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 katana, made by Kurihara Hikosaburō AKIHIDE in 1934, features a Shinogi-zukuri construction with a refined Iitame-hada and a vibrant Nie-based hamon of Gunome and Chōji patterns. It is accompanied by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate and a Sayagaki by Living National Treasure Amata Akitsugu. The blade splendidly embodies the dignified character of the Kamakura era Bizen tradition.
Certificate reading — 銘 栗原彦三郎昭秀造之 応岡田村栄次郎君需 昭和九年五月吉日
NihontoWatchmei · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 66cm · sori 1.4cm
Tochigi · around 1926-1989
Tōken Taikan top 95%
6 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 siteFor a return, please contact us within 7 days of the item's arrival. If specification changes such as dimensions were made at the customer's request, a return cannot be accepted. Shipping and transfer fees are the customer's responsibility.
¥1,350,000
This katana, made by Kurihara Hikosaburō AKIHIDE in 1934, features a Shinogi-zukuri construction with a refined Iitame-hada and a vibrant Nie-based hamon of Gunome and Chōji patterns. It is accompanied by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate and a Sayagaki by Living National Treasure Amata Akitsugu. The blade splendidly embodies the dignified character of the Kamakura era Bizen tradition.
Certificate reading — 銘 栗原彦三郎昭秀造之 応岡田村栄次郎君需 昭和九年五月吉日
NihontoWatchmei · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 66cm · sori 1.4cm
Tochigi · around 1926-1989
Tōken Taikan top 95%
6 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 siteFor a return, please contact us within 7 days of the item's arrival. If specification changes such as dimensions were made at the customer's request, a return cannot be accepted. Shipping and transfer fees are the customer's responsibility.
¥1,350,000
