This is a rare, unaltered naginata by Bishu ju Kanetake of the Inuyama School, dating to the Shinto era (1658-1661). The blade features a shobu-zukuri shape and a notare-midare hamon with kinsuji and sunagashi. It is certified as "Tokubetsu Hozon" by the NBTHK and is believed to have been presented to a member of the Naruse Clan.
Certificate reading — 銘 尾州住兼武
NihontoWatchmei · Inuyama · Manji (1658-1661) · nagasa 40.6cm · sori 1.6cm
Owari · around 1658-1661
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Under the Tokugawa peace the daishō became a regulated uniform, and demand gathered in the castle towns, above all Edo itself. The craft split two ways: brilliant display work for connoisseurs, and tested blades whose cutting results were sometimes inlaid in gold.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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 siteAs a rule, we do not accept returns from overseas. Once a deposit is paid, we hold the item for up to 3 months. The deposit is non-refundable.
This is a rare, unaltered naginata by Bishu ju Kanetake of the Inuyama School, dating to the Shinto era (1658-1661). The blade features a shobu-zukuri shape and a notare-midare hamon with kinsuji and sunagashi. It is certified as "Tokubetsu Hozon" by the NBTHK and is believed to have been presented to a member of the Naruse Clan.
Certificate reading — 銘 尾州住兼武
NihontoWatchmei · Inuyama · Manji (1658-1661) · nagasa 40.6cm · sori 1.6cm
Owari · around 1658-1661
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Under the Tokugawa peace the daishō became a regulated uniform, and demand gathered in the castle towns, above all Edo itself. The craft split two ways: brilliant display work for connoisseurs, and tested blades whose cutting results were sometimes inlaid in gold.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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 siteAs a rule, we do not accept returns from overseas. Once a deposit is paid, we hold the item for up to 3 months. The deposit is non-refundable.
