Gokaden

Interesting, how many Masamune are left that are not Juyo? 17. Katana – Masamune – [Kinzōgan ga aru 正宗 / 本阿 (花押)]

Not sure if "Shinto" above covers anything that is newer than Koto, but I have seen several shinshinto with Juyo Here is one example https://www.christie...m/en/lot/lot-2079021

I think Jussi has the best stats already : Jūyō 42 Swords 1174 (not sure about this) submissions – 115 passes (95 Kotō, 20 Shintō) Jūyō 43 Swords 837 submissions – 144 passes (120 Kotō, 24 Shintō) Jūyō 44 Swords 805 submissions – 147 passes (113 Kotō, 34 Shintō) Jūyō 45 Swords 938 submissions – 155 passes (114 Kotō, 41 Shintō) Jūyō 46 Swords 911 submissions – 200 passes (152 Kotō, 48 Shintō) Jūyō 47 Swords 994 submissions – 189 passes (149 Kotō, 40 Shintō) Jūyō 48 Swords 1011 submissions – 186 passes (140 Kotō, 46 Shintō) Jūyō 49 Swords 1020 submissions – 226 passes (181 Kotō, 45 Shintō) Jūyō 50 Swords 1073 submissions – 185 passes (145 Kotō, 40 Shintō) Jūyō 51 Swords 1106 submissions – 203 passes (164 Kotō, 39 Shintō) Jūyō 52 Swords 1001 submissions – 114 passes (97 Kotō, 17 Shintō) Jūyō 53 Swords 992 submissions – 155 passes (135 Kotō, 20 Shintō) Jūyō 54 Swords 979 submissions – 88 passes (83 Kotō, 5 Shintō) Jūyō 55 Swords 703 submissions – 107 passes (93 Kotō, 14 Shintō) Jūyō 56 Swords 724 submissions – 53 passes (47 Kotō, 6 Shintō) Jūyō 57 Swords 552 submissions – 31 passes (26 Kotō, 9 Shintō) Jūyō 58 Swords 356 submissions – 47 passes (38 Kotō, 9 Shintō) Jūyō 59 Swords 467 submissions – 105 passes (80 Kotō, 25 Shintō) Jūyō 60 Swords ?? submissions – 127 passes (98 Kotō, 29 Shintō) Jūyō 61 Swords 829 submissions – 165 passes (136 Kotō, 29 Shintō) Jūyō 62 Swords 875 submissions – 149 passes (135 Kotō, 14 Shintō) Jūyō 63 Swords 760 submissions – 140 passes (119 Kotō, 21 Shintō) Jūyō 64 Swords 923 submissions – 135 passes (118 Kotō, 17 Shintō)

2019 Shinsa: Token: 101 passed (out of 1003 submitted) Toso: 8 passed (out of 45 submitted) Tosogu: 29 passed (out of 293 submitted)

Here are the numbers for 2023 / 69 Juyo Shina: Blades submitted: 828 Blades that passed: 56

Did anyone submit a sword to the 2024 Juyo shinsa? As we know, the competition is set to very high standards these days, and the possibility to get a sword to pass Juyo now is small.

Price now lowered to EUR 5000

Nice jigane, I hear they make they own iron not using NBTHK Tamahagane and it shows on this blade I think. I have one blade on consignment from one of the brothers / sons KANETERU and it's a very solid and nice blade

Added some pictures of the "Kozuka" that has a blade with inscriptions on it, I think I can see a faint hamon on the blade as well. The Kozuka alone with the blade usually sells separate at dealers - quite expensive sometimes - but here we have a complete koshirae from the late Edo period.

When I look at the steel in this sword there is indeed a unique texture to it, it's like stars in the milky way reflecting back to you, so indeed, it must be a different kind of steel that we see in modern blades today. Some say koto steel is softer and can bend as opposed to shinto that will snap and break.

Aoi-Art has a blade listed from the same smith now https://www.aoijapan...ku-kiyomaro-utsushi/ This is the tang on our blade for sale: Nice Kashira / pommel

Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Wakizashi Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Bishu Osafune Yukihisa Papered or not and by whom? : NBTHK, NTHK and Honami Origami Era/Age : Dated November 1415 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Complete Koshirae Nagasa/Blade Length : 47.87cm or18.85 inches Sori : 1.82cm or 0.72inch Hamon Type : Nie-deki, ko-gunome Jihada : Itame Other Hataraki Visible : Slight utsuri appears on the surface Flaws : minor scratches near mono-uchi Sword Location : Europe / Sweden Will ship to : Europe / North America with EMS International Express Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal, Bank Transfer Price and Currency : EUR 5500 Other Info and Full Description : Here is a nice dated Oei-Bizen Wakizashi dated 1415. It has been in my personal collection for 15 years and I am only selling it to allow my budget for another sword. It has a very nice antique koshirae as well, complete with a Kozuka knife. Honami Nisshu wrote an Origami for this sword Bizen Kuni Yukihisa On Wakizashi:omote:Bisyu Osahune Yukihisa. Ura:Ouei 22 nen 11 Gatsuhi nagasa:1syaku 5 sun 8 bu ari Migi no Ubu nakago Zaimei no wakizashi Chikuzen tokoro Bizen Kuni Jyu Osahune Jyu Yukihisa Syoshi to Haiken. Jiha Deki Yorosiku Muromachi Ki no Tosyo to site mare ni miru Chinpin Syo on toki Eisei on hizou beki nari Syowa 38 nen mi 4 Gatsu kichijitsu ki no Honami Nissyu. Koshirae on Tsuba:Takara sukashi zu Kyo syoami edo jidai. On Fuchikashira:Shishi no zu Edo jyu Edo jidai. On menuki:syakudo hana no zu Goto ke Edojidai on Kozuka: Goto ke Edo jidai On Tsuka:Tya ito Shiro same This wakizasshi Ubu zaimei I checked the blade carefully the signature is genuine and Jigane and Hamon bith are well done and very rare wakizashi. I hope you will keep this item for a long period. 1953 April lucky day. Honami Nisyu. Koshirae: Tsuba:Takara sukashi Kyo syoami. Fuchikashira:Shishi dog. Edo period. Menuki:Syakudo flower design. Goto family. Kozuka;Goto family Edo period. Tsuka aki; Brown color with Same saya:roiro saya. The founder of the Kozori school was Shigeyoshi or Morihisa who worked around Enkyo (1308 - 1311), and the school continued through Meio (1492 -1501). Their work are related closely to the Kanemitsu school. This is a work by second generation Yukihisa who was the son of Kozori Hidemitsu. One Tachi forged by Kozori Hidemitsu (around Ouan period, 1368) was designated Juyo Bunkazai (Important Cultural Asset of Japan). Osafune Hidemitsu is also recognized as “Sai-jo O-wazamono” the sharpest of all swords, in a book by Yamada Asaemon published in 1805. This sword shows the all the characteristics of Kozori Bizen, is reminiscent of the school of Kanemitsu, and displays the style typical of Oei Bizen.

Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Katana Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : KANETERU (兼照) Papered or not and by whom? : No Era/Age : Modern Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Koshirae Nagasa/Blade Length : 76 cm / 29.9 inches Sori : 1.9 cm Hamon Type : Gunome midare Jihada : Itame Other Hataraki Visible : Kinsuji Flaws : No visible Sword Location : Sweden Will ship to : Europe / USA Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal or Bank Transfer Price and Currency : 3 900 EUR Other Info and Full Description : Here is a very nice balanced sword from the renowned smith KANETERU (兼照), Heisei (平成, 1989- ), he is part of the Akamatsu Taro group and they make their own iron (Tamahagane) for a unique style of newly forged Japanese swords. This is owned by a high ranking Iaido Sensei in Sweden and he is willing to sell it at the price he paid in Japan years ago. Koshirae is really nice made and Tsuka holds a firm grip around the Nakago, a pleasure to use for Iai and / or to add to your collection of Japanese swords. I think the swords made by the Akamatsu taro guild will be more expensive in the future. I can personally deliver it within Sweden and by EMS International Express internationally.

828 blades submitted and out of these only 56 passed. So the chances of getting a blade to Juyo are quite low tbh.

Would this procedure work with swords that you wanted to take to NBTHK with the objective of getting Tokubetsu Hozon and hopefully take them all the way to Juyo papers? I have 2 swords with NTHK and older NBTHK green papers that easily would pass Tokubetsu Hozon but I suppose I need to bring them to Japan for this.

Thanks Jussi. Nice to see that Omiya (Morikage) blades goes to Juyo still

This looks more like a Nagamaki with the tang cut, what is your opinion? https://www.aoijapan.com/katanabishu-osafune-mitsu-hidemotsumasamitsu/

I noticed Yuhindo website was down, and I was thinking, hmm that's not like Darcy. So I came here, very sorry to hear about this. While I never met Darcy in person I had alot of email conversations with him regarding all kinds of Nihonto related stuff. Darcy we miss you! Darcy, Odin makes ready the benches for a feast! You will be drinking ale from curved horns! The Valkyries summoned you home!

I could probably carry some swords between Canada and EU (if there is a need) since I travel at regular intervals.

Mine would be a 30 inch katana by Kanemachi (a lesser Mino smith) but the sword just flew by my hands and later on I regret not keeping it! I remember it had a large fukure on one side. I love the Mino aspect where blades can be a little "dirty" but they are still weapons and wery effective in man-to-man combat where a Taima or Ichimonji heirloom would never be used, these where swords used to be made to be "dirty".... http://www.sho-shin.com/zenjo.html

Can you elaborate on your thoughts here, thanks!

Thanks, of the Kimura / Akamatsu Taro group then.

Browsing a catalogue from a sword dealer that was printed a few years back, I come across this one. Having all my reference books packed away for moving I humbly ask the forum for assistance with translation.

Markus wrote a good article about Kiyomaro a few years ago: https://markussesko.com/2013/08/14/the-case-of-kiyomaro/ And to quote: "Shortly before the end of the Edo period the samurai of this fief were so worried that they constantly sharpened their blades in fear of an imminent seppuku. This lead to a kind of contest of who had the sharpest blade. The poorer samurai were jealous because they were not able to keep up with fancy swords but Kiyomaro had compassion for them and forged them durable and sharp blades for a cheap price. Of course they were no art swords and because this was a secret he had to leave them unsigned. One of the „customers“ was Kiyokawa Hachirō (清河八郎, 1830-1863, see picture 3), a very patriotic samurai, student of the old classics, and master of the Hakushin-Ittō-ryū (北辰一刀流) (sic! I think Hokushin Itto ryu?) of swordsmanship. Kiyokawa was a sword lover too and was not very fond of having a „cutter“ so he asked Kiyomaro to forge him a slightly superior blade than for the others. In addition, he asked him to sign the tang at least with red lacquer so that his sword stood out from the others."