The divided-courts war impoverished the court society that had sustained Kyōto’s most refined work. With the last Rai masters the classic line effectively closed, while Hasebe and Nobukuni carried the new Sōshū manner into the capital.
Weight: 605g (toshin only) It has appeared! This is a celebrated sword traditionally handed down as a work by Bitchu Katayama Ichimonji from the late Kamakura period, around the Tokuji era (1306, 720 years ago). However, in the recent Hozon Token kantei (appraisal), it has been attributed as a mumei sword by Chiyozuru Morihiro of the Yamashiro Rai Kuniyuki lineage, dating to the Bunna era of the Nanbokucho period (1352, 674 years ago). This was the time following the Kanno Disturbance, a conflict between Ashikaga Takauji, who wished to favor the samurai for their military exploits against the Southern Court, and his younger brother Ashikaga Tadayoshi, who prioritized the court nobles. It is said that the origin of Chiyozuru Morihiro lies with Yamashiro Rai Kuniyasu, who migrated to Echizen. This sword was originally a tachi of 2 shaku 5 sun, which became mumei due to o-suriage. Its sugata exhibits an elegant form with a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba. Although not easily seen at first glance, the jigane is forged in itame-hada; when held up to the light, a magnificent midare-utsuri appears abundantly in the ji. The horimono consists of skillfully carved bo-hi. The hamon is in nioi-deki with ko-nie, featuring a suguha-style tempered line mixed with gunome, showing wonderful hataraki within the blade. It is so well-made that it could indeed pass as a Bitchu Katayama Ichimonji. We received this sword from an old family who, as written on the shirasaya, had preserved it as a masterpiece by Bitchu Katayama Ichimonji. However, as they have aged, they requested that we pass it on at a low price to someone who will cherish it. Because the sugata retains the shape of the Kamakura period, a high-quality polish might even lead to a re-attribution back to the traditional Katayama Ichimonji designation. We are offering it this time at a special, ultra-low price. Please enjoy this piece.
Certificate reading — 無銘（千代鶴守弘）
NihontoWatchmumei · Bunna (1352-1356) ND · nagasa 66.3cm · sori 2cm
Yamashiro-den · Echizen · around 1394-1428
Tōken Taikan top 21%
2 pieces on the market now
Where Morihiro 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.
Yamashiro-den · Echizen
11 pieces on the market now
The Chiyozuru lineage took root in Echizen Province during the Nanbokuchō period, and the setsumei consistently trace its origin to Rai Kuniyasu (来国安). He is said to have been born in Yamashiro Province, with one tradition holding him a grandson of Rai Kunisue; he later moved to Echizen, where the meikan place him around the Jōji and Sadaji eras (ca. 1362 to 1368). A parallel tradition, recorded on the signed tachi attributed to Morihiro, names Chiyozuru Kuniyasu[[c:1]] as a disciple of Rai Kuniyasu and the founder of the line. From this root descend the smiths the blades document: Morihiro (守弘), placed in the Kuniyasu line across two generations, the first set in the Ōei era (1394 to 1428) and the second in the Kakitsu (1441 to 1444) and Bun'an (1444 to 1449) eras; and Mitsuyuki of Tsuruga[[c:2]], recorded as a student of Echizen Kuniyuki and known from a rare Kakei-dated tantō. The Yamashiro inheritance runs through the whole group, even as the workmanship moves away from the Kyoto homeland into a provincial Hokuriku register. Two stylistic strands run through the corpus, and recognizing the hand means reading where a given blade falls between them. The Rai-derived work, seen in the katana attributed to Rai Kuniyasu, shows itame mixed with mokume and nagare-hada, the grain tending to stand (hada-dachi) with thick ji-nie and frequent chikei; the steel carries a whitish or, in places, slightly blackish cast that the setsumei read as a provincial inflection of Yamashiro.
The hamon on these is a chū-suguha mixed with ko-gunome, the edge breaking into hotsure, kuichigai-ba, and nijūba, with ashi, yō, kinsuji, and sunagashi running through and a bright nioiguchi; the bōshi enters midare-komi or shallow notare-komi, turning in ko-maru with hakikake, at times vigorous enough to give a flame-like (kaen) impression. The Morihiro strand turns toward a gunome-based midareba with a chōji tendency, tobiyaki, and muneyaki, the forging moving toward masame near the edge; the setsumei mark this gunome-toned, nie-laden manner as differing in character from the Rai style and proper to the later line. For kantei, the setsumei set the diagnostic problem plainly: a Chiyozuru blade can at first glance resemble the orthodox Yamashiro Rai work, particularly around Rai Kunimitsu, yet careful reading of the standing grain, the whitish or blackish jigane, and the rustic activity in the bōshi beyond what the Kyoto homeland shows directs the attribution to Echizen. The boldest Nanbokuchō pieces, wide in mihaba with ō-kissaki and muneyaki, invite comparison with Hokuriku contemporaries such as Etchū Tametsugu (越中為継), but the character of ji and ha keeps them within the Chiyozuru fold. Signed examples anchor the line: Morihiro tachi and a Kakitsu 1 (1441) dated wakizashi carrying his Tōzaemon no Jō name, and the Mitsuyuki tantō whose Kakei date makes it documentary material of high value, dated works of the group being extremely scarce. The Morihiro tachi of Jūyō-Bijutsuhin standing is recorded in the Kōzan Oshigata, Kokon Kajibikō, and Kantō Zuiroku. Across the corpus the line holds a distinct place among Nanbokuchō and early Muromachi Hokuriku smiths, carrying a Yamashiro pedigree into a workmanship the appraisers read as its own. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kuniyasu國安 | 1345-1350 | 4 |
| Ieyoshi家吉 | 1429-1441 | 0 |
| Iemasa家正 | 1492-1501 | 0 |
| Ieyoshi家善 | 1487-1489 | 0 |
| Morihiro守弘 | 1394-1428 | 4 |
Yamashiro in the Nanbokuchō period
The divided-courts war impoverished the court society that had sustained Kyōto’s most refined work. With the last Rai masters the classic line effectively closed, while Hasebe and Nobukuni carried the new Sōshū manner into the capital.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
¥650,000
Weight: 605g (toshin only) It has appeared! This is a celebrated sword traditionally handed down as a work by Bitchu Katayama Ichimonji from the late Kamakura period, around the Tokuji era (1306, 720 years ago). However, in the recent Hozon Token kantei (appraisal), it has been attributed as a mumei sword by Chiyozuru Morihiro of the Yamashiro Rai Kuniyuki lineage, dating to the Bunna era of the Nanbokucho period (1352, 674 years ago). This was the time following the Kanno Disturbance, a conflict between Ashikaga Takauji, who wished to favor the samurai for their military exploits against the Southern Court, and his younger brother Ashikaga Tadayoshi, who prioritized the court nobles. It is said that the origin of Chiyozuru Morihiro lies with Yamashiro Rai Kuniyasu, who migrated to Echizen. This sword was originally a tachi of 2 shaku 5 sun, which became mumei due to o-suriage. Its sugata exhibits an elegant form with a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba. Although not easily seen at first glance, the jigane is forged in itame-hada; when held up to the light, a magnificent midare-utsuri appears abundantly in the ji. The horimono consists of skillfully carved bo-hi. The hamon is in nioi-deki with ko-nie, featuring a suguha-style tempered line mixed with gunome, showing wonderful hataraki within the blade. It is so well-made that it could indeed pass as a Bitchu Katayama Ichimonji. We received this sword from an old family who, as written on the shirasaya, had preserved it as a masterpiece by Bitchu Katayama Ichimonji. However, as they have aged, they requested that we pass it on at a low price to someone who will cherish it. Because the sugata retains the shape of the Kamakura period, a high-quality polish might even lead to a re-attribution back to the traditional Katayama Ichimonji designation. We are offering it this time at a special, ultra-low price. Please enjoy this piece.
Certificate reading — 無銘（千代鶴守弘）
NihontoWatchmumei · Bunna (1352-1356) ND · nagasa 66.3cm · sori 2cm
Yamashiro-den · Echizen · around 1394-1428
Tōken Taikan top 21%
2 pieces on the market now
Where Morihiro 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.
Yamashiro-den · Echizen
11 pieces on the market now
The Chiyozuru lineage took root in Echizen Province during the Nanbokuchō period, and the setsumei consistently trace its origin to Rai Kuniyasu (来国安). He is said to have been born in Yamashiro Province, with one tradition holding him a grandson of Rai Kunisue; he later moved to Echizen, where the meikan place him around the Jōji and Sadaji eras (ca. 1362 to 1368). A parallel tradition, recorded on the signed tachi attributed to Morihiro, names Chiyozuru Kuniyasu[[c:1]] as a disciple of Rai Kuniyasu and the founder of the line. From this root descend the smiths the blades document: Morihiro (守弘), placed in the Kuniyasu line across two generations, the first set in the Ōei era (1394 to 1428) and the second in the Kakitsu (1441 to 1444) and Bun'an (1444 to 1449) eras; and Mitsuyuki of Tsuruga[[c:2]], recorded as a student of Echizen Kuniyuki and known from a rare Kakei-dated tantō. The Yamashiro inheritance runs through the whole group, even as the workmanship moves away from the Kyoto homeland into a provincial Hokuriku register. Two stylistic strands run through the corpus, and recognizing the hand means reading where a given blade falls between them. The Rai-derived work, seen in the katana attributed to Rai Kuniyasu, shows itame mixed with mokume and nagare-hada, the grain tending to stand (hada-dachi) with thick ji-nie and frequent chikei; the steel carries a whitish or, in places, slightly blackish cast that the setsumei read as a provincial inflection of Yamashiro.
The hamon on these is a chū-suguha mixed with ko-gunome, the edge breaking into hotsure, kuichigai-ba, and nijūba, with ashi, yō, kinsuji, and sunagashi running through and a bright nioiguchi; the bōshi enters midare-komi or shallow notare-komi, turning in ko-maru with hakikake, at times vigorous enough to give a flame-like (kaen) impression. The Morihiro strand turns toward a gunome-based midareba with a chōji tendency, tobiyaki, and muneyaki, the forging moving toward masame near the edge; the setsumei mark this gunome-toned, nie-laden manner as differing in character from the Rai style and proper to the later line. For kantei, the setsumei set the diagnostic problem plainly: a Chiyozuru blade can at first glance resemble the orthodox Yamashiro Rai work, particularly around Rai Kunimitsu, yet careful reading of the standing grain, the whitish or blackish jigane, and the rustic activity in the bōshi beyond what the Kyoto homeland shows directs the attribution to Echizen. The boldest Nanbokuchō pieces, wide in mihaba with ō-kissaki and muneyaki, invite comparison with Hokuriku contemporaries such as Etchū Tametsugu (越中為継), but the character of ji and ha keeps them within the Chiyozuru fold. Signed examples anchor the line: Morihiro tachi and a Kakitsu 1 (1441) dated wakizashi carrying his Tōzaemon no Jō name, and the Mitsuyuki tantō whose Kakei date makes it documentary material of high value, dated works of the group being extremely scarce. The Morihiro tachi of Jūyō-Bijutsuhin standing is recorded in the Kōzan Oshigata, Kokon Kajibikō, and Kantō Zuiroku. Across the corpus the line holds a distinct place among Nanbokuchō and early Muromachi Hokuriku smiths, carrying a Yamashiro pedigree into a workmanship the appraisers read as its own. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kuniyasu國安 | 1345-1350 | 4 |
| Ieyoshi家吉 | 1429-1441 | 0 |
| Iemasa家正 | 1492-1501 | 0 |
| Ieyoshi家善 | 1487-1489 | 0 |
| Morihiro守弘 | 1394-1428 | 4 |
Yamashiro in the Nanbokuchō period
The divided-courts war impoverished the court society that had sustained Kyōto’s most refined work. With the last Rai masters the classic line effectively closed, while Hasebe and Nobukuni carried the new Sōshū manner into the capital.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
¥650,000
