An iron tsuba signed Ichiryu Tomoyoshi, attributed to one of the later generations of the Ichiryu School. The tsuba features a carved dragon and is accompanied by NBTHK Hozon Tosogu certification. It was made in the late Edo period.
Certificate reading — 銘 一柳友善作
NihontoWatchBETAmei · Ichiryu · Edo
Mito Tomoyoshi
Edo
Signed
Hozon (NBTHK)
Machibori · Hitachi · around 1716-c.1920
5 pieces on the market now
Machibori · Hitachi
78 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 |
| Katsutoshi勝寿 | — | 1 |
| Mototane元胤 | — | 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 site30-day refund policy. Items must be returned in original condition and packaging; customized products are non-returnable. 2-week inspection window with full item refund (shipping costs non-refundable). Customer pays return shipping.
An iron tsuba signed Ichiryu Tomoyoshi, attributed to one of the later generations of the Ichiryu School. The tsuba features a carved dragon and is accompanied by NBTHK Hozon Tosogu certification. It was made in the late Edo period.
Certificate reading — 銘 一柳友善作
NihontoWatchBETAmei · Ichiryu · Edo
Mito Tomoyoshi
Edo
Signed
Hozon (NBTHK)
Machibori · Hitachi · around 1716-c.1920
5 pieces on the market now
Machibori · Hitachi
78 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 |
| Katsutoshi勝寿 | — | 1 |
| Mototane元胤 | — | 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 site30-day refund policy. Items must be returned in original condition and packaging; customized products are non-returnable. 2-week inspection window with full item refund (shipping costs non-refundable). Customer pays return shipping.
