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 katana was forged by the renowned modern swordsmith Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu in June 1937 at the residence of Toyama Mitsuru, upon the request of Hirooka Kenji. The blade features an exquisitely fine ko-itame hada and a magnificent choji-midare hamon with vigorous ashi, showcasing excellent workmanship. It is accompanied by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token certificate, affirming its high quality and historical significance.
NihontoWatchmei · Gendaito · nagasa 65.4cm · sori 1.6cm
Tokyo · around 1912-1926
Tōken Taikan top 63%
7 pieces on the market now
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.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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 siteIf you wish to return an item, please notify us within 3 days of receipt. After this period we cannot accept cancellations. Please ship the return to us within 5 business days. Cancellation is conditional on the item being kept in the same condition as at the time of sale, so please handle it with care.
¥1,200,000
This katana was forged by the renowned modern swordsmith Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu in June 1937 at the residence of Toyama Mitsuru, upon the request of Hirooka Kenji. The blade features an exquisitely fine ko-itame hada and a magnificent choji-midare hamon with vigorous ashi, showcasing excellent workmanship. It is accompanied by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token certificate, affirming its high quality and historical significance.
NihontoWatchmei · Gendaito · nagasa 65.4cm · sori 1.6cm
Tokyo · around 1912-1926
Tōken Taikan top 63%
7 pieces on the market now
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.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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 siteIf you wish to return an item, please notify us within 3 days of receipt. After this period we cannot accept cancellations. Please ship the return to us within 5 business days. Cancellation is conditional on the item being kept in the same condition as at the time of sale, so please handle it with care.
¥1,200,000
