Muromachi turned sword making into an industry: the uchigatana rose with massed infantry warfare, Osafune and Seki produced bundle swords beside custom orders, and the Ming trade carried Japanese blades abroad by the tens of thousands.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis piece is an unsigned Japanese sword of very high quality, with a blade that has a deep curve like a tachi. The blade is well polished overall, but has the slightly coarse kitahada characteristic of works from the Koto period. The jigane is a mixture of mokume and itame, and the monouchi area in particular has active chikei. Yubashiri and other hataki are also clearly visible. The hamon is a fine, narrow sugu-ha with a nice scent, giving it a sharp appearance while also exuding a sense of elegance. Although the nakago is unsigned, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords has certified this blade as the work of Naminohira, a swordsmith from Satsuma Province who was active in the mid-Muromachi period, and has designated it as a particularly valuable piece, issuing a special certificate of authenticity in October 1977. Naminohira was a group of swordsmiths active in the Naminohira region of Satsuma Province, whose founder was Masakuni, a swordsmith who moved from Yamato Province in the mid-Heian period. His son took the name Yukiyasu, and the family became a renowned lineage that continued until the end of the Edo period. The fittings are a mix of old and new, with the tsuba being an antique piece, while the fuchikashira and menuki are likely modern. The tsuka has been recently rewound, making it immediately usable for iaido or draw sword techniques. This tachi, accompanied by the Tokubetsu Kicho appraisal certificate, is a very elegant and dignified piece. We highly recommend adding it to your collection. Blade length: 71.3 cm Curvature: 2.7 cm Number of Mekugi hole: 1 Sakihaba: 18.7 mm Sakikasane: 4.5 mm Motohaba: 27.9 mm Motokasane: 6.9 mm Signature: No signature Era: Koto Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune Jigane: Itame with Mokume mixed in Hamon: Hoso-suguha Boshi: Massugu Haitte Omaru ni Kaeru Weight: 740 g(blade only)/970 g(without Saya) Nakago: Suriage Koshirae: Light yellow silk wrapped Tsuka with Kuro-ro lacquered Saya Original Registrati
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Wakimono · Satsuma
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The Naminohira school traces its origins to the late Heian period, when a swordsmith named Masakuni migrated from Yamato Province and established himself at Naminohira in Taniyama District, Satsuma Province. His son Yukiyasu succeeded him, and the lineage continued unbroken into the late Edo shinshintō era. The collective term Ko-Naminohira designates smiths and works dating no later than the Nanbokuchō period, distinguishing the school's formative generations from later practitioners. This geographic isolation in southern Kyushu allowed the development of a distinctive regional aesthetic that balanced mainland influences with local forging traditions. The school's technical identity reveals a pronounced Yamato character in both construction and tempering, yet the forging exhibits a characteristic density and slight tenacity (nebari) that distinguishes Naminohira work from its Yamato antecedents. The jigane typically shows strongly flowing itame-hada, often with a whitish cast and well-adhering ji-nie, while thick chikei appear throughout the ground. In the hamon, a fine hoso-suguha or narrow suguha-based temper predominates, with the nioiguchi displaying a distinctive urumi tendency—a moist, soft quality that creates a subdued, somewhat shizumi-inclined appearance.
A diagnostic feature appears at the hamachi, where slight yaki-otoshi marks the transition from untempered to tempered steel. The school's Nanbokuchō-period works often present extended ō-kissaki and deep koshizori, embodying the martial aesthetic of that turbulent age. The Naminohira tradition experienced a renaissance during the Edo period, producing masters such as Ichi Heian Yasushiro, who in Kyōhō 6 (1721) was summoned to forge for Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshimune. His exceptional skill earned him the privilege of engraving the ichiyō aoi crest on his nakago and the court appointment of Shume no Suke. His work and that of his contemporary Masakiyo represent the apex of Satsuma shintō, demonstrating how provincial schools could achieve recognition at the highest levels of Tokugawa society. The scarcity of early signed works, particularly from the Kamakura and Nanbokuchō periods, renders extant examples invaluable for understanding the school's development and its role in transmitting Yamato forging methods to Japan's southern frontier. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Yukiyasu行安 | 1308-1311 | 9 |
| Yasutsuna安綱 | 1288-1333 | 0 |
| Yasutsugu安次 | 1224-1225 | 0 |
| Yasutsugu安次 | 1375-1381 | 0 |
| Haruyuki治行 | 1394-1428 | 1 |
The Muromachi period (1392 to 1573)
Muromachi turned sword making into an industry: the uchigatana rose with massed infantry warfare, Osafune and Seki produced bundle swords beside custom orders, and the Ming trade carried Japanese blades abroad by the tens of thousands.
This work carries older NBTHK “Kichō”-era papers, which the NBTHK no longer issues and largely disavows today. To confirm the attribution, submission to an official Japanese examination body (such as the NBTHK or NTHK) for modern certification could be considered.
As a general rule, returns/exchanges are not accepted on Japanese sword orders unless damaged upon delivery. Other items: returns/exchanges accepted within 7 days of delivery. Cancellation for personal reasons incurs a 30% restocking fee (70% refunded). Return shipping must be prepaid and insured by the buyer; shipping/handling fees are non-refundable. Contact katana@tozando.co.jp to initiate a return.