The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
This Tachi by Miyairi Shohei, a Living National Treasure, features a wide mihaba, deep sori, and an extended chu-kissaki, reminiscent of Nanbokucho era blades. It exhibits a beautiful jigane with small itamehada mixed with nagarehada, fine chikei, and faint utsuri. The hamon is notare with small gunome and chojiba, abundant ashi and yo, deep nie, and multiple kinsuji and sunagashi, showing a soft nioikuchi and a masterful rendition of Shizu style. It is a healthy blade with a solid ubuha and excellent polish, considered a masterpiece of modern swords.
NihontoWatchmei · Gendaito · nagasa 75.4cm · sori 1.8cm
Tokyo · around 1926-1989
3 pieces on the market now
Shōwa to the present: destruction and revival
The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
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 siteReturns/exchanges/cancellations not accepted after shipment except for significant defects; if defective, return/exchange possible within 3 days of arrival (return shipping paid by customer).
This Tachi by Miyairi Shohei, a Living National Treasure, features a wide mihaba, deep sori, and an extended chu-kissaki, reminiscent of Nanbokucho era blades. It exhibits a beautiful jigane with small itamehada mixed with nagarehada, fine chikei, and faint utsuri. The hamon is notare with small gunome and chojiba, abundant ashi and yo, deep nie, and multiple kinsuji and sunagashi, showing a soft nioikuchi and a masterful rendition of Shizu style. It is a healthy blade with a solid ubuha and excellent polish, considered a masterpiece of modern swords.
NihontoWatchmei · Gendaito · nagasa 75.4cm · sori 1.8cm
Tokyo · around 1926-1989
3 pieces on the market now
Shōwa to the present: destruction and revival
The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
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 siteReturns/exchanges/cancellations not accepted after shipment except for significant defects; if defective, return/exchange possible within 3 days of arrival (return shipping paid by customer).
