NihontoWatchThe Bingo no Kuni Mihara school was located close to both Bizen and Bitchu provinces, yet from the late Kamakura period through the late Muromachi period, they consistently adhered to the Yamato-den without being influenced by either the Bizen-den or Yamashiro-den. Conventionally, Masaie has been considered the founder, but since all dated works by this smith are from the Nanbokucho period, the theory that Kokubunji Sukekuni of the late Kamakura period is the founder has recently become prominent. The Mihara school is broadly divided into three periods: those from before the Nanbokucho period are called Ko-Mihara, those from the early to mid-Muromachi period are called Mihara, and those from the late Muromachi period are called Sue-Mihara. Furthermore, the Mihara school has been highly regarded since ancient times, and even today it is a school held in high esteem within the field, with many swords designated as national Juyo Bunkazai and Juyo Bijutsuhin. This wakizashi, though o-suriage mumei, is a blade in which dignity dwells within its sugata. The difference in width between the moto and saki is not conspicuous, it features a slightly extended chu-kissaki, and flowing katana-hi are kaki-nagashi on both sides. The jigane is a well-kneaded mokume with masame, finely covered in ji-nie, with chikei appearing and bo-utsuri standing out, resulting in a generally refined and well-composed hada-ai. The hamon is based on a chu-suguha style with a bright nioiguchi, mixed with soft notare in places, with ashi and yo entering; from the monouchi to the tip, the bo-utsuri appears even more strongly, presenting a niju-ba style, and the boshi is sugu with a maru kaeri, conveying a sense of composure and presence. Regarding the accompanying koshirae, at the time of purchase by our shop, it was regrettable that the kanagu of the tsuka and tsuba had been removed, leaving only the saya; however, due to the previous owner's feeling that it was "unbearable," the tsukamae was newly made through our shop. The seppa were crafted in silver by a skilled artisan, and the menuki were unified with a kawara-zu design engraved with Tosa-kashiwa to match the hoso-mitsukashiwa-mon on the habaki. The uwa-gai is luxuriously fashioned from kin-muku, weighing 10 grams. If calculated as 18-karat gold, the metal alone is equivalent to ¥172,000. Even calculated as 14-karat gold, it is equivalent to ¥130,000 (as of November 27, 2025), a tailoring that conveys high status. There is no rattling in the tsuka and it is firm, though there is tsuba-nari. The hoso-mitsukashiwa-mon engraved on the habaki is close to the early design of "maru ni mitsu-hosokashiwa," which has thinner lines than the general mitsu-kashiwa, and is seen during the era of Yamauchi Kazutoyo. It represents the form before it changed into the extremely thin "Tosa-kashiwa" used in later generations, making it an extremely valuable crest as research material. Thinking of the possibility that this wakizashi was an item related to the Yamauchi family, particularly Yamauchi Kazutoyo, one cannot help but feel the excitement of holding history in one's hands. Looking at the writing for the transfer of this wakizashi from November of Showa 29 that was originally attached, it is noted as having a koshirae, so perhaps it was accompanied by a koshirae using even more extravagant and splendid kanagu than now. While it is extremely regrettable that the koshirae has been separated, there may be interesting discoveries if one researches the two individuals appearing in the transfer document, Matsuo Saburo and Sakamoto Toshio. Furthermore, this wakizashi was submitted for Hozon Token shinsa in its pre-polished state, and if it undergoes appropriate polishing and is submitted for re-shinsa, it hides the possibility of receiving a kiwame to Bizen Tadamitsu. Although the transfer document and the kanteisho with the Tadamitsu kiwame were unfortunately lost by the previous owner, this is truly a one-of-a-kind masterpiece possessing historical charm that more than compensates for that loss.
Offered by Toushin
4 on the market
As written by the shop
Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Yamato-den · Bingo
4 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masamune正宗 | 1469-1487 | 0 |
| Masaoki正興 | 1521-1528 | 0 |
| Nagashige長重 | 1487-1489 | 0 |
| Kaneyasu兼安 | 1469-1487 | 0 |
| Takakane高兼 | 1504-1521 | 0 |
Yamato in the Muromachi period
The monasteries that had sustained Yamato lost ground through the Muromachi period, and the schools thinned with them; Sue-Tegai kept the old masame manner alive in quantity. The burning of Tōdaiji’s Great Buddha hall in 1567 closed the temple age.
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 siteAs a rule we do not accept returns, except when we have sent a different item from the one ordered or when there is a significant discrepancy between the description and the item. If you wish to return an item, please contact us within 3 days of its arrival and then send it back.
¥990,000
Certificate reading — 無銘（末三原）