Two courts, sixty years of war, and the most dramatic silhouettes in the sword’s history: broad blades, extended points, true ōdachi later cut down into the majestic katana collectors prize. The Sōshū manner was the style of the age.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchIn the land of Naminohira in Satsuma Province, Masakuni arrived from Yamato around the Eien era of the Heian period, and his son was called Yukiyasu; since then, the tradition has been passed down for several hundred years, forging a unique ayasugi-hada. As the forging method for ayasugi-hada was strangely practiced by Hoju, Gassan, and the distantly located Naminohira, one can imagine that there was some form of exchange between them. Swords made no later than the Nanbokucho period are generally called Ko-Naminohira, those from the Nanbokucho period to the mid-Muromachi period are generally called Naminohira, and those from the mid-Muromachi period to the late Muromachi period are generally called Sue-Naminohira.
Certificate reading — 銘 重国作 八月吉日
NihontoWatchOffered by E-sword
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As written by the shop
Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Wakimono · Satsuma
11 pieces on the market now
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 Nanbokuchō period (1333 to 1392)
Two courts, sixty years of war, and the most dramatic silhouettes in the sword’s history: broad blades, extended points, true ōdachi later cut down into the majestic katana collectors prize. The Sōshū manner was the style of the age.
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 siteCooling-off (returns or exchanges) is accepted within 3 days of the item's arrival. Return shipping and refund transfer fees are the customer's responsibility. Fees other than the item price (transfer fees, credit card fees, etc.) cannot be refunded. Returns and refunds are not available for overseas destinations.
¥280,000