NihontoWatchKatana in Shirasaya, with box (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token) (We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku). This work is ranked as Jyojyo Saku for Hokka Saburo Nobufusa. Shape: A powerful blade with a wide mihaba of 3.51 cm (1.38 in), thick kasane, and deep curvature. The kissaki is extended, giving the sword a dignified appearance. Jigane: Masame-hada, which is rare. Hamon: Nie-deki straight hamon. Ko-ashi are actively working, and the boshi is rounded and yakitsume. Features: This blade has a wide mihaba and thick kasane, skillfully bringing out the masame hada from high-quality jigane. Upon close inspection, sunagashi and kinsuji are actively working within the straight hamon. Aoi Art’s Comment: Hokka Saburo Nobufusa belongs to a lineage of swordsmiths active since before World War II. He was certified as Mukansa in 1981. This is a grand and powerful work with well-expressed masame hada. It bears an atmosphere reminiscent of the works of the old swordsmith Hosho. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token certificate (to be issued soon). With box *Overseas shipping fee not included.
Certificate reading — 銘 法華三郎信房(花押)(二代) 昭和六十二年吉春
NihontoWatchNobufusa信房
Offered by Aoi Art
5 on the market
As written by the shop
Rikuzen · around 1926-1989
5 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 siteIf you wish to return an item, please notify us within 3 days of receipt. After this period we cannot accept cancellations. Please ship the return to us within 5 business days. Cancellation is conditional on the item being kept in the same condition as at the time of sale, so please handle it with care.
¥1,200,000