Weight (excluding saya): 1114g It has arrived, it has arrived! A meito by Tegarayama Kai no Kami Masashige, the most skilled smith among the Ujishige lineage (formerly Banshu Tegarayama Ujishige), famous as the favored smith of Nagakura Shinpachi, Captain of the Shinsengumi 2nd Unit. Nagakura Shinpachi, Captain of the Shinsengumi 2nd Unit, was active on the front lines of the Shinsengumi starting with the Ikedaya Incident and is famous as one of the group's greatest swordsmen. In his later years, he opened a kenjutsu dojo called "Bunbukan" in Ushigome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, to provide swordsmanship instruction to the youth. Around the age of 76, at the request of students from Hokkaido Imperial University, he traveled to Sapporo to demonstrate kenjutsu kata. The smith of this katana, Tegarayama Ujishige, was born in Himeji in the 10th year of Horeki (1760) (266 years ago). He became the 6th generation Tegarayama Ujishige, initially signing his mei as Ujishige (氏重) or Ujishige (氏繁), and also crafted swords in Osaka around the Tenmei era. In the 8th year of Tenmei (1788) (238 years ago) at the age of 28, his skill as a swordsmith was recognized by Shirakawa Hakuo (Matsudaira Sadanobu). He was taken into service with an extraordinary high stipend for the time of 500 koku (equivalent to an annual salary of 100 million yen today) and moved to Edo, where he forged blades in Kanda Surugadai and Hatchobori. On April 5th, the 3rd year of Kyowa (1803) (223 years ago), he received the title of Kai no Kami. This katana was made the following year, the 1st year of Bunka (1804) (222 years ago), when he was 44 years old. The sugata of this katana shows a fine form with a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba. The jigane is a well-tightened ko-itame hada, forged into a bright steel. The hamon is a bright, magnificent suguha-style tempered in nioi-deki with ko-nie. The koshirae is an Edo-period mounting adorned with a kamon, adding further elegance to this sword. This sword has been cherished for generations in an old family, but as they have grown old, we have been entrusted to pass it on at a low price to someone who will treasure it. Therefore, we are offering this katana by the Bakumatsu master smith Tegarayama Kai no Kami Masashige—associated with Shinsengumi 2nd Unit Captain Nagakura Shinpachi—at a special bargain price, as there is some light rust due to age. Please do enjoy it.
NihontoWatchmumei · Edo · nagasa 70cm · sori 0.9cm
Shinshinto · Harima
6 pieces on the market now
At the foot of Mount Tegara in Himeji, Harima province, a family of smiths took the mountain's name as their own across successive generations, descending from the first-generation Yamato no Daijō Fujiwara Ujishige. The setsumei trace this Banshū line through its best-documented figure, Tegarayama Masashige[[c:1]], commonly called Asashichi or Chōshichi and using the art name Tankasai. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masashige正繁 | 1789-1801 | 13 |
| Ujishige氏繁 | 1751-1764 | 0 |
| Ujishige氏繁 | 1781-1789 | 0 |
| Ujishige氏繁 | 1789-1801 | 0 |
| Masanao正直 | 1804-1818 | 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.
Weight (excluding saya): 1114g It has arrived, it has arrived! A meito by Tegarayama Kai no Kami Masashige, the most skilled smith among the Ujishige lineage (formerly Banshu Tegarayama Ujishige), famous as the favored smith of Nagakura Shinpachi, Captain of the Shinsengumi 2nd Unit. Nagakura Shinpachi, Captain of the Shinsengumi 2nd Unit, was active on the front lines of the Shinsengumi starting with the Ikedaya Incident and is famous as one of the group's greatest swordsmen. In his later years, he opened a kenjutsu dojo called "Bunbukan" in Ushigome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, to provide swordsmanship instruction to the youth. Around the age of 76, at the request of students from Hokkaido Imperial University, he traveled to Sapporo to demonstrate kenjutsu kata. The smith of this katana, Tegarayama Ujishige, was born in Himeji in the 10th year of Horeki (1760) (266 years ago). He became the 6th generation Tegarayama Ujishige, initially signing his mei as Ujishige (氏重) or Ujishige (氏繁), and also crafted swords in Osaka around the Tenmei era. In the 8th year of Tenmei (1788) (238 years ago) at the age of 28, his skill as a swordsmith was recognized by Shirakawa Hakuo (Matsudaira Sadanobu). He was taken into service with an extraordinary high stipend for the time of 500 koku (equivalent to an annual salary of 100 million yen today) and moved to Edo, where he forged blades in Kanda Surugadai and Hatchobori. On April 5th, the 3rd year of Kyowa (1803) (223 years ago), he received the title of Kai no Kami. This katana was made the following year, the 1st year of Bunka (1804) (222 years ago), when he was 44 years old. The sugata of this katana shows a fine form with a distinct difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba. The jigane is a well-tightened ko-itame hada, forged into a bright steel. The hamon is a bright, magnificent suguha-style tempered in nioi-deki with ko-nie. The koshirae is an Edo-period mounting adorned with a kamon, adding further elegance to this sword. This sword has been cherished for generations in an old family, but as they have grown old, we have been entrusted to pass it on at a low price to someone who will treasure it. Therefore, we are offering this katana by the Bakumatsu master smith Tegarayama Kai no Kami Masashige—associated with Shinsengumi 2nd Unit Captain Nagakura Shinpachi—at a special bargain price, as there is some light rust due to age. Please do enjoy it.
NihontoWatchmumei · Edo · nagasa 70cm · sori 0.9cm
Shinshinto · Harima
6 pieces on the market now
At the foot of Mount Tegara in Himeji, Harima province, a family of smiths took the mountain's name as their own across successive generations, descending from the first-generation Yamato no Daijō Fujiwara Ujishige. The setsumei trace this Banshū line through its best-documented figure, Tegarayama Masashige[[c:1]], commonly called Asashichi or Chōshichi and using the art name Tankasai. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masashige正繁 | 1789-1801 | 13 |
| Ujishige氏繁 | 1751-1764 | 0 |
| Ujishige氏繁 | 1781-1789 | 0 |
| Ujishige氏繁 | 1789-1801 | 0 |
| Masanao正直 | 1804-1818 | 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.
