NihontoWatchSwordsmith Sumiya Masamine is a leading figure in the modern sword world who was designated as a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure) in April, Showa 56. He strove to reproduce celebrated ancient swords, particularly the jigane of the Kamakura period; for about twenty years starting from Showa 43, he challenged himself with homemade steel, and further researched the jigane of archaic swords such as those stored in the Shosoin by tracing back through the eras. One day in the Heisei era after the name of the era changed, the words of his teacher Sakurai Masayuki—"Old swords were made from wazuku"—suddenly came to mind, leading him to retry the mizu-oroshi process and strongly realize that the reproduction of koto lies not only in the steel but in the manufacturing method. His days of theory and practice eventually bore fruit as jigane with a refreshing utsuri. This hira-zukuri wakizashi is in the Saka-choji midare style of Bitchu Aoe, which Master Masamine excelled at; it has a shin-no-mune, wide mihaba, conservative kasane, and a sharp hasaki, with bo-hi carved and a shallow sori, creating a taihai characteristic of the Nanbokucho period. The jigane is a packed ko-mokume hada with an abundance of fine jinie welling up, the jihada is moist, and delicate chikei work densely to create a chirimen-like hada; the vividly appearing utsuri reacts to the yakiba, showing a midare spirit and a natural feel. The hamon of saka-choji midare has yakigashira that are pointed with nioiguchi, varying in height and width, with the habuchi brightened by softly attached konie; long saka-ashi radiate in accordance with the yakiba, yo float, fine kinsen and sunagashi are present, and the interior of the blade filled with nioiguchi is also bright. The boshi is midare-komi, the tip is tsukiage, and it has a long komaru kaeri. On the nakago, which still shines in a silver-white color, the mei characters are grandly carved. This is a masterpiece (Note) that demonstrates the pinnacle reached by Master Masamine, who devoted himself daily with his passion for ancient works in his heart. Note... "Special Exhibition: Living National Treasure Sumiya Masamine - The Mysterious Colors of the Japanese Sword". In the description of the work, it is praised as: "A new jigane; it is a jihada that seems to appear naturally, a jihada that seems to well up naturally, and an utsuri."
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Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Ishikawa · around 1921-1998
7 pieces on the market now
Shōwa to the present: destruction and revival
The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
A Hozon-certified blade judged to show notably superior workmanship and a better state of preservation. The bar is higher: re-tempered blades and most unsigned Muromachi/Edo works are excluded.
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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.