The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
This tanto is a reproduction of the National Treasure Hōchō Masamune, crafted by Kanbayashi Tsunehira, a high-ranking student of Living National Treasure Miyairi Yukihira and a Mukansa swordsmith. Forged in 1981, it features a very wide body, thin kasane, and shallow sori, with intricate horimono including Bonji, Gomabashi, and Rendai. The jihada is a tightly packed ko-itame with fine ji-kei, characteristic of Tsunehira's powerful and beautiful work.
NihontoWatchmei · Showa · nagasa 24cm · sori 0.2cm
Shōwa to the present: destruction and revival
The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
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.
If, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
¥600,000
