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 is a tachi made by Shiro Kuniharu of Miike in Fukuoka prefecture. The sword is a replica of the Miike school and was made in March of Heisei 15 (2003) when the smith was 74 years old. It has a blade length of 66.3cm and is certified Hozon by the NBTHK.
Certificate reading — 銘 三池住四郎國治作之七十四才 平成十五年三月吉日
NihontoWatchmei · Miike · Heisei (1989-2019) · nagasa 66.3cm · sori 2.5cm
Chikugo · around 1989-2019
1 piece 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.
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 siteReturns possible within 3 days of arrival. Customer pays return shipping and bank transfer fees. Excluded: condition differs from sale, 3+ days passed, overseas delivery, in-store purchases, and deposit transactions.
¥680,000
This is a tachi made by Shiro Kuniharu of Miike in Fukuoka prefecture. The sword is a replica of the Miike school and was made in March of Heisei 15 (2003) when the smith was 74 years old. It has a blade length of 66.3cm and is certified Hozon by the NBTHK.
Certificate reading — 銘 三池住四郎國治作之七十四才 平成十五年三月吉日
NihontoWatchmei · Miike · Heisei (1989-2019) · nagasa 66.3cm · sori 2.5cm
Chikugo · around 1989-2019
1 piece 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.
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 siteReturns possible within 3 days of arrival. Customer pays return shipping and bank transfer fees. Excluded: condition differs from sale, 3+ days passed, overseas delivery, in-store purchases, and deposit transactions.
¥680,000
