It has arrived, it has arrived—a masterpiece by Bishu Osafune Morishige has arrived. Foreigners always say, "Japan is wonderful; one can personally own works created hundreds of years ago that have been cherished and preserved by many people until now—this is unthinkable in foreign countries." This katana is truly a precious work that embodies those words. This lineage begins with Bizen Omiya Morishige, who was famous for competing in skill with Bizen Osafune Kanemitsu (O-Kanemitsu) around the Oan era of the Nanbokucho period (1368, 657 years ago). This katana was made around the Chokyo era of the Muromachi period (1488, 537 years ago), said to follow the Oei Bizen tradition. It was crafted exactly during the time when Akamatsu Masanori—famous as a Shugo Daimyo and Sengoku Daimyo—restored the Akamatsu clan (which had been destroyed in the Kakitsu Rebellion) and took control of half of Kaga, as well as Harima, Mimasaka, and Bizen. This is a precious and healthy masterpiece by the third generation Bishu Osafune Morishige, made in those very ancient times. The sugata shows a short dimension suitable for katanuki-uchi (quick drawing), with funbari at the moto, koshi-zori, and a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba, presenting a fine Bizen katana form. The jigane is itame-hada mixed with mokume-hada, and the ji displays a faint, irregular midare-utsuri from the base, giving it a refined character typical of Bizen Osafune. The hamon is nioi-hon-i with nie, featuring a low, double-structured gunome-choji with slightly open valleys (koshi), fired brightly and with great haki. The koshirae is a Denchu-koshirae with a black ro-saya from the Edo period, intended for attendance at the castle, which adds further splendor to this Bishu Osafune Morishige katana. Having received this from an elderly connoisseur (sukisha) who wished for it to be passed down to the next generation at a low price due to their age, we are offering this precious, 500-plus-year-old Bishu Osafune Morishige katana at a special bargain price. Please enjoy it.
NihontoWatchBETANanbokucho · nagasa 62.2cm · sori 1.9cm
Bizen-den · Bizen · around 1429-1441
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku
1 piece on the market now
Where Morishige stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Bizen-den · Bizen
7 pieces on the market now
The Omiya school (大宮) of Bizen traces its name and its blood to Kyoto, not to the Bizen heartland where it eventually settled. The published sources follow the line back to a remote ancestor, Kunimori, who is said to have left Inokuma Omiya in Yamashiro province and moved into Bizen during the Kamakura period, around the Bun'o years. With him the group carried a Yamashiro sensibility into the province of choji, and that transplanted origin remains the key to everything the school later became. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Morikage盛景 | 1356-1390 | 92 |
| Morikage盛景 | 1299-1302 | 5 |
| Tomomori友盛 | 1156-1159 | 0 |
| Tsugumori次盛 | 1338-1342 | 0 |
| Tsugumori次盛 | 1278-1288 | 0 |
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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 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.
It has arrived, it has arrived—a masterpiece by Bishu Osafune Morishige has arrived. Foreigners always say, "Japan is wonderful; one can personally own works created hundreds of years ago that have been cherished and preserved by many people until now—this is unthinkable in foreign countries." This katana is truly a precious work that embodies those words. This lineage begins with Bizen Omiya Morishige, who was famous for competing in skill with Bizen Osafune Kanemitsu (O-Kanemitsu) around the Oan era of the Nanbokucho period (1368, 657 years ago). This katana was made around the Chokyo era of the Muromachi period (1488, 537 years ago), said to follow the Oei Bizen tradition. It was crafted exactly during the time when Akamatsu Masanori—famous as a Shugo Daimyo and Sengoku Daimyo—restored the Akamatsu clan (which had been destroyed in the Kakitsu Rebellion) and took control of half of Kaga, as well as Harima, Mimasaka, and Bizen. This is a precious and healthy masterpiece by the third generation Bishu Osafune Morishige, made in those very ancient times. The sugata shows a short dimension suitable for katanuki-uchi (quick drawing), with funbari at the moto, koshi-zori, and a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba, presenting a fine Bizen katana form. The jigane is itame-hada mixed with mokume-hada, and the ji displays a faint, irregular midare-utsuri from the base, giving it a refined character typical of Bizen Osafune. The hamon is nioi-hon-i with nie, featuring a low, double-structured gunome-choji with slightly open valleys (koshi), fired brightly and with great haki. The koshirae is a Denchu-koshirae with a black ro-saya from the Edo period, intended for attendance at the castle, which adds further splendor to this Bishu Osafune Morishige katana. Having received this from an elderly connoisseur (sukisha) who wished for it to be passed down to the next generation at a low price due to their age, we are offering this precious, 500-plus-year-old Bishu Osafune Morishige katana at a special bargain price. Please enjoy it.
NihontoWatchBETANanbokucho · nagasa 62.2cm · sori 1.9cm
Bizen-den · Bizen · around 1429-1441
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku
1 piece on the market now
Where Morishige stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Bizen-den · Bizen
7 pieces on the market now
The Omiya school (大宮) of Bizen traces its name and its blood to Kyoto, not to the Bizen heartland where it eventually settled. The published sources follow the line back to a remote ancestor, Kunimori, who is said to have left Inokuma Omiya in Yamashiro province and moved into Bizen during the Kamakura period, around the Bun'o years. With him the group carried a Yamashiro sensibility into the province of choji, and that transplanted origin remains the key to everything the school later became. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Morikage盛景 | 1356-1390 | 92 |
| Morikage盛景 | 1299-1302 | 5 |
| Tomomori友盛 | 1156-1159 | 0 |
| Tsugumori次盛 | 1338-1342 | 0 |
| Tsugumori次盛 | 1278-1288 | 0 |
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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 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.
