The Yamato schools grew up in the shadow of Nara’s great monasteries: Tegai took its name from a gate of Tōdaiji. Their austere masame and quiet suguha are a temple aesthetic, prized ever since for exactly that restraint.
Weight (toushin only): 670g It has arrived, it has arrived—a katana by Yamato Shikkake Norinaga has arrived. Among the five schools of Yamato smiths from the Kamakura period—Senjuin, Taima, Shikkake, Hosho, and Tegai—Shikkake Norinaga is extremely famous as the representative swordsmith of the Shikkake school. Regarding this katana, please treat it as a "kibo-mei" (hopeful signature) for now, with the wish that it is the Norinaga from the Eisho era of the Muromachi period (circa 1504, 522 years ago), corresponding to about the 4th generation. The katana exhibits a sugata with funbari at the moto, a distinct difference between the motohaba and sakihaba, and a graceful sori. The jigane is a finely tightened ko-itame hada, forged into a powerful and bright steel. A faint utsuri appears in the ji from the moto to the saki. The hamon is nioi-deki with ko-nie, featuring a mix of round-topped gunome, pointed gunome, and split-topped (double) gunome. The boshi is sugu, returning in komaru. Because the swordsmiths of Yamato Province belonged to temples and produced most of their swords without signatures, zaimei works of Yamato Shikkake Norinaga have been scarce from the beginning, making a signed katana like this precious; however, please strictly regard it as a kibo-mei. On this occasion, we received this from an elderly doctor and refined collector (sukisha) who said, "I have cherished this believing it to be a sword by Norinaga, but as I have never submitted it for shinsa, please pass it on at a low price to someone who desires it." Therefore, we are offering it at a special, ultra-budget price. Please enjoy this opportunity.
NihontoWatchKamakura · nagasa 65.1cm · sori 2cm
Yamato-den · Yamato
15 pieces on the market now
The Shikkake school (尻懸派) stands among the five great Yamato traditions (Yamato goha) that flourished in the shadow of Nara's powerful temples during the late Kamakura period. While traditionally attributed to Norihiro as founder, Norinaga (則長) is regarded as the de facto progenitor, documented through extant tantō bearing inscriptions of his age: forty-eight in Bunpō 3 (1319) and sixty-nine in Ryakuō 3 (1340). These datings place his birth in Bun'ei 9 (1272), establishing him as a contemporary of the school's early development. Works attributed to later generations extend into the Muromachi period, indicating successive transmission of the name across multiple generations. Given the concentration of sōhei (warrior monks) in Yamato Province, it is natural that Shikkake smiths produced numerous naginata, with more surviving examples attributed to this school than any other Yamato tradition. Shikkake workmanship shares the fundamental Yamato vocabulary: construction with high shinogi and conspicuously wide shinogi-ji; forging in itame that characteristically flows, often incorporating mokume and nagare-hada with areas trending toward masame near the edge; and steel exhibiting thickly adhering ji-nie with frequent, stout chikei and occasional nie-utsuri. The tempering centers on suguha-based patterns, yet the school's signature lies in its treatment of the hamon: while maintaining the suguha foundation, Shikkake smiths tempered small gunome in connected succession (ko-gunome-tsure), creating a gently undulating effect. Along the habuchi appear characteristic Yamato activities—hotsure, nijūba, kuichigai-ba, uchi-noke, and yubashiri—with well-adhering ko-nie producing a bright, clear nioiguchi interwoven with kinsuji and sunagashi.
The bōshi typically runs straight with vigorous hakikake, often tending toward yakizume or taking on a flame-like (kaen) character at the point. While some examples execute pure suguha patterns, the intermixing of running ko-gunome within the ha remains the critical diagnostic feature distinguishing Shikkake from other Yamato schools[[c:1]], particularly Taima, with which it shares close affinities. The school's legacy endures through works of exceptional quality and preservation. Surviving naginata of grand scale—some exceeding 2 shaku 7 sun—demonstrate Nanbokuchō-period construction with characteristic shallow flaring and deep curvature, often transmitted in rare ubu-nakago condition. Shortened katana attributed to the school display vigorous forging in which flowing grain and chikei interweave, producing steel of remarkable clarity (saeru), while the tempering exhibits thickly adhering, strongly luminous nie creating bright visual effects. The consistent appearance of well-refined jigane with dense ko-itame and abundant ji-nie, paired with distinctive tempering patterns that balance fundamental suguha with running ko-gunome, establishes Shikkake as a school whose characteristic features remain unmistakable across centuries of production. Works attributed to this tradition regularly survive in kenzen (sound and well-preserved) condition, testimony to both original forging quality and careful transmission through successive generations. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Norinaga則長 | 1317-1319 | 44 |
| Norinari則成 | 1312-1317 | 0 |
| Nagamitsu長光 | 1233-1234 | 0 |
| Sukehiro助弘 | 1308-1311 | 0 |
| Norisada則貞 | 1428-1429 | 0 |
Yamato in the Kamakura period
The Yamato schools grew up in the shadow of Nara’s great monasteries: Tegai took its name from a gate of Tōdaiji. Their austere masame and quiet suguha are a temple aesthetic, prized ever since for exactly that restraint.
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.
For 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.
¥350,000
