This is a fine Sōshū tanto from the second half of the 14th century. The blade is mumei (unsigned) and has a funa-gata nakago. It comes with two attributions: Takagi Sadamune and Naoe Shizu.








































Mino-den · Mino
17 pieces on the market now
Within the province of Mino, in the decades of the Nanbokucho period, a body of smiths gathered at Naoe carrying forward the manner of Shizu Saburo Kaneuji, and from that locality they took the name Naoe Shizu. Kaneuji, originally a member of the Yamato Tegai group who studied under Masamune of Sagami and is counted among the Ten Disciples of Masamune (Masamune jittetsu), settled first at Shizu in Mino and established a flourishing school. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kanetomo兼友 | 1336-1340 | 11 |
| Kaneuji兼氏 | 1342-1345 | 3 |
| Kanetomo兼伴 | 1467-1469 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1390-1394 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1368-1375 | 0 |
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 accepted on items ordered from the site when an item does not appear to be as depicted and described; buyer must notify via email within 7 days of receipt. Refund covers purchase price minus shipping, bank fees, and currency conversion. Sales on items paid in terms are final, as are sales of items personally inspected.
This is a fine Sōshū tanto from the second half of the 14th century. The blade is mumei (unsigned) and has a funa-gata nakago. It comes with two attributions: Takagi Sadamune and Naoe Shizu.








































Mino-den · Mino
17 pieces on the market now
Within the province of Mino, in the decades of the Nanbokucho period, a body of smiths gathered at Naoe carrying forward the manner of Shizu Saburo Kaneuji, and from that locality they took the name Naoe Shizu. Kaneuji, originally a member of the Yamato Tegai group who studied under Masamune of Sagami and is counted among the Ten Disciples of Masamune (Masamune jittetsu), settled first at Shizu in Mino and established a flourishing school. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kanetomo兼友 | 1336-1340 | 11 |
| Kaneuji兼氏 | 1342-1345 | 3 |
| Kanetomo兼伴 | 1467-1469 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1390-1394 | 0 |
| Kanenobu兼延 | 1368-1375 | 0 |
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 accepted on items ordered from the site when an item does not appear to be as depicted and described; buyer must notify via email within 7 days of receipt. Refund covers purchase price minus shipping, bank fees, and currency conversion. Sales on items paid in terms are final, as are sales of items personally inspected.