The curved, ridged tachi took its classic form in the Heian provinces while the court refined its culture in the capital. Its patrons were the military nobility whose feuds ended in the Genpei War, and whose blades became heirlooms almost at once.
This is a rare Tachi by Houju, a representative smith of the Mogusa-Kaji school from the late Heian period. It retains its original ubu-nakago form, boasting a magnificent length of over 78cm with a deep sori and koshizori-funbaritsuki. The jigane is a beautiful mix of tight itamehada and mokume, while the hamon is a suguha-style with small gunome and midare, deep nie, and bright nioikuchi, reminiscent of Ko-Bizen work.
NihontoWatchubu · Mogusa-Kaji · Heian · nagasa 78.1cm · sori 2.3cm
Mutsu · around 1306-1308
2 pieces on the market now
The Heian period (794 to 1185)
The curved, ridged tachi took its classic form in the Heian provinces while the court refined its culture in the capital. Its patrons were the military nobility whose feuds ended in the Genpei War, and whose blades became heirlooms almost at once.
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 siteReturns/exchanges/cancellations not accepted after shipment except for significant defects; if defective, return/exchange possible within 3 days of arrival (return shipping paid by customer).
This is a rare Tachi by Houju, a representative smith of the Mogusa-Kaji school from the late Heian period. It retains its original ubu-nakago form, boasting a magnificent length of over 78cm with a deep sori and koshizori-funbaritsuki. The jigane is a beautiful mix of tight itamehada and mokume, while the hamon is a suguha-style with small gunome and midare, deep nie, and bright nioikuchi, reminiscent of Ko-Bizen work.
NihontoWatchubu · Mogusa-Kaji · Heian · nagasa 78.1cm · sori 2.3cm
Mutsu · around 1306-1308
2 pieces on the market now
The Heian period (794 to 1185)
The curved, ridged tachi took its classic form in the Heian provinces while the court refined its culture in the capital. Its patrons were the military nobility whose feuds ended in the Genpei War, and whose blades became heirlooms almost at once.
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 siteReturns/exchanges/cancellations not accepted after shipment except for significant defects; if defective, return/exchange possible within 3 days of arrival (return shipping paid by customer).
