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.
This tanto by Okubo Kazuhira, a Mukansa swordsmith born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1943, was made in the Soshu tradition. He trained under Miyairi Akihira (later Yukihira, a Living National Treasure) and became independent in 1967, establishing a forge in Fujisawa. The blade features a stable form with a firm kasane and a uniform ko-itame hada, with a bright hamon of gunome mixed with notare, and a pointed boshi that turns back to a komaru. The accompanying koshirae is richly decorated with kin nashi-ji lacquer on the tsuka and saya, and gold powder lacquer on the kashira, aikuchi, kurigata, and kaeritsuno, with solid gold shishi menuki.
NihontoWatchmei · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 26.1cm
Sagami · around 1926-1989
4 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.
We could not find an authenticity certificate on the seller’s listing. Japanese swords and fittings are normally papered by the NBTHK (or the NTHK). Without one, the attribution is the seller’s own assessment and has not been independently verified — treat it with caution and ask the dealer about certification before buying.
If, 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.
This tanto by Okubo Kazuhira, a Mukansa swordsmith born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1943, was made in the Soshu tradition. He trained under Miyairi Akihira (later Yukihira, a Living National Treasure) and became independent in 1967, establishing a forge in Fujisawa. The blade features a stable form with a firm kasane and a uniform ko-itame hada, with a bright hamon of gunome mixed with notare, and a pointed boshi that turns back to a komaru. The accompanying koshirae is richly decorated with kin nashi-ji lacquer on the tsuka and saya, and gold powder lacquer on the kashira, aikuchi, kurigata, and kaeritsuno, with solid gold shishi menuki.
NihontoWatchmei · Showa (1926-1989) · nagasa 26.1cm
Sagami · around 1926-1989
4 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.
We could not find an authenticity certificate on the seller’s listing. Japanese swords and fittings are normally papered by the NBTHK (or the NTHK). Without one, the attribution is the seller’s own assessment and has not been independently verified — treat it with caution and ask the dealer about certification before buying.
If, 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.
