This antique Japanese Wakizashi is signed by Fujiwara Kunihiro, an active smith during the early Edo Period (Kanei-Manji era, 1624-1661) from Hizen province. Kunihiro was the son of Hirosada and nephew of the first-gen Tadayoshi, both renowned smiths. The blade is appraised with an NBTHK Hozon Certificate and features a Koshirae with Kiri and Karakusa motifs on the Fuchi-Kashira, and Kiku and Kiri family crests on the Menuki, along with a Tsuba depicting a Koi climbing a waterfall.
NihontoWatchmei · Hizen Tadayoshi · Kanbun (1661-1673) · nagasa 58.6cm · sori 1.8cm
Shinto · Hizen · around 1644-1648
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
4 pieces on the market now
Shinto · Hizen
122 pieces on the market now
The Hizen Tadayoshi school began with a single domain commission. In Keicho 1 (1596) the Nabeshima of Hizen ordered Hashimoto Shinzaemon, the smith who would sign Tadayoshi, up to Kyoto with the carver Munenaga; there he entered the gate of Umetada Myoju and studied forging while Munenaga learned the chisel. The two returned to the province in Keicho 3 (1598), and Tadayoshi settled in the castle town below Saga, where under the domain's patronage the line grew into the dominant sword-making house of Kyushu. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Tadayoshi忠吉 | 1596-1632 | 123 |
| Tadayoshi忠吉 | 1662-1681 | 58 |
| Tadahiro忠廣 | 1624-1693 | 169 |
| Masahiro正廣 | 1624-1655 | 32 |
| Tadakuni忠國 | 1648-1652 | 32 |
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.
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.
This antique Japanese Wakizashi is signed by Fujiwara Kunihiro, an active smith during the early Edo Period (Kanei-Manji era, 1624-1661) from Hizen province. Kunihiro was the son of Hirosada and nephew of the first-gen Tadayoshi, both renowned smiths. The blade is appraised with an NBTHK Hozon Certificate and features a Koshirae with Kiri and Karakusa motifs on the Fuchi-Kashira, and Kiku and Kiri family crests on the Menuki, along with a Tsuba depicting a Koi climbing a waterfall.
NihontoWatchmei · Hizen Tadayoshi · Kanbun (1661-1673) · nagasa 58.6cm · sori 1.8cm
Shinto · Hizen · around 1644-1648
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
4 pieces on the market now
Shinto · Hizen
122 pieces on the market now
The Hizen Tadayoshi school began with a single domain commission. In Keicho 1 (1596) the Nabeshima of Hizen ordered Hashimoto Shinzaemon, the smith who would sign Tadayoshi, up to Kyoto with the carver Munenaga; there he entered the gate of Umetada Myoju and studied forging while Munenaga learned the chisel. The two returned to the province in Keicho 3 (1598), and Tadayoshi settled in the castle town below Saga, where under the domain's patronage the line grew into the dominant sword-making house of Kyushu. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Tadayoshi忠吉 | 1596-1632 | 123 |
| Tadayoshi忠吉 | 1662-1681 | 58 |
| Tadahiro忠廣 | 1624-1693 | 169 |
| Masahiro正廣 | 1624-1655 | 32 |
| Tadakuni忠國 | 1648-1652 | 32 |
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.
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.
