This is a fuchi kashira made by Ichijosai Hirotoshi. It features a depiction of the "Nezuminoyomeiri" story (mouse wedding) done in Takabori Iroe, and finished with remarkable Katakiribori on the reverse. Hirotoshi was born in Mito and studied under Yatabe Tsuju, Tamagawa Yoshinaga, and the Hamano family of the Nara School.
NihontoWatchmei · Nara · Edo
Nara
Edo
Signed
Hozon (NBTHK)
Machibori · Hitachi · around 1670
6 pieces on the market now
Where Hirotoshi 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.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Machibori · Hitachi
80 pieces on the market now
The Mito school of sword-fitting makers emerged as an officially sponsored tradition in the domains of the Tokugawa family's Mito branch, achieving particular prominence in the late Edo period. The school's lineage traces through Shinozaki Katsushige and his successors, who served as goyō horimonoshi (official engravers) to the domain. Unlike the privately patronized workshops of Edo and Kyoto, Mito metalworkers operated within a system of domain service, producing both presentation fittings for formal occasions and richly decorated works for commission. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Katsuhira勝平 | 1804-1886 | 13 |
| Shomin勝珉 | 1844-1915 | 11 |
| Teikan貞幹 | — | 5 |
| Tomoyoshi友善 | 1716-c.1920 | 0 |
| Unno Bishu海野美秋 | — | 0 |
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft value.
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 accepted within 7 days of receipt (JP terms; EN page states 3 days). Customer must contact within the window and return at own cost. Refund after items confirmed in original condition; repair fees charged if damage occurs.
This is a fuchi kashira made by Ichijosai Hirotoshi. It features a depiction of the "Nezuminoyomeiri" story (mouse wedding) done in Takabori Iroe, and finished with remarkable Katakiribori on the reverse. Hirotoshi was born in Mito and studied under Yatabe Tsuju, Tamagawa Yoshinaga, and the Hamano family of the Nara School.
NihontoWatchmei · Nara · Edo
Nara
Edo
Signed
Hozon (NBTHK)
Machibori · Hitachi · around 1670
6 pieces on the market now
Where Hirotoshi 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.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Machibori · Hitachi
80 pieces on the market now
The Mito school of sword-fitting makers emerged as an officially sponsored tradition in the domains of the Tokugawa family's Mito branch, achieving particular prominence in the late Edo period. The school's lineage traces through Shinozaki Katsushige and his successors, who served as goyō horimonoshi (official engravers) to the domain. Unlike the privately patronized workshops of Edo and Kyoto, Mito metalworkers operated within a system of domain service, producing both presentation fittings for formal occasions and richly decorated works for commission. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Katsuhira勝平 | 1804-1886 | 13 |
| Shomin勝珉 | 1844-1915 | 11 |
| Teikan貞幹 | — | 5 |
| Tomoyoshi友善 | 1716-c.1920 | 0 |
| Unno Bishu海野美秋 | — | 0 |
Certifies a genuine fitting worth preserving: a correct signature, or, if unsigned, an identifiable era and school, with recognized artistic and craft value.
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 accepted within 7 days of receipt (JP terms; EN page states 3 days). Customer must contact within the window and return at own cost. Refund after items confirmed in original condition; repair fees charged if damage occurs.
