What is the best Nihonto Blade you've ever seen in hand

[Tom Darling]

From any period

[Ray Singer]

Best is subjective. My favorite was the Tokubetsu Juyo Norishige that Bob Benson owned, and later went into Darcy's collection before ultimately selling at auction. That is in-hand. Through glass is another story. O-Kanehira and Fushimi Sadamune stand out as viewed-in-person favorites.

[David Flynn]

Kaneuji, Shodai.  Again as Ray said, very subjective.

[Katsujinken]

Three way tie between an O-Kanehira, Masamune, and a Sanjo verifiably owned by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. All studied at the same time on the same day in Tokyo!

[Jhawthorn]

My favourite was a Ichimonji Yoshifusa tachi. In perfect polish with classic Juka choji hamon. Juyo token with a Kanzan and Tanobe sayagaki. Was owned by Fred Fimio, not sure where it is now.

[NewB]

 

Norinaga, Kunimitsu

 

Kinju, Kaneuji, Kaneyuki

[cju777]

Sadly I have a small sample size and live mostly through internet photos. 

 

In hand, a pretty healthy ubu signed tachi by Naminohira Yasutsuna. 

[Toryu2020]

Okanehira and Ko-Ryu Kagemitsu

[Alex A]

Will have to think on this but for now will just make a point.

 

For me, you don't really know a sword unless you owned it for a while and studied it under different lighting etc.

 

Looked at a Juyo sword a while ago and remember thinking to myself be good if i could have it for a week.

 

So in respect of "in hand", depends.

 

Other factors as mentioned.

[paulb]

struggling but those that made the greatest impact

1. Yukimitsu Tanto

2. Ko-Bizen Tomonari

3. Awataguchi Norikuni

4. Chu-Aoe katana

all very different but superb examples 

If I were to broaden t a little further

Sa Yukihide katana

Inoue Shinkai katana

[Jacques]

The term "best" is inappropriate (you have to have the ability to judge). I'd like to mention two examples I saw with my own eyes and which blow me away : Norimitsu Odachi and a wakizashi (juyo) by Tosa no kami Tadayoshi, the latter in total Ko no te gashiwa (hamon and hada). These two examples testify to outstanding forging performance. 

[Guest Simon R]

When I first came to Japan, I became a member of the NBTHK (now lapsed) and used to attend their meetings in Tokyo. 
The blade I remember most vividly was a long tachi by Rai Kuniyuki (来国行).

As I recall, it had been handed down in the Matsudaira family and, quite apart from its staggering beauty, it almost seemed to 'pulsate' with history.

An entirely fanciful notion of course - but I'm sure that others in this group have experienced similar.

 

Simon

[Gakusee]

11 hours ago, Katsujinken said:

Three way tie between an O-Kanehira, Masamune, and a Sanjo verifiably owned by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. All studied at the same time on the same day in Tokyo!

May I please check that you have held the Kokuho meito O-Kanehira and not just a sword by Ko-Bizen Kanehira? Would that have been at the NBTHK convention? 
 

I have only seen the O-Kanehira behind glass (during the 150th anniversary of the national museum last year). The same applies to KoRyu, which was also displayed there….

[Toryu2020]

Okanehira was at a special viewing with Watanabe Sensei at the Sano Bijutsu-kan

Ko-ryu was at the regular monthly meeting of the NBTHK...

[Gakusee]

6 minutes ago, Toryu2020 said:

Okanehira was at a special viewing with Watanabe Sensei at the Sano Bijutsu-kan

Ko-ryu was at the regular monthly meeting of the NBTHK...

Thanks, Tom

Yes, it is on my list of things to arrange for the new generation of members / collectors. I am aware the relative “old-timers” have benefitted from both National and Sano museum hands-on sessions (and also at the NBTHK), but the newer generation of collectors (let us say those sub-50) has not availed of these treasures. Hopefully in the next 5-10 years we can establish the relationships to do that.  

[Teimei]

1. Gassan Sadakazu

2. Masamune

3. Koyama Munetsugu

[Baba Yaga]

たくさんのお金を払いました

Takusan no okane o haraimashita Yasutoomuch$ 

[Katsujinken]

On 8/31/2023 at 8:14 AM, Gakusee said:

May I please check that you have held the Kokuho meito O-Kanehira and not just a sword by Ko-Bizen Kanehira? Would that have been at the NBTHK convention? 
 

I have only seen the O-Kanehira behind glass (during the 150th anniversary of the national museum last year). The same applies to KoRyu, which was also displayed there….

No, not the kokuho AFAIK. This was in a shop just before DTI. 

[Alex A]

Find these threads a bit pointless without reasons why.

 

Out of curiosity. Asked a well known Japanese dealer this question. I wanted to get an answer from someone that has had thousands of blades in hand and had time enough to study them. From Chu-jo to top notch

 

If he takes the time to answer il let you know.

[Tom Darling]

29 minutes ago, Alex A said:

Find these threads a bit pointless without reasons why.

 

Out of curiosity. Asked a well known Japanese dealer this question. I wanted to get an answer from someone that has had thousands of blades in hand and had time enough to study them. From Chu-jo to top notch

 

If he takes the time to answer il let you know.

 

29 minutes ago, Alex A said:

Find these threads a bit pointless without reasons why.

 

Out of curiosity. Asked a well known Japanese dealer this question. I wanted to get an answer from someone that has had thousands of blades in hand and had time enough to study them. From Chu-jo to top notch

 

If he takes the time to answer il let you know.

I've already asked a top collector who is deeply connected to the NBTHK and got his in-hand, eye-ball opinion kaji name. 

[Ray Singer]

The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths has a variation on this question asking swordsmiths and polishers who their favorite smiths are. Shintogo comes up a few times, and shodai Kunisada. 

[Tsuku]

Restricting my answer to truly in hand only.

 

“Best” is hard. I don’t think I can objectively answer — it’s almost impossible for me to say whether a top-notch work by Ichimonji Sukezane is “better” than, say, Masamune, or Hisakuni, or….

 

From a purely emotional connection perspective, I saw an O-Sa tanto once that I would have traded a substantial part of my collection for.

[Stefan]

The  first  blade  which  nearly  took my  breath aways  a  ko mihara  masie, nearly  ubu  nanbo  tachi. Flawless, thick  and  healthy. An monster.

Some  times  later, an  o-suriage  waki, oh only  ichimonji but the  mounting,  complete  set by  hamano noriyuki.

Some  times  later  i can not believe my  eyes  i thought at this time.  The same  collector  who  owned  the  first  one  came along with another blade.  shodai murmasa  katana  with, which is more important !  Complete , ubu  tensho koshirae. At this  time  i  ve been  22  or so. In the following years  i have been honored to handle so much great blades. May  sound arrogant, but at some  point  i really  thought, not again ichimonji.... But !  one  of the  impressive  blades  i ve  been  honored to handle  during the last  five  years, an  ubu ichimonji tachi, so healthy, thick  an mighty  that  at  a first  short  glance  one   would say  "gendei copy" but no, real  old  solid  ichimonji. I  stumbeled  over super fine rai kunimitsu,  an  ubu  shodai nobukuni tachi and  so on. But  on my  learning  journey i learned  also that  some  schools like  the  bungo  are totally  underestimated. I  ve  seen  an  bungu tadayuki  which  has been in no way  inferrior to hizen to of the top rank. Super  fine jiagne  with  much  ji-nie powder ( konuka  like ), suguha in best  controlled nie, good shape.

Oh i am talking to much, sorry  for the random thoughts.

 

[Alex A]

For anyone interested. 

 

Woke up this morning and was quite surprised to see a reply from the Japanese dealer that i put this question to.  As the old saying goes, if you don't ask, you don't get.  Over the years he has seen an astonishing amount of top notch swords and has had the time to study them, hence my curiosity. 

 

Anyways, he mentions the various traditions and the fact that he has seen countless blades that have left him in awe and goes on to talk about folks personal preferences and how ones taste can vary widely.  A good example of this would be the Shinsakuto competition where the "flavour of the month" factor may come into the equation.

 

Even after him seeing all those wonderful blades in hand, he replies.........................

 

"Therefore, I do not believe it is possible to definitively declare one sword as the best. I think that by nurturing affection for a particular sword, regardless of its flaws or imperfections, one can find happiness in preserving it."

 

He mentions that he does not collect swords but owns a tanto that is very special to him, he intends to pass it on one day. If you guys are thinking it must be a big name then you couldn't be further from the truth.  

 

He states the hamon as "exquisite", but the blade is worn and not worth much. 

 

The importance of the blade is that it holds the most memories.

 

I'm sure most of us will get that, hopefully enlightening to some.

 

He is a real gent to take the time to reply, 

 

 

 

 

[Alex A]

Just to mention, had some further discussion with the dealer.

 

He mentions the BEST swords by Inoue Shinkai a few times.

 

Get the impression he likes those a lot.

[jt nesbitt]

Q - "What is the best nihonto blade you've ever seen in hand?"

A - The next one.

[Andi B.]

Hard to say, because 'best' is relative and subjective.

Luckily I had the oportunites to hold blades of great smiths (e.g. Kiyomaro, Kotetsu & Kaneuji) my hands but unfortunately I don't have the experience to fully see and understand the high art of these pieces.

So these are names I can prag with but nothing more...