The Yamato schools grew up in the shadow of Nara’s great monasteries: Tegai took its name from a gate of Tōdaiji. Their austere masame and quiet suguha are a temple aesthetic, prized ever since for exactly that restraint.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThere are very few signed works among Yamato swords, and because they belonged to various temples, there was originally no need to add a mei, so most are mumei. This tanto miraculously has the mei of Yamato no Kuni Norinaga remaining perfectly, making it a very precious tanto. It is a Norinaga from the Nanbokucho period, corresponding to the 2nd or 3rd generation of the Kamakura period Shikkake Norinaga. This tanto shows a hira-zukuri shape with a slightly short nagasa, the jigane is itame-hada with flowing masame-hada and shows utsuri in the ji presenting a strong kitae, and the hamon is a nie-deki suguha style with slight notare, tempering a wonderful and spirited blade. The koshirae is an Edo period aikuchi-koshirae and is old, and the gold rust on the Goto school two-lion suemon kozuka attached to it is also old and precious. Signed works of Yamato-mono are few and must be passed down carefully to future generations. Because it has come out into the world for the first time in a raw state, we are offering it at a special low price. Please enjoy it.
NihontoWatchOffered by Nipponto
10 on the market
As written by the shop
Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Yamato-den · Yamato
10 pieces on the market now
The Shikkake school (尻懸派) stands among the five great Yamato traditions (Yamato goha) that flourished in the shadow of Nara's powerful temples during the late Kamakura period. While traditionally attributed to Norihiro as founder, Norinaga (則長) is regarded as the de facto progenitor, documented through extant tantō bearing inscriptions of his age: forty-eight in Bunpō 3 (1319) and sixty-nine in Ryakuō 3 (1340). These datings place his birth in Bun'ei 9 (1272), establishing him as a contemporary of the school's early development. Works attributed to later generations extend into the Muromachi period, indicating successive transmission of the name across multiple generations. Given the concentration of sōhei (warrior monks) in Yamato Province, it is natural that Shikkake smiths produced numerous naginata, with more surviving examples attributed to this school than any other Yamato tradition. Shikkake workmanship shares the fundamental Yamato vocabulary: construction with high shinogi and conspicuously wide shinogi-ji; forging in itame that characteristically flows, often incorporating mokume and nagare-hada with areas trending toward masame near the edge; and steel exhibiting thickly adhering ji-nie with frequent, stout chikei and occasional nie-utsuri. The tempering centers on suguha-based patterns, yet the school's signature lies in its treatment of the hamon: while maintaining the suguha foundation, Shikkake smiths tempered small gunome in connected succession (ko-gunome-tsure), creating a gently undulating effect. Along the habuchi appear characteristic Yamato activities—hotsure, nijūba, kuichigai-ba, uchi-noke, and yubashiri—with well-adhering ko-nie producing a bright, clear nioiguchi interwoven with kinsuji and sunagashi.
The bōshi typically runs straight with vigorous hakikake, often tending toward yakizume or taking on a flame-like (kaen) character at the point. While some examples execute pure suguha patterns, the intermixing of running ko-gunome within the ha remains the critical diagnostic feature distinguishing Shikkake from other Yamato schools[[c:1]], particularly Taima, with which it shares close affinities. The school's legacy endures through works of exceptional quality and preservation. Surviving naginata of grand scale—some exceeding 2 shaku 7 sun—demonstrate Nanbokuchō-period construction with characteristic shallow flaring and deep curvature, often transmitted in rare ubu-nakago condition. Shortened katana attributed to the school display vigorous forging in which flowing grain and chikei interweave, producing steel of remarkable clarity (saeru), while the tempering exhibits thickly adhering, strongly luminous nie creating bright visual effects. The consistent appearance of well-refined jigane with dense ko-itame and abundant ji-nie, paired with distinctive tempering patterns that balance fundamental suguha with running ko-gunome, establishes Shikkake as a school whose characteristic features remain unmistakable across centuries of production. Works attributed to this tradition regularly survive in kenzen (sound and well-preserved) condition, testimony to both original forging quality and careful transmission through successive generations. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Norinaga則長 | 1317-1319 | 43 |
| Norinari則成 | 1312-1317 | 0 |
| Nagamitsu長光 | 1233-1234 | 0 |
| Sukehiro助弘 | 1308-1311 | 0 |
| Norisada則貞 | 1428-1429 | 0 |
Yamato in the Kamakura period
The Yamato schools grew up in the shadow of Nara’s great monasteries: Tegai took its name from a gate of Tōdaiji. Their austere masame and quiet suguha are a temple aesthetic, prized ever since for exactly that restraint.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
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