NihontoWatchNihontoWatchAn unsigned katana forged during the Koto period has arrived. In December 1999, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords certified this blade as the work of Kongo Hyoe, recognizing its value as a sword worthy of preservation for posterity, and issued a Hozon certificate. Considering its estimated age, the blade is in remarkably good condition. On the sashimote side, approximately 8 cm from the kissaki, there is a 1.8 cm wide Fukure-like forging mark. On the sashiura side, forging flaws are visible around 15 cm from the kissaki, and at 29 cm and 36 cm, there are dot-like flaws known as uchikomi. The jigane exhibits a well-kneaded itame grain with occasional mokume patterns, featuring a very fine suguha hamon. A kakinagashi-style groove is carved along both sides of the blade. Kongo Hyoe is renowned as the pinnacle of cutting performance, a name among names in the elite. This piece features the earliest chestnut-shaped tang root characteristic of Kongo Hyoe, suggesting it is the work of Moritaka, the founder of the Kongo Hyoe lineage during the Kamakura period. Moritaka's works are highly prized. Kongo Hyoe supplied the shogunate with exceptionally sharp weapons during the Mongol invasions of the Kamakura period, aiding in repelling the Mongol forces. Consequently, these swords became objects of reverence. Moritaka was a swordsmith active in Chikuzen Province (present-day Fukuoka Prefecture) from the late Kamakura period to the late Muromachi period. The founder of this school, Moritaka, was active during the Shohei era (1346–1370) of the Nanbokucho period and is also said to be the nephew of Kuniyoshi. Because he belonged to the Kongohyoe school, he is known as Kongo Hyoe Moritaka. Kongo Hyoe was a group based near Dazaifu in Chikuzen Province, residing on Mount Yuchi. Mount Uchi housed the Kongo Homan Shrine, also known as the Kamado Shrine, which is why the group came to be called Kongo Hyoe. Legend also holds that it was the beloved sword of Sanada
NihontoWatchKongobyoe School金剛兵衛派
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Wakimono · Chikuzen
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The Kongōbyōe school (Kongōbyōe-ha) flourished in Chikuzen Province during the Nanbokuchō period alongside the more celebrated Samonji lineage. Based in the Reizen district, the school takes its name from the artisan Kongōbyōe, though signed examples are exceedingly rare, with the earliest documented work being a tantō by Sadamori dated Shōhei 25 (1370) and designated an Important Art Object. This blade's signature—"Chikushū Reizen Sadamori"[[c:1]]—confirms the school's geographic center and provides a stylistic benchmark for attributions within the tradition. Kongōbyōe blades exhibit a distinctive Yamato temperament (Yamato kishitsu) in both jigane and hamon, setting them apart from typical Kyūshū productions. The forging characteristically combines large itame with nagare-hada and prominent mokume-hada, creating surface texture that stands out conspicuously. The jigane tends toward a dark, slightly blackish tone with frequent chikei interwoven throughout.
The hamon is invariably a narrow suguha or hoso-suguha, occasionally tinged with shallow notare or small gunome inflections. The nioiguchi displays a characteristic tight feeling (shimari-gokoro) with well-adhering ko-nie, while modest kinsuji and sunagashi create refined scenery spanning ji and ha. Near the cutting edge, nagare-hada often transitions to masame, and hotsure appears along the habuchi. The school's output demonstrates what period connoisseurs termed "metal flavor" (kanamono), reflecting Kyūshū forging traditions while maintaining the refined sensibility of Yamato technique. Extant works attributed to Ko-Kongōbyōe typically survive as greatly shortened (ō-suriage) blades with Nanbokuchō proportions—wide mihaba, shallow sori, and ō-kissaki—presenting dignified, powerful forms despite their modified state. The combination of dark-toned jigane densely filled with fine chikei, tight nioiguchi, and restrained nie activity creates a sober yet engaging aesthetic that distinguishes the school within the broader Chikuzen tradition. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadamori貞盛 | 1345-1350 | 23 |
| Morimitsu盛光 | 1558-1570 | 0 |
| Moriyasu盛安 | 1532-1555 | 0 |
| Moriyoshi盛吉 | 1532-1555 | 0 |
| Morihisa盛久 | 1521-1528 | 0 |
Certifies a genuine blade worth preserving: a signature confirmed correct, or, if unsigned, an era, province, and school that the NBTHK can reliably identify.
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 siteAs 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.