificate issued by NBTHK. This authentication paper was only given to Japanese swords, especially worth preserving by Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai(the Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword). Hamon The blade pattern created by the tempering process. It has Suguha(straight hamon) pattern. Jimon Visible surface pattern on the steel Nakago It has a signature that is inscribed 肥前國佐賀住源種廣(Hizenkoku Saga Jyu Minamoto Tanehiro). Fuchi-Kashira Gold inlay was applied on them. The plant pattern is designed. These leaves might be Aoi (hollyhock). Aoi pattern is also called Kamo-Aoi; it is used for the crest of the Kamo shrine in Kyoto prefecture. This plant once grew up on the back of the Kamo shrine, and it is considered Aoi is a good luck grass which would bring divine protection. Tokugawa family was Ujiko (Shinto-shrine parishioner) of the Kamo shrine and used Aoi pattern for their family crest. “Mitsuba Aoi Mon” is one of the most famous family crests in Japan. Tsuka and Menuki Tsuka is coiled with Hishi-Maki technique, which is a general way to cover the Tsuka. Menuki is decorated with creature motifs. Because of their long and narrow body shapes, they might be dragons or lions. Sacred beasts have been appreciated to design for sword mountings because of their mystical powers. Tsuba and Habaki Iron Tsuba with Kozuka and Kougai holes. Ichou (ginkgo, maidenhair tree) pattern is engraved with Sukashi-Bori (openwork) technique. Ichou grows straight up to the sky and becomes a huge tree. It contains lots of water and secure against fire, and has a strong vitality that would not easily die even if it is burnt in flames. So, Ichou has a stable life, and it lives for a long time. Because of its nature, Ichou pattern has been treated like a good luck design. Also, as its name “Ichou (銀杏)” has the same pronunciation with another word “Ichou (異朝),” it is said this plant pattern represents the delight to welcome honored guests. Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on Feb 2nd in the 29th year of Heisei(2017). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society.
Offered by Samurai Museum
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As written by the shop
Hizen · around 1624-1644
Where Tanehiro 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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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.