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 is a magnificent katana by Gassan Unryushi Minamoto Sadakazu, an Imperial Household Artist from Settsu Province. Forged in the Yamato tradition with a tight masame hada and suguha hamon, it features a long blade with a wide mihaba and bohi. The sword comes with a shirasaya and an accompanying koshirae from the same period.
Auction status: live on sword-auction.com.
NihontoWatchmei · Gassan · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 77cm · sori 1cm
Shinshinto · Osaka · around 1926-1989
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 60%
10 pieces on the market now
Shinshinto · Settsu
37 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadakazu貞一 | 1864-1865 | 2 |
| Sadaharu貞晴 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1926-1989 | 0 |
| Yoshiaki吉明 | 1844-1848 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1830-1863 | 0 |
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.
This is a magnificent katana by Gassan Unryushi Minamoto Sadakazu, an Imperial Household Artist from Settsu Province. Forged in the Yamato tradition with a tight masame hada and suguha hamon, it features a long blade with a wide mihaba and bohi. The sword comes with a shirasaya and an accompanying koshirae from the same period.
Auction status: live on sword-auction.com.
NihontoWatchmei · Gassan · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 77cm · sori 1cm
Shinshinto · Osaka · around 1926-1989
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 60%
10 pieces on the market now
Shinshinto · Settsu
37 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadakazu貞一 | 1864-1865 | 2 |
| Sadaharu貞晴 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1926-1989 | 0 |
| Yoshiaki吉明 | 1844-1848 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1830-1863 | 0 |
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.
![Tanto - Hozon - by Gassan Sadayoshi - Fuyou Asahi, Ansei Hebidoshi 8gatsuhi (Attributed to Gassan Sadayoshi) [NBTHK Hozon]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fitbhfhyptogxcjbjfzwx.supabase.co%2Fstorage%2Fv1%2Fobject%2Fpublic%2Flisting-images%2Ftoyuukai%2FL519985%2F04.jpg&w=2560&q=90)
