Weight: 1043g excluding saya, 764g for the toshin alone. It has arrived—a work by the famous Kotetsu, renowned as a Saijo Owazamono, which has been cherished through generations and is highly coveted by everyone. However, please treat this as a kibo-mei (hopeful signature). Based on the handwriting of the meibun, the character for "Ko" appears to be leaping, identifying it as a "Hanetora" (leaping tiger) signature Kotetsu; nevertheless, please regard it as a kibo-mei. The sugata exhibits a somewhat wide shinogi-haba with a slight difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba, and a shallow sori. The jigane is forged in itame-hada with jinie appearing on the ji. The hamon is in nioi-deki with konie, featuring a suguha-style base with many gunome-ashi, well-covered in nie and brightly tempered. Kotetsu was a master swordsmith who took Edo by storm as a Saijo Owazamono. His works are incredibly famous, notably due to the Shinsengumi commander Kondo Isami’s legendary line, "Tonight’s Kotetsu cuts well." Because he began making swords at the age of 50 (known as the "Hanpyaku" signature), despite his fame, the surviving number of katana, wakizashi, and tanto is less than 300, making them exceptionally rare and precious. However, this sword is a kibo-mei of Kotetsu. Kotetsu is the number one most longed-for sword. It is a work one wishes to own once in a lifetime. A koshirae is also included. On this occasion, we received this from an old family who had cherished it for generations, believing it to be a genuine Kotetsu. Upon learning it is a kibo-mei, they expressed disappointment but asked us to pass it on at a low price to someone who will still treasure it. Therefore, we are offering it at a special bargain price. Even as a kibo-mei, if used for iai practice, a Kotetsu-style sword would be the finest choice.
NihontoWatch
Shinto · Musashi
4 pieces on the market now
Nagasone Okisato, who took the smithing name Kotetsu (虎徹), began his career not at the forge of the swordsmith but at that of the armorer, working as a katchūshi in Echizen Province. Around Meireki 2 (1656), when he was about fifty years of age, he relocated to Edo and changed his profession to swordsmithing, settling in the area of Tōeizan and Shinobugaoka. The setsumei record that his common name was Sannojō; he first signed Okisato, and after taking Buddhist vows styled himself Kotetsu Nyūdō. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kotetsu虎徹 | 1644-1677 | 128 |
| Okimasa興正 | 1661-1690 | 26 |
| Nagasone Kotetsu長曽祢興里 | c.1597-1678 | 4 |
| Okihisa興久 | 1673-1681 | 2 |
| Toranyudo虎入道 | 1661-1673 | 2 |
We could not find an authenticity certificate on the seller’s listing. Japanese swords and fittings are normally papered by the NBTHK (or the NTHK). Without one, the attribution is the seller’s own assessment and has not been independently verified — treat it with caution and ask the dealer about certification before buying.
For returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
Weight: 1043g excluding saya, 764g for the toshin alone. It has arrived—a work by the famous Kotetsu, renowned as a Saijo Owazamono, which has been cherished through generations and is highly coveted by everyone. However, please treat this as a kibo-mei (hopeful signature). Based on the handwriting of the meibun, the character for "Ko" appears to be leaping, identifying it as a "Hanetora" (leaping tiger) signature Kotetsu; nevertheless, please regard it as a kibo-mei. The sugata exhibits a somewhat wide shinogi-haba with a slight difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba, and a shallow sori. The jigane is forged in itame-hada with jinie appearing on the ji. The hamon is in nioi-deki with konie, featuring a suguha-style base with many gunome-ashi, well-covered in nie and brightly tempered. Kotetsu was a master swordsmith who took Edo by storm as a Saijo Owazamono. His works are incredibly famous, notably due to the Shinsengumi commander Kondo Isami’s legendary line, "Tonight’s Kotetsu cuts well." Because he began making swords at the age of 50 (known as the "Hanpyaku" signature), despite his fame, the surviving number of katana, wakizashi, and tanto is less than 300, making them exceptionally rare and precious. However, this sword is a kibo-mei of Kotetsu. Kotetsu is the number one most longed-for sword. It is a work one wishes to own once in a lifetime. A koshirae is also included. On this occasion, we received this from an old family who had cherished it for generations, believing it to be a genuine Kotetsu. Upon learning it is a kibo-mei, they expressed disappointment but asked us to pass it on at a low price to someone who will still treasure it. Therefore, we are offering it at a special bargain price. Even as a kibo-mei, if used for iai practice, a Kotetsu-style sword would be the finest choice.
NihontoWatchShinto · Musashi
4 pieces on the market now
Nagasone Okisato, who took the smithing name Kotetsu (虎徹), began his career not at the forge of the swordsmith but at that of the armorer, working as a katchūshi in Echizen Province. Around Meireki 2 (1656), when he was about fifty years of age, he relocated to Edo and changed his profession to swordsmithing, settling in the area of Tōeizan and Shinobugaoka. The setsumei record that his common name was Sannojō; he first signed Okisato, and after taking Buddhist vows styled himself Kotetsu Nyūdō. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kotetsu虎徹 | 1644-1677 | 128 |
| Okimasa興正 | 1661-1690 | 26 |
| Nagasone Kotetsu長曽祢興里 | c.1597-1678 | 4 |
| Okihisa興久 | 1673-1681 | 2 |
| Toranyudo虎入道 | 1661-1673 | 2 |
We could not find an authenticity certificate on the seller’s listing. Japanese swords and fittings are normally papered by the NBTHK (or the NTHK). Without one, the attribution is the seller’s own assessment and has not been independently verified — treat it with caution and ask the dealer about certification before buying.
For returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
