Here it is, here it is. Since ancient times in the sword world, the master smith Hirotaka has been affectionately called "Bontaka" due to the pleasant phrasing of the name. Hirotaka was a swordsmith of the Echizen Seki lineage and a pupil of Echizen Kanetane. During the era of this sword, the Sengoku spirit still lingered, and works with a nenkiri (dated signature) are few; therefore, this sword’s date of Manji Gannen (1658) (375 years ago) is extremely precious for the study of Hirotaka. He was a swordsmith active at the exact same time as Nagasone Kotetsu Nyudo Okisato. This sword exhibits the Kanbun Shinto sugata with a difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba and a shallow sori. The jigane is a well-tightened itame, and the hamon is a magnificent notare-midare with ko-ashi in nioi-deki with nie, similar to the works of Echizen Yasutsugu, the representative smith of Echizen at the time. The horimono is superb; while not the work of the Kinai family, the omote features a high-relief (takabori) Bonji and Fudo Myoo within a hitsu, and the ura features a high-relief "Shin no Ryu" (true dragon) within a hitsu, both of which are spectacular. According to horishi (carvers), executing such carvings would take over a year, and these precious horimono add further splendor to this sword by Hirotaka. The koshirae is also a stylish Edo-period piece that adds even more flair. Having received this sword from an old sukisha (connoisseur) with the request to pass it on to the next generation at a low price, we are offering this precious meito by Hirotaka—complete with its rare Manji Gannen date—at a special bargain price. Please do enjoy it.
NihontoWatchBETAEdo · nagasa 68.8cm · sori 1.2cm
Shinto · Echizen · around 1655-1658
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 49%
5 pieces on the market now
Where Hirotaka 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.
Shinto · Echizen
50 pieces on the market now
The Shimosaka name began not as a single hand but as a trademark shared by a band of Echizen smiths at the dawn of the shinto era, and the designated record gathers their work under that one signature rather than parsing it into individuals. The published sources read the early inscriptions, the generic Echizen no Kuni Shimosaka and the titled Higo Daijo Fujiwara Shimosaka, as the product of a group, of which the first-generation Yasutsugu served as the representative. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yasutsugu康繼 | 1596-1615 | 74 |
| Yasutsugu康繼 | 1624-1644 | 27 |
| Yasutsugu康繼 | 1661-1673 | 8 |
| Sadakuni貞國 | 1596-1615 | 11 |
| Shigetaka重高 | 1596-1615 | 6 |
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.
Here it is, here it is. Since ancient times in the sword world, the master smith Hirotaka has been affectionately called "Bontaka" due to the pleasant phrasing of the name. Hirotaka was a swordsmith of the Echizen Seki lineage and a pupil of Echizen Kanetane. During the era of this sword, the Sengoku spirit still lingered, and works with a nenkiri (dated signature) are few; therefore, this sword’s date of Manji Gannen (1658) (375 years ago) is extremely precious for the study of Hirotaka. He was a swordsmith active at the exact same time as Nagasone Kotetsu Nyudo Okisato. This sword exhibits the Kanbun Shinto sugata with a difference between the moto-mihaba and saki-mihaba and a shallow sori. The jigane is a well-tightened itame, and the hamon is a magnificent notare-midare with ko-ashi in nioi-deki with nie, similar to the works of Echizen Yasutsugu, the representative smith of Echizen at the time. The horimono is superb; while not the work of the Kinai family, the omote features a high-relief (takabori) Bonji and Fudo Myoo within a hitsu, and the ura features a high-relief "Shin no Ryu" (true dragon) within a hitsu, both of which are spectacular. According to horishi (carvers), executing such carvings would take over a year, and these precious horimono add further splendor to this sword by Hirotaka. The koshirae is also a stylish Edo-period piece that adds even more flair. Having received this sword from an old sukisha (connoisseur) with the request to pass it on to the next generation at a low price, we are offering this precious meito by Hirotaka—complete with its rare Manji Gannen date—at a special bargain price. Please do enjoy it.
NihontoWatchBETAEdo · nagasa 68.8cm · sori 1.2cm
Shinto · Echizen · around 1655-1658
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 49%
5 pieces on the market now
Where Hirotaka 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.
Shinto · Echizen
50 pieces on the market now
The Shimosaka name began not as a single hand but as a trademark shared by a band of Echizen smiths at the dawn of the shinto era, and the designated record gathers their work under that one signature rather than parsing it into individuals. The published sources read the early inscriptions, the generic Echizen no Kuni Shimosaka and the titled Higo Daijo Fujiwara Shimosaka, as the product of a group, of which the first-generation Yasutsugu served as the representative. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yasutsugu康繼 | 1596-1615 | 74 |
| Yasutsugu康繼 | 1624-1644 | 27 |
| Yasutsugu康繼 | 1661-1673 | 8 |
| Sadakuni貞國 | 1596-1615 | 11 |
| Shigetaka重高 | 1596-1615 | 6 |
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.
