NihontoWatchKiyomitsu was the son of Koshirô Shigekiyo and was given the name Gorôzaemon, with some sources listing his first name as Yaroku. He worked during the Kanbun to Enpô eras (c. 1661-1681) and lived in Etchû province – modern-day Toyama prefecture, a picturesque coastal city on Japan’s main island, Honshû. His blades carry a lovely darkish jigane characteristic of swords forged along the Sea of Japan coast, and the rounded burl grain of the mokume-hada stands out with particular clarity towards the base of the blade. He signed this sword as Kashû jû Kiyomitsu – a resident of Kashû (Kaga) province – suggesting he produced many swords for elite samurai of the neighbouring and wealthy Kaga domain. The bottom of the nakago is shaped in the distinctive Kashû-nakago-jiri style, a short flat area moving into an acute angle that pays tribute to this important provincial relationship. The blade itself is a model of Shintô-period refinement. The chû-suguha hamon runs bright and even from base to point, its kuichigaiba – the area where the nioguchi overlaps for a noticeable distance along the upper third – marking this as a sword forged firmly within the Yamato tradition. Dark lines of chikei are woven beautifully into the expertly forged mokume-hada, lending the steel a depth and movement rarely seen at this price point. Kiyomitsu is aptly ranked jô-saku and wazamono, a superior swordsmith with a strong reputation for producing extra-sharp blades. The late Edo uchigatana-koshirae is wrapped in a brocade saya depicting the mythical phoenix (hôô) – a symbol of the Japanese imperial household representing fire, the sun, justice, obedience and fidelity. The shikunshi (‘four gentlemen’) motifs of orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum and plum blossom on the NTHK-NPO certified tsuba, attributed to the third generation Sunagawa Masayoshi, resonate with Confucian and Zen ideals of purity and perseverance. The fuchi-kashira, attributed to Kikukawa Chôbei of Edo, continues the chrysanthemum theme with gold-inlaid detail of considerable refinement. The menuki are cast as nasu (eggplant), a classic Japanese good-luck motif. This is a Shintô-period samurai sword with a wise, old soul.
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Kaga · around 1661-1673
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Under the Tokugawa peace the daishō became a regulated uniform, and demand gathered in the castle towns, above all Edo itself. The craft split two ways: brilliant display work for connoisseurs, and tested blades whose cutting results were sometimes inlaid in gold.
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 siteAll swords come with a three-day inspection period beginning from the date of delivery. If not satisfied, the sword may be returned within this period for a full refund of the purchase price. Outside of this period, all sales are final. Swords purchased on a layaway payment plan are not eligible for the three-day inspection period.