Description

It has appeared, it has appeared! A prestigious meito with a noble lineage has appeared. This is a precious katana from the Kobayashi family, who served for generations under the ancestors of Mr. Tadahisa Sakai—the current Chairman of the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai and the lord of the famous Tsuruoka Castle in Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture. The Shonai Sakai family of Yamagata began with the children of Hirochika Sakai, a close ally of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the Sakai clan flourished as daimyo with more than 10 branches across the country. The maker of this sword, who boldly chiseled the mei of Munenaga (宗永), originally signed as Banshu-ju Munenaga (播州住宗長). He was a disciple of Nakajima Rai Kuninaga of Sesshu. During the Oei era of the Muromachi period (1394, 631 years ago), the Munenaga line moved to Obama in Wakashu, then migrated to Mount Shosha in Banshu around the Tensho era at the end of the Muromachi period. Later, during the Keicho era of the early Edo period (1605, 420 years ago), they moved to the Himeji castle town. During the Edo period, Himeji Castle was ruled by the Sakai clan, hereditary vassals (fudai) of the Tokugawa, and the town flourished as the greatest defensive stronghold facing the west. This sword is a precious piece from around the Meireki era (1655, 370 years ago), featuring the early Munenaga (宗永) mei. This sword displays the Kanbun Shinto sugata, characterized by a noticeable difference between the motohaba and sakihaba with shallow sori. The jigane is forged in ko-itame hada with abundant jinie. The horimono consists of a koshi-hi carved only on the omote side. The hamon is a crisp suguha-style tempered in nioi-deki with nie, imitating the Yamashiro Rai school, occasionally showing togari-ba, and is very well executed. This sword, crafted by the swordsmith Munenaga in Himeji, was entrusted with the precious history of the Kobayashi family—specifically Kobayashi Rikichi Fujiwara Toshiaki—who served the Sakai family of Yamagata with loyalty for seven generations through their move to Himeji. It was preserved to leave their legacy to the world and their descendants. On this occasion, we received this sword from an old estate with the request: "I have grown old, so please pass this on to the next generation at a low price." Therefore, we are offering it at a special bargain price. There is no other sword that leaves the history of the samurai to posterity so grandly; this is a wonderfully lucky and precious blade. Please, everyone, share in the good fortune of this sword and enjoy it.