This is a Koaoe katana from the early Kamakura period. It features a clear jigane with small-midare and tobiyaki, small ashi, and kinsuji. The sword has a dignified appearance with wide mihaba and deep sori, and is an excellent piece with an old-fashioned feel.
NihontoWatchmumei · Aoe · Late Heian (c. 987) · nagasa 69.6cm · sori 2.5cm
Bizen-den · Bitchu
3 pieces on the market now
The Ko-Aoe school flourished in the lower basin of the Takahashi River in Bitchu Province, forging swords at the districts of Koi and Manju in a region long renowned as a source of iron. The school is traditionally held to have begun with Yasutsugu around the Joan era (1171-1175), and works produced from the end of the Heian period through approximately the mid-Kamakura period are distinguished as Ko-Aoe, with production continuing under the broader Aoe designation through the late Nanbokucho era. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masatsune正恒 | 1213-1219 | 28 |
| Yasutsugu康次 | 1211-1213 | 11 |
| Kanetsugu包次 | 1211-1213 | 9 |
| Tsunetsugu恒次 | 1207-1211 | 12 |
| Suketsugu助次 | 1261-1264 | 14 |
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 Koaoe katana from the early Kamakura period. It features a clear jigane with small-midare and tobiyaki, small ashi, and kinsuji. The sword has a dignified appearance with wide mihaba and deep sori, and is an excellent piece with an old-fashioned feel.
NihontoWatchmumei · Aoe · Late Heian (c. 987) · nagasa 69.6cm · sori 2.5cm
Bizen-den · Bitchu
3 pieces on the market now
The Ko-Aoe school flourished in the lower basin of the Takahashi River in Bitchu Province, forging swords at the districts of Koi and Manju in a region long renowned as a source of iron. The school is traditionally held to have begun with Yasutsugu around the Joan era (1171-1175), and works produced from the end of the Heian period through approximately the mid-Kamakura period are distinguished as Ko-Aoe, with production continuing under the broader Aoe designation through the late Nanbokucho era. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Masatsune正恒 | 1213-1219 | 28 |
| Yasutsugu康次 | 1211-1213 | 11 |
| Kanetsugu包次 | 1211-1213 | 9 |
| Tsunetsugu恒次 | 1207-1211 | 12 |
| Suketsugu助次 | 1261-1264 | 14 |
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).
