NihontoWatchNihontoWatchTsuba signed "Ichiryu Tomoyoshi" with NBTHK Hozon Tosogu. Ichiryu School had 6 or 7 generations of artists that signed with the same name. All started with Hirano Ryosuke born in 1716. He was born in Nagasaki but later moved to Mito. The sixth generation Tomoyoshi was born in 1846. Based on the examination of this piece I would say It was made by one of the last generations. It is made of iron with carved dragon. I have to say that this dragon has a very strong shape. It is a really nice piece to just hold in hand. Made in late edo period.
Certificate reading — 銘 一柳友善作
NihontoWatchOffered by Soryu
6 on the market
Machibori · Hitachi · around 1716-c.1920
6 pieces on the market now
Where Tomoyoshi 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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Machibori · Hitachi
73 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. This institutional foundation fostered both technical rigor and stylistic continuity, as masters such as Hagiya Katsuhei and his pupils transmitted the school's methods through direct apprenticeship. The Mito aesthetic is characterized by meticulous shakudō nanako-ji grounds upon which high-relief carving (takabori) is combined with precise gold and silver iroe to yield compositions of exceptional textural depth. The school showed particular mastery in figural subjects—immortals, deities, and mythological beasts—rendered with close attention to anatomical realism and dynamic poses.
The nanako punch-work is notably disciplined, each grain laid in orderly arrangement, while the relief carving rises to striking heights, with elements such as lion manes and peony petals executed in fully three-dimensional chiselwork. Color inlays are applied with exacting accuracy, and thematic coordination across entire fitting sets demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of decorative unity. The Mito school's influence extended well into the Meiji period through the achievements of second-generation masters. Hagiya Katsuhei's circle produced such celebrated artists as Namekawa Sadakatsu and Unno Shōmin, who carried the school's technical standards and stylistic vocabulary into new contexts. The tradition's emphasis on figural carving, inherited from the Tamagawa lineage, and its adherence to orthodox forms for formal presentation fittings established the Mito school as one of the principal regional traditions of late-period Japanese sword-fitting production. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Katsuhira勝平 | 1804-1886 | 13 |
| Shomin勝珉 | 1844-1915 | 12 |
| Teikan貞幹 | — | 5 |
| Mototane元胤 | — | 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 siteInspection period (per the shop's shipping policy): after receiving the item, each customer has two weeks for inspection. In that time you may decide to return it, and the item will be refunded in full. Shipping costs are not refunded. Returns (per the shop's refund policy): the policy lasts 30 days; once 30 days have passed since purchase, no refund or exchange is possible. To be eligible for a return, the item must be in the same condition in which it was received and in its original packaging. Customized products cannot be returned. In certain situations only a partial refund is granted. Return shipping is at the customer's expense, and shipping costs are non-refundable.
$3,000