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Hello! I had wanted to add a Kaga tsuba to my collection for a long time, and recently Okan finally convinced me with his wonderful example that was shown here not so long ago. Recently I came across this tsuba. It depicts the classic theme of drying fishing nets, and in my opinion the Kaga inlay is perfectly suited to the delicate nets. Overall, the composition is quite refined. The tsuba itself is made of rich and expensive shakudo, although this is somewhat hidden beneath the dark patina, it is especially noticeable when viewed at an angle. The plate is perfectly polished and shimmers beautifully in the light. I would also note the beautiful sekigane - it was probably mounted on two different swords.

Please please Santa I would really like this for Christmas! https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/miyao-a-fine-parcel-gilt-bronze-okimono-of-a-tsub-12-c-9dfc5ad8c7

Sorry Dale but I have to strongly disagree; donating to a museum, local or otherwise, is a terrible idea. If donated the tsuba might be put on display for a short time but then will be relegated to the basement where they will rot away. If the collection is important and the museum has a serious interest in and knowledge of Nihont, that's another story but common stuff and a common museum is a recipe for ruin. Tsuba and all other Nihonto art are best kept by collectors who appreciate and know how to preserve them. Grey

I was talking to Ray Singer about this yesterday. The problem here, as we discussed, is the connection with the Tokugawa. That association is such that few are going to ever say it is a fake, even to this day. Cultural respect, etc. But the fact that sword has no official status -- not Kokuho,Jubi, JuBun or any flavor of Juyo -- is telling. So it appears to be exactly as labeled: a sword signed Sadamune that was owned by powerful member of the Tokugawa family. No more. No less.

The Toyama Sword Research Society brings together young people and women from all over the country. In recent years, the Toyama Sword Research Association, a sword enthusiast group based in Toyama Prefecture, has seen an increase in its membership among young people and women. Due to the influence of online games such as "Touken Ranbu ONLINE," the number of young people becoming interested in swords is increasing, and the company has made great efforts to make the game more approachable for beginners and to spread the word on social media. This initiative, which is rare nationwide in the world of swords, where middle-aged and elderly men have been the main fan base, has paid off, and the sword is becoming a popular choice for "sword beginners" from a wide range of regions, not just within the prefecture. The Toyama Sword Research Society was formed in 2017 by Yasunori Sawada (57) (Nanto City, civil servant), an enthusiast and former director of the Sword Museum (Tokyo). He holds sword appreciation events about five times a year and visits art museums both within and outside the prefecture. The study group, which began with around 20 members, has now grown to 220, 70% of whom are women. By age group, the most common age group is those in their 30s, followed by those in their 20s and 40s. 40% of people live in the three Hokuriku prefectures, with many in the Kanto, Kansai, and Chukyo regions. Some members are from Hokkaido and Kagoshima prefectures. In order to encourage young people and women to join, the study group has put in place a number of measures to make it easy for beginners to participate. This new sword study group has proven itself to be very successful and is quickly showing the way forward for Japanese Sword Societies in local communities.

When the sword was initially procured and priced, the FX rate ¥/$ was close to 100. So, you were looking at c.$25k back then. Currently the FX rate is closer to 160, which means the $25k would be nearly ¥4m. Furthermore, the Japanese dealers in the last couple of years overcompensated for the yen depreciation somewhat. While previously they used to think purely in yen, as their inflation has been next to 0% for decades, lately they started mentally converting to $ and pricing accordingly, as the sword market internationalised in the last 10-15 years beyond recognition. I remember decent TJ perhaps 8-10 years ago was in the ¥14-15m range, then that became ¥17-18m, now you are looking at ¥20m+. A famous dealer complained to me a few weeks ago about former customers also demanding extremely high prices from him for the swords he had sold to them years ago (but that is a different story for another day…). So, the maths for this sword: You add to the aforesaid ¥4m (the historic price) then the ¥0.75m-¥1m koshirae, the cost of the polish, the fact that the seller probably wants some return to his investment and you get to ¥5m. The sword is rather nice, albeit not my cup of tea. But indeed in the last 15 years the floodgates of information and access have opened, so one naturally has a lot of choice. Just go to Chris’s Nihontowatch website and see what AI has enabled in the last few months. He has put a tonne of valuable (and monetarily rather expensive) information in there - for now for the benefit of people. But such access and info should really be premium….. One important thing: buy what you like and resonates with you emotionally and do not get swayed by people’s likes and dislikes in Sa or Nanbokucho shapes, or more/less nie etc. And measure and weigh carefully options, opinions, facts.

Come to https://www.japanartfair.com/ (No taxes from dealers from Japan, btw) . For this price I would first learn more about Nihonto and second only buy after personal viewing.

It must be a typo. 純正眞鐵入鍛 I do not know its correct reading either. Junsei magane nyutan (?) - Forged from genuin iron.

Dear Geraint, Rather than asking for an explanation I couldn't find, I went down the rabbit hole, researched and asked around and did a little write up - all comments are welcome! ------------------------------------------------------- Among the many attribution problems in tosōgu, the distinction between (late) Mino work and the Kozenji school is a challenging one. At first glance the two can appear remarkably similar. Both employ scrolling karakusa, shakudō grounds, gold hirazōgan, floral ornament, and richly decorative surfaces. Both participate in the broader aesthetic world that emerged from the enormous influence of Mino metalwork during the late Muromachi and Momoyama periods. It is therefore that collectors frequently encounter guards which appear unmistakably “Mino,” only to discover that the NBTHK has papered them to Kozenji. Conversely, certain highly refined Owari-style works still receive broad Mino attribution. The reason for this confusion is that Kozenji did not arise in opposition to Mino aesthetics. Rather, Kozenji emerged through the absorption and reinterpretation of Mino decorative language within an Owari context. The distinction between the two schools therefore lies not primarily in motif vocabulary or isolated techniques, but in something much deeper: the philosophy of ornament, the treatment of surface, and the emotional structure of the design itself. To understand the difference properly, we must move beyond the question of what is depicted and instead examine how the surface behaves. The Mino tradition developed in Mino Province during the Muromachi and Momoyama periods and became one of the most influential decorative metalworking traditions in Japan. Mino artists cultivated an aesthetic built around vigorous carving, energetic takabori, rich metallic embellishment, and deeply animated surfaces. Their work often possesses tremendous physical vitality. Ornament in Mino work feels carved into existence through the force of the chisel itself. Even highly refined examples retain a sense of movement and tactile energy. The plate feels worked, excavated, and alive. This sculptural vitality became enormously influential. Mino aesthetics affected not only later Mino generations but also Gotō traditions, Owari kinko, and even aspects of Kaga metalwork. By the early Edo period, Mino visual language had spread widely beyond its original provincial boundaries. The Kozenji school emerged later in Owari, likely during the early Edo period, after Mino artistic influence had already spread westward through political and cultural realignment under Oda Nobunaga and his successors. Kozenji artists inherited many elements of Mino decorative vocabulary: scrolling vines, asymmetrical compositions, gold accents, and soft-metal ornamentation. Yet they transformed these inherited forms according to a different sensibility. Where Mino prized carving vitality, Kozenji increasingly emphasized decorative integration. Where Mino celebrated sculptural movement, Kozenji pursued ornamental coherence and surface harmony. This difference may be summarized very simply: In Mino work, the carving creates the ornament. In Kozenji work, the ornament organizes the surface. That distinction explains an extraordinary number of attribution decisions. In Mino work the eye is drawn first to the carving itself. The relief possesses physical authority. Lines vary with the movement of the chisel, shadows accumulate in compressed recesses, and vegetal forms seem to push outward from the plate. Even when gold or silver decoration is present, these additions generally reinforce the sculptural structure rather than flatten it into surface pattern. The ornament feels organic and energetic. One senses not only design, but physical action. This is particularly evident in Mino karakusa. The vines tend to be deeply cut, asymmetrical, and rhythmically compressed. They twist through the surface with muscular energy. Negative space often feels crowded and pressurized. Around the hitsu-ana and seppadai, the ornament seems to gather force inwardly, creating visual tension and density. The resulting atmosphere is one of Momoyama vitality: forceful, tactile, and animated. Kozenji adopts much of this same vocabulary but alters its function. The karakusa remains recognizably Mino-derived, yet its behavior changes fundamentally. The vines become more evenly distributed, smoother in movement, and more consciously decorative. Rather than appearing as sculptural vegetation carved into the iron, they begin to resemble ornamental patterning spread across a unified surface. The rhythm becomes calmer and more controlled. Space is allowed to breathe. This transformation is central to understanding Kozenji attribution. Kozenji surfaces often possess what might be called a textile sensibility. The entire guard behaves as a coordinated decorative field. Individual motifs no longer dominate through sheer carving energy; instead they participate in an integrated ornamental structure. Hirazōgan becomes especially important in this context. In Mino work, gold inlay usually accents relief carving. In Kozenji, however, flat inlay frequently becomes structurally important to the design itself. Gold highlights distribute visual rhythm across the plate, contributing to balance and ornamental unity rather than simply emphasizing sculptural depth. The emotional atmosphere changes accordingly. Where Mino often feels vigorous and physically charged, Kozenji tends toward refinement, restraint, and composure. One might say that Mino preserves something of the energetic instability of the Momoyama period, whereas Kozenji reflects the cultivated decorative balance of the Edo period. These distinctions become especially important in modern attribution practice, particularly within the NBTHK. In practice, the NBTHK tends to separate Kozenji from late Mino not by isolated motifs but by overall artistic behavior. The central question is often whether the piece fundamentally behaves like a Mino carving object or like an Owari decorative object influenced by Mino. If carving dominates the visual experience—if relief retains sculptural authority and the surface feels physically excavated—the attribution tends to move toward Mino. If, however, the ornament behaves as a coordinated surface system, with controlled spacing, decorative integration, and ornamental calm, the attribution tends to move toward Kozenji. This is why collectors are sometimes surprised by papers. Many collectors naturally classify by subject matter: karakusa, shakudō, gold decoration, and scrolling vines immediately suggest “Mino.” Yet the NBTHK often evaluates according to broader aesthetic logic. Two guards may share almost identical motifs while embodying entirely different surface philosophies. The two example guards illustrate this distinction well: The first guard, papered to Mino, retains strong sculptural vitality. The dense karakusa appears deeply worked into the plate, and the ornament generates considerable visual pressure. The gold mon serve primarily as accents within a carving-dominated structure. The eye responds first to the physical movement of the carving itself. The surface feels excavated and tactile. Even within its refinement, the guard preserves a distinctly Momoyama-derived energy. The second guard, papered to Kozenji, employs similar decorative vocabulary yet behaves very differently. The karakusa is more evenly distributed and rhythmically organized. The hō-ō bird participates in the ornamental field rather than emerging as a dramatically sculptural centerpiece. The entire plate possesses greater decorative unity and calm. Here the eye reads not carving force, but ornamental coordination. The surface feels designed rather than excavated. The lesson is that Kozenji did not reject Mino aesthetics; it refined and reorganized them. The two traditions exist along a continuum rather than within rigidly separate categories. Indeed, the problem becomes even more difficult because late Edo Mino work itself increasingly adopted decorative refinement. As a result, there are many guards that legitimately inhabit a grey zone between late Mino, Kozenji, Kaga-influenced Owari work, and broader Owari kinko traditions. Ultimately, the distinction between Mino and Kozenji is not simply technical. It is philosophical. Mino expresses ornament through carving energy and sculptural vitality. Kozenji expresses ornament through surface integration and decorative order. Both traditions share a common visual ancestry, but they embody fundamentally different ideas about how ornament should inhabit the plate. TL;DR Summary: Mino and Kozenji tsuba can look very similar because both use decorative motifs like karakusa vines, gold inlay, and rich surface ornamentation. However, the key difference is not what is depicted, but how the surface is treated. Mino work is driven by carving energy. The design feels physically excavated, dynamic, and sculptural. Ornament emerges from deep, forceful carving, creating a vivid, almost “alive” surface. Kozenji work reinterprets this vocabulary into a more controlled, decorative system. The surface feels calmer, more unified, and patterned—like an integrated design rather than carved action. In short: Mino = ornament created by carving force and tactile energy Kozenji = ornament arranged as a balanced surface design Because Kozenji absorbed Mino aesthetics rather than rejecting them, many pieces sit in a grey zone, which is why attribution (including NBTHK papers) can be difficult and sometimes surprising.

*NOTE: Information provided on items offered without kanteisho (papers) or with old shinteisho (think green papers) is nothing more than an opinion or translation of what is actually inscribed on the item along with information of the smith smith in question. Nothing more! This opinion/translation and information is provided as a courtesy and is not an indication, opinion, or guarantee that the item is shoshin or gimei. Old shinteisho (white, green, blue, etc.) are no longer recognized by the NBTHK and in the case of a mumei sword, if re-submitted to shinsa, it may or may not receive the same attribution. As well, they may receive an attribution/opinion of gimei (false mei) or horyu (needs more study). Please do your own research, ask questions prior to committing to purchase and commit only when you are confident in your decision and ready to purchase. Do not commit to purchase, then attempt to negotiate a lower price.

I received my tsuba a few minutes ago as stated: Scheduled delivery date - Wednesday, 13/05/2026. Updated yesterday to 14/05/26 Very well packed with the papers and box The tsuba was wrapped in tissue inside the box with a pillow (normally a no no) but in this case there was no damage 8 pages (what a pain for the auction house) with an interesting comment: This artworks are exempt from Reciprocal Tariffs' under chapter 99 Secondary Classification 9903.01.32, as informational materials. These goods are ART antiques and more than 100 years old. HS code: 9705100090 I was surprised that I didn't have to pay import duty A very nice Kanayama tsuba, good condition with a lovely patina, with papers, just so pleased I wish the best to other buyers from this auction and I hope you are as happy as me with your purchase

Two almost identical other than the nakago-ana: One in the Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/35193 what I find odd is the shape of the Met's example nakago-ana, too sharp for its age and little to no wear? https://eirakudo.shop/tosogu/tsuba/detail/324249/ a papered piece as Katchūshi I also see these on some auction sites - makes me think many are Edo revival pieces.

Hi! This is really hard, but I'm on it. This could take a little while though for I'm helping many others doing something else at the same time orz This reads "緑雖千種草 香只一枝蘭 乙巳仲夏" from top to bottom, right to left, ChatGPT's translation seems fine. (though used the wrong quantifier 株 instead of 枝 somehow) 乙巳(1665)仲夏(mid-summer) is just a date in the Chinese sexagenary cycle, incidentally last year 2025 is also the year of 乙巳, the next year of 乙巳 is going to be 2085. This is signed 黄檗木庵山僧戯筆. I might try to understand what the red seals/stamps said under, maybe later orz 黄檗(Ōbaku or Huangbo) is Mu'an's school of Zen(Ch'an), 木庵 is Mu'an, 山僧 means a monk living in the woods, a humble way to refer oneself usually by Zen monks, 戯筆 means "wrote/drawn playfully", one of many ways to sign one's work, and Mu'an used many other, like 題 ("inscripted"), 手題 ("hand inscripted", not that others are not by hand though), 自題 ("self inscripted"), 敬題 ("inscripted respectfully"), 並題("inscripted also", ususally in drawings), 戯墨並題 ("played with ink and also inscripted"), 書 ("wrote"), 敬書 ("wrote respectfully"), 謹書 (literally "wrote carefully", but really it's "wrote respectfully", too) and many, many other...... Not sure what this two words are orz The Chinese poem "緑雖千種草 香只一枝蘭" is perhaps Mu'an's creation because this has 0 hits on the Chinese internet, but Ogata Kenzan, a later-day artist and brother of Ogata Kōrin of Rinpa used it in one of his works. See the Chinese poem "緑雖千種草 香只一枝蘭" written in the red rectangle area on Ogata Kenzan's work. Hope this helps! Baby Joe

Sa blades attributed to specific smiths tend to be highly valued blades. They are considered a big step above the more numerous Sue-Sa and O-Sa Ichimon attributions, and thus are prized. Yoshisada has to his credit 56 recorded blades, including two Jubis, four TokuJus and 42 Juyos. Not too shabby by any standard. That said, top tier work like this is not that common and the setsumei is certainly very positive about the attribution and the quality of the blade. For me, a Sa School lover, I think the price isn't unreasonable at all especially with the current exchange rate for a Juyo work from a good session and great setsumei. And comparing the quality to other Soshu-adjacent schools and smiths, I think they represent probably some the best value in Nanbokucho Soshu works. The value of Sa blades within the Soshu pantheon was something that even Darcy commented on. And while Yoshisada's works are not as well-regarded as some of the other inner Samonji circle such as Yukihiro (my favorite) and Yoshisada's older brother, Yasuyoshi, his work is considered closer to his father's (Samonji) work style than is Yasuyoshi. (Kunihiro mentioned above was also good but was later and not necessarily among O-Sa's inner circle of children and early students.) Yes, there are lots of options at this price range, but if you are looking for a Juyo blade with excellent Soshu pedigree and supreme clarity of the steel and such a wide bright habuchi, I am not sure you are going to find much better at this price. Just my humble opinion. (And FTR, the only reason I didn't jump on it is these days I only collect tanto. My safe and closet are grateful!)

Mark, the sword has a mei of Kenryushi Sadaharu. You can see the entry below from Markus Sesko: SADAHARU (貞晴), Keiō (慶応, 1865-1868), Settsu – “Naniwa-jū Mizuguchi Kenryūshi Sadaharu saku” (浪華住 水口剣龍子貞晴作), “Settsu Ikutama ni oite Kenryūshi Sadaharu kore o tsukuru” (於摂津生玉剣龍子 貞晴造之), “Naniwa-jū Kenryūshi Sadaharu saku” (浪花住剣龍子貞晴作), student of Gassan Sadayoshi (月山貞吉), his gō were Kenryūshi (剣龍子) and Kensaishi (剣斎子), we know blades from the Keiō to the Meiji era (明治, 1868-1912), mostly a magnificent sugata with a wide mihaba and an ō-kissaki, dense ko-itame or masame which tends to muji, suguha-hotsure, notare, gunome, he works in the style of his master Sadayoshi, he also added a koku´in seal in the form of the character “chū” (忠・忠) , chū-saku

Keisuke Nakamura gave an interesting treatise on the subject of these 2 blades exhumed from Mitsutomo's tomb. By comparing horimono carving styles with other Sadamune attributed blades and historical oshigata he is a little skeptical and reserves judgement. https://note.com/katana_case_shi/n/ne850e4972025

Yesterday's meeting and update indicated that 78 people have contributed JPY2,430,000 so far, just shy of the 2.5 million yen they are initially aiming for by the end of this month. A plan for the polishing of the Odachi was also handed out, to take place over the first three cold months of 2027 when rust will not be too much a problem. I had a chance to see their Muromachi period blades display, including upstairs a 1499 Katsumitsu/Sadamitsu joint-work naginata that Jussi might recognize. Photos: A B C

Very true, and that only comes after doing the hard yards researching the literature and more importantly experiencing high end swords in hand. Elias, since you are in Germany you should seriously consider attending an NBTHK-EB meeting either in Solingen or Manching. There are many members in Germany who have some magnificent Juyo and up swords, and are only too happy to share their knowledge and collections.

While historical sales are not good indicator of current prices due to several factors of which we have discussed previously at NMB too. You can see Aoi Art had this same sword for sale without koshirae in 2021 for 2,500,000 yen https://web.archive.org/web/20210802211856/https://www.aoijapan.com/katana-mumeiunsigned-attributed-as-sa-yoshisada/ So you can see koshirae has not been historically with the sword. Also new habaki and shirasaya have been made for the sword. To me the workmanship of the blade seems very good but I am not after that in swords. Size and shape of the sword are the factors that would put me off from this purchase. If I would be in position to purchase a Sa school blade some day I would want it to be of the imposing Nanbokuchō shape in which there are plenty of Sa school attributed blades.

All, this is my sword. Everything stated on all of the 3 forums it has been posted on, including this one several months ago, was true and honest. I am taking this to have Chris look at it in hand tomorrow and hope to find out a little more about it. I do not collect swords but bought this sword from the son of the WWII AAA vet that brought it back. Actually, the sword was sort of a "throw in" and I probably would not have purchased it (I really know NOTHING about swords like this) if it hadn't been for the Type 2 Arasaka para rifle that was with the sword as the bring backs of the vet. I didn't want to see these broken up since they have been together since he returned home after the war. It was a package deal (rifle and sword) and I know much more about the rifle than the sword and what I gave I knew I wasn't losing anything on the deal so I kept both together. Once I had the sword in hand and showed it to another local US military collector he told me that from what he could tell (a novice sword guy) that the blade was very well made, clean with no damage, and could be very old so I decided to try and get a little more information on it. I hope that I can get you a few more pictures after tomorrow and have ChrisW comment his much more informed/experienced thoughts on this sword. I did post it on here but know that sometimes a more well known member of a forum may get more responses than someone who just "pops up" out of no where asking for help. I hope you all now have a clearer picture of my goals, and appreciate Jeff posting it back up on the board for me. I am primarily a US military collector with a focus on WWII, which is how I even came to own these items. Hope to give all more info this weekend after Chris has this in his hands for thoughts and inspection. Brian

Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Tanto Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Hisakatsu Saku Kore (久勝作之) Showa Ju Ichi Hinoe Nezumi Doshi Roku Gatsu Hi (昭和十一丙子歳六八月日); Year of the Rat June 1936 Hoju" 宝珠 (wish-fulfilling jewel). A pearl with flames that is supposed to grant the owner his wishes. Papered or not and by whom? : not papered, not necessary Era/Age : Showa 11 -> 1936 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Shirasaya Nagasa/Blade Length : 16,2 cm Sori : 0 mm Hamon Type : Suguha Jihada : Ko-Itame Other Hataraki Visible : - Flaws : Little rust spot on Mune Sword Location : Germany Will ship to : EU (Unfortunately no longer in the U.S.) Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal Price and Currency : €1200 + shpping Other Info and Full Description : Takeshima Hisakatsu was born as Takeshima Masao on February 28, 1909. From 1926, he studied the art of sword forging under Horii Toshihide and in 1934 founded his own forging center in Yamaguchi Prefecture. His artistic name was Suiryusai. He was the winner of the Shinsaku Nihonto Daikyoshinkai Yushusho and the 1st Nihonto Denrankai Tokusen, as well as the Honorary President Award in 1935. The following year, in 1936, he won the Minister’s Prize at the 2nd competition. In 1938, he joined the South Manchuria Railway Co., Ltd. (SMR), headquartered in Dalian, China, and together with Wakabayashi Shigetsugu oversaw the production of Koa Isshin blades. In 1958 he resumed the art of sword forging in his hometown. ¥ 1,5 TK-513, Jo Saku by Akihide This is a beautiful Talisman Tanto. It has been polished (the Ubu-ha is gone), but there is a small rust spot on the mune. Since the original wooden box was destroyed, I commissioned a calligrapher in Japan to create a sayagaki. Sayagaki: 御守護刀 Go Shugo Tō - Protective blade; 於石城山道場造之 Oite Iwaki Yama/Zan Dōjō Tsukuru kore - Made at the Iwaki Mountain Dōjō Hisakatsu has made a few of these tanto; I have 7 in my database. In the NMB you'll find more information about other Talisman Tanto made by Hisakatsu. https://www.Japanese-sword-katana.jp/未分類/1410-3043.htm

Haynes lists a Meiju as a student of Araki Tomei (H09800) working about 1865-75 and that there is a relationship, or the same person as Inoue Akiyoshi (H00089) The kanji are the same. I have a tsuba signed Akiyoshi which was an early name used by Kiyotoshi (H03368.0, 1804-1876). Not sure if its the same guy. An entry in ‘The Early Famed Works of the Kyoto Smiths (Kyomono no Ko-Meisaku)’, tanslated by Gordon Robson lists a tsuba by Akiyoshi with a shakudo ground. The text states that ‘Akiyoshi is among the skilled kinko of the Aizu during the late Edo priod’ ‘There must be some connection with Kawano Haruaki, and because of his signature and kao, we can agree to such a conjecture.’ There appears to be a similarity between the kao on this tsuba and examples attributed to Kono Haruaki, so it looks like the artisan of this tsuba is probably the one referred to. Akiyoshi seems to have worked around the mid 19thC and changed his name several times Not sure if this helps, or just muddies the picture further. Best regards, John

Yes, probably this is the habaki on the Kanemitsu.

The square inscription that looks like a seal reads 大明成化 (Dai ming sei ka), or, if you use the Chinese pronunciation Da ming cheng hua, alluding to Chinese emperor Chenghua (mid-1400s) It's apparently a motif that was used by Japanese ceramic artisans to give their wares an air of antiquity and authenticity. I think used by Imari porcelain artisans in the late 1800s.

I remember chatting with Markus about this maybe few years ago when it was displayed first time? I can't say about the legitimacy of the item, I just accept it as genuine piece as Tokugawa Art Museum seems to accept it. Now what is interesting about this item that it is maybe not intended as a weapon in my eyes. Markus would be the best one to write his view but I think there could have been some perhaps ritualistic purpose for these extremely wide wakizashi that few shrines have. The historical Masamune (NBTHK demoted it to Tomomitsu) that currently resides at Yasukuni Jinja is another example of these, and there should be few more such wakizashi if I remember correctly. This is of course my personal view but I cannot see any actual advantage in usability when the short swords are extremely wide.

This is the kind of thing that makes me wish I lived in Japan... A famous sword appreciation event co-sponsored by the Toyama Sword Research Association and the branch e-Sword Research Association will be held on the 30th May. At the sword fittings exhibition, you will be able to see the sword fittings that came with the mountings of Satsuki Amee and Atsuto Shiro. This time, the sword lineup is also luxurious, including Bizen Saburo Kunimune, Shindo Go, Masamune, Norishige, Go, Hidari, Kunitsugu Rai, Naotane Daikei, Dewa Daijo Kunimichi, and Kashu Kiyomitsu, and it's already packed to capacity. Getting to hold and examine this calibre of sword is the stuff of legend. No wonder it is already fully subscribed. Sounds like the kind of meetup that Honma writes about in his memoirs. The next one is in July - for those interested and able to get to Toyama.

D E F

Seals for the calligraphy are: top left: 臨済正宗　(Rinzai Seishu) bottom right, upper seal: 黄檗主人 (Ōbaku shujin) bottom right, lower seal 大雅法印 (Taiga-hō-no-in)

Jigane is probably very attractive itame. I love Sa hada and it should be a good example of such. The work seems to be very homogeneous, not tired, pristine, without kizu. However, Sa hamon is choji always tends towards ko nie or even nioi. It is a very attractive shade of nioi, but on the blades I really like this is further accented by strong nie activities. Inazuma, patches of nie along the ha, strong chikei. I think this blade is more towards just ko nie. Still very attractive though.

Hi Elias, Welcome to NMB. I'm assuming this is the one AOI has on hold. Nice tachi koshirae if you like blingy mounts. Believed to be a student or son of O-Sa. Not the best of the nidai smiths but still highly rated at jojo-saku. I prefer Sa-Kunihiro. From Sesko's eSwordsmiths. YOSHISADA (吉貞), Jōwa (貞和, 1345-1350), Chikuzen – “Chikushū-jū Yoshisada” (筑州住吉貞), “Yoshisada” (吉貞), “Yoshisada saku” (吉貞作), “Mononobe Yoshisada” (物部吉貞), Sa school, according to tradition the son or student of Ō-Sa (大左), there exists a tantō with a date signature of the Shōhei era (正平, 1346-1370), no tachi are extant by Yoshisada, his tantō have a wide mihaba and some sori, the jigane is an itame-nagare with ji-nie and thick chikei, the hamon is a slightly undulating notare mixed with gunome and sunagashi, the bōshi has a rather long kaeri, we know smaller and larger signatures but it is assumed that they go back to the changes in the active period of a single smith because nothing indicates a 2nd gen., jōjō-saku As to value you have to also factor in the ~20% importation tax so after shipping costs its more like 6mil JPY you'll be paying. I personally would not pay that figure for this blade.

長曽祢興里入道乕徹 - Nagasone Okisato Nyudō Kotetsu

Thanks Conway and Bruce. I’ve dug out my copy of Dawsons to refresh my memory on these police sabers. @Ghaad47, according to Dawsons on pages 300-313, your sword with that half-decorated backstrap is a sword for police lieutenants. The police logo on yours looks like what Dawson describes as a 16 ray badge, found on lieutenant and superintendent swords. Whereas a sword with a fully decorated backstrap (similar to the army field grade counterparts), are for police superintendents. These are shown on dawsons page 314-315. *Dawson, Jim. Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868–1945. Cyclopedia ed. Newnan, Ga.: Stenger-Scott Publishing, 2007. All the best, -Sam

Sometimes it is not the importance or rarity of an object that warrants restoration or saving but it most definitely is the pleasure and peace that so doing brings. Reward of a different kind.

This doesn't look right. It is either low end WWII war time or a fake. Grey

Hi! This reads 但(closer to although/albeit than but/however)大磨上無銘(Osuriage Mumei)也(kind of like "this is"). 刃長(hacho)貳(formal "two")尺(shaku)参(formal "three")寸(sun)八(eight)分(bun)半(half, or in this context "and half")有之(formal "this has"). (Characters are overlapping a little so I made this↑) 昭和(Showa)癸丑("Mizunotoushi" in the sexagenary cycle, 1973 in this context)年(year)弥生(Yayoi/March). This was really hard! I'm not sure if this is genuine Kanzan Sensei's sayagaki, but whoever wrote this I guess made a tiny mistake when writing top half of 癸, and they just went with it. The bottom half of 癸 (天) and 丑年 below it are very recognizable, so it's X丑 in the sexagenary cycle, 癸丑 being the most likely option. The rest of the translation is very good. Hope this helps! Baby Joe

I know. Can you take me back to the 20th Century, when I still had belief and faith in institutions of learning and of government?

A little snapshot of my "Fake Archive" around this serial number range. Disclaimer: I record these with much less diligence than genuine examples. I primarily just like to get the serial number and what makes it fake. This faker seems to really like the serial numbers 7, 2, 1, and 0. -Sam (Columns in order left to right: Serial# - Tsuka and pattern - tsuba material - ferrule material - ferrule stamps - Scabbard # and notes - source - Notes.)

Just a guess, 蓋好資料之一也 (Kedashi ko-shiryo no hitotsu nari) – Probably, it is one of good examples. 金象嵌 銘曰 ＊ kin-zogan mei iwaku

Taking / displaying heads is well documented.

Yep, it is Chinese. Well outside of my knowledge! Looks old but the Chinese are masters of ageing things including ivory.

Aiden , your Naval sword ,as has been pointed out, is junk however your Army sword is definately genuine and could be quite a good one . The presence of the owners name in the silver plaque and the lacquered scabbard are indications of the blade possibly being a good one . You really need to get the handle off in case it is rusting underneath and it is this rust that is preventing you getting the handle off . I would remove the peg completely ,pad the tsuba with cloth or leather then start tapping the tsuba with a block of wood . If you don't feel comfortable doing this seek out a collector who has done it before and get them to help .

The chiseled characters on the tang are imperfect because of wear and tear. But I think that the second kanji looks like 継 (tsugu). The name may be 義継 – Yoshitsugu. FYI: yoshtsug.jpg (91×250)

Very interesting Jussi. A couple of things that immediately raise a few red flags. The setsumei states the blade has iori-mune, but the AOI description says mitsu-mune. It's lost 5g of weight and gained 3mm motohaba. Obviously these discrepancies, especially the mune should be clarified, as the staff at AOI have already shown themselves to be prone to errors. That said, the current oshigata clearly shows mitsu-mune. The blade appears to have been polished between 2021 and 2026 as hadori(?) finish and oshigata look very different. Makes one wonder why the owner felt it necessary to have work done to the blade post-juyo shinsa.

This is a translation of the setsumei giving the opinion of the shinsa panel. Worth reading carefully. 65th Jūyō Tōken Designation Summary Designated on November 7, Reiwa 1 (2019) Classification & Attestation Item: Katana (刀) — One blade (一口) Signature: Mumei, attributed to Sa Yoshisada (無銘 左吉貞) Submitter: Paul Martin (ポール マーティン) Measurements (Sugata) Blade Length (Nagasa): 66.7 cm (2 shaku, 2 sun, 0 bu) Curvature (Sori): 1.6 cm Motohaba (Base Width): 2.8 cm Sakihaba (Tip Width): 1.8 cm Kissaki Length: 2.9 cm Nakago Length: 18.5 cm Nakago Sori: 0.1 cm Appraisal & Technical Description Shape (Taihai) Shinogi-zukuri with an iori-mune. The blade exhibits standard width proportions with a typical differential between the base and tip width. The curvature is shallow, culminating in a slightly elongated chū-kissaki profile. Forging Pattern (Kitae) An itame-hada foundation seamlessly intermingles with areas of mokume-hada. The grain characteristically flows (nagare-gokoro) toward the cutting edge. The entire steel matrix is densely packed with fine ji-nie, displaying an excellent jigane clarity that yields a faint, soft utsuri (reflection). Temper Line (Hamon) A masterfully restrained ko-notare(small wave) serves as the primary motif, interspersed with ko-gunome(small undulating steps). The overall temper is intentionally low-profile, exhibiting active ashi (legs). The steel displays brilliant metallurgical activity near the cutting boundary, where yubashiri (drifting mist formations) fuse with sunagashi (streaks of sand). The nioiguchi remains bright, crisp, and exceedingly clear. Tip Temper (Bōshi) The temper line runs true (sugu) into the point, executing a shallow, rounded turnback (komaru-gokoro). The apex of the curve terminates with a delicate, swept hakikake (brushed) texture. Engravings (Horimono) A classic bōhi (wide groove) is cleanly carved into both faces of the blade, running entirely through the tang. Tang (Nakago) Ō-suriage (significantly shortened). The heel profile is finished in kirijiri (flat cut) with indistinct, faint yasurime (file marks). The tang features two mekugi-ana (retaining pin holes) and remains strictly unsigned (mumei). Official Commentary & Historical Context Yoshisada was an elite bladesmith belonging to the Sa lineage of Chikuzen province. Historical scholarship positions him alternately as the direct son or primary student of the legendary founding master, Sa (Samonji). His production era can be confidently contextualized through existing dated examples, notably a signed companion piece from the 13th year of the Shōhei era (1358). While signed long swords (tachi) by Yoshisada are vanishingly rare, his signature is primarily preserved on short daggers (tantō) and sidearms (wakizashi). His styling on long blades typically trends toward a highly controlled, narrower hamon footprint compared to his peers. This specific mumei katana perfectly captures those defining school traits. The blade's overall width is classical, paired with a sophisticated, gentle curvature. The hamon centers around a subtle, low-profile wave pattern. While the upper and lower halves show variation, the upper section resolves into a quiet, uniform temper line. Enhanced by vibrant nie activity, a flawless jigane, and remarkable health from tip to tang, this piece stands as a premier, highly dignified exemplar of the Sa Yoshisada tradition.

Hi, I will write only the characters. （I also do not know the correct reading of the first sentence.） 「純正直鐡入鍛 　濃刕住浅野兼眞作之」 （To me, it looks like the character “入,” but on the auction site below, it is identified as “人”. 　Looking at the photo of the registration paper on the same website, it says “入”.） ↓ 刀　(銘：濃州住浅野兼真作・純正眞鉄人鍛) auction site（yahoo!Japan）There are still some photos near the bottom of the website. 刕＝州　濃刕＝濃州＝美濃Mino 住＝live 浅野Asano兼眞Kanezane 作之=make this 眞＝an old-style “真” ↓There was also a brief biography on this website. sword dealer Giheiya 「Mei 濃州住浅野兼真 　Real name 浅野真一 　Date of birth 明治45年3月15日（March 15, Meiji 45 [1912]） 　Address 関市仲町住 Title 陸軍受命刀匠」 ↓以安来鋼浅野兼真作之刻印 Asano Kanezane sword dealer Meirin sangyo

I don't think this can disproof the genuinity of the sayagaki.

Hello again, Yes..., last weekend I bought a third tsuba... 🤷🏻‍♂️ And, as always, all comments are more than welcome 👍🏻 Some info: 70 gram 5,5 x 4,5 x 0,5 cm Shakudo (?)