After the Ōnin War broke the Ashikaga order, a century of Sengoku warfare armed nearly every province in Japan. The era rewards a discriminating eye: routine work exists in quantity, and beside it stand custom blades of the first rank.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchA distinct unokubi-zukuri form with mizuki grooves and a moist, nioi-rich notare hamon, from the patriarch of the Sanjō Yoshinori school of Yamashiro We are pleased to present a breathtakingly beautiful unokubi-zukuri tantō, accompanied by an NBTHK Hozon Tōken paper (issued August 2024) and a prestigious sayagaki (scabbard inscription) by the renowned sword authority Satō Kanzan, authenticating it as the work of Sanjō Yoshinori (三条吉則). On the smith — Sanjō Yoshinori (三条吉則) Active during the Muromachi period in Yamashiro Province (Kyoto), Sanjō Yoshinori is the patriarch of the famed Sanjō Yoshinori school. Alongside Heianjō Nagayoshi (who is historically recorded as the teacher of the famed Muramasa), Yoshinori stands as one of the premier master swordsmiths representing Yamashiro-style blacksmithing in the Muromachi era. While tradition traces the lineage back to Kamakura-period origins, confirmed extant masterworks date primarily from the early Muromachi period (Ōei era onward). Authentication and attribution Sayagaki by Satō Kanzan: Authenticated and inscribed on the shirasaya by Dr. Satō Kanzan, one of Japan's foremost modern sword scholars. NBTHK Hozon paper: Officially certified in August 2024 by the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords (NBTHK) as a genuine work of Sanjō Yoshinori. Workmanship and condition The blade has been exquisitely polished and is in overall sound, high-grade condition, with only a minor, faint 3 mm hairline mark on the ha (cutting edge), approximately 8 cm from the tip on the sashi-ura side. Constructed in the distinctive unokubi-zukuri (cormorant-neck) style, it features mizuki (water-clearing) grooves carved into both sides of the blade. The jigane showcases a finely refined itame-hada, harmonizing with a moist notare hamon rich in nioiguchi. The bōshi gently undulates and turns back into a classic ō-maru. Form This unokubi-zukuri blade, with an iori-mune (peaked ridge back), carries a nagasa (edge length) of 38.2 cm and a slight sori (curve) of 0.1 cm, with a motohaba of 25.2 mm and motokasane of 4.6 mm. The mounting (shirasaya) The blade is housed in a premium shirasaya, bearing the sayagaki of Dr. Satō Kanzan. A masterpiece of koto craftsmanship showcasing the distinct unokubi-zukuri form with mizuki grooves, authenticated by both Dr. Satō Kanzan and the NBTHK. An irreplaceable piece for discerning collectors seeking historic Yamashiro art swords.
Heianjo School平安城派
Offered by Tozando
11 on the market
As written by the shop
Yamashiro-den · Kyoto
11 pieces on the market now
The Heianjō school (平安城) of swordsmiths represents the principal lineage of Kyōto sword production during the Muromachi period. "Heianjō" is the classical name for Kyōto (Heian-kyō), and the school's smiths — resident in the Sanjō district of the capital — signed variously with the 平安城 (Heianjō) and 三条 (Sanjō) prefixes, a usage that has often caused them to be confused with the far earlier Sanjō school of Munechika. They are an entirely distinct, late group: its two representative masters, Heianjō Nagayoshi (平安城長吉, also read Chōkichi) and Sanjō Yoshinori (三条吉則, of the Fuse 布施 family), are counted as the leading makers of Muromachi-period Kyō-mono (Kyoto-made blades), carrying forward the capital's swordmaking after the Nanbokuchō-period Nobukuni and Hasebe lineages. Both names continued through several generations from the late Nanbokuchō era into the sixteenth century, and the smiths are known to have travelled to forge (desaku) in provinces such as Izumi, Mikawa, and Echizen during the late Muromachi period. The Heianjō style is dominated by a flamboyant hitatsura (full-temper) idiom adopted from Sōshū tradition: a foundation of large gunome-midare mixed with chōji, togariba, and yahazu-ba, with abundant tobiyaki and muneyaki spreading temper across the entire blade surface, nie adhering strongly, and sunagashi and kinsuji coursing through a bright, clear nioiguchi.
The finest examples are so accomplished that they are difficult to distinguish from late Sōshū (Sue-Sōshū) work. A quieter suguha- and ko-notare-based mode close to the Nobukuni tradition is also seen. High-quality horimono — kurikara, bonji, suken, and gomabashi — frequently accompany the blades. The school is not to be confused with the unrelated Heianjō-zōgan (平安城象嵌) inlay tradition of tōsōgu makers. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Nagayoshi長吉 | 1469-1492 | 15 |
| Yoshinori吉則 | 1469-1487 | 3 |
| Nagayoshi長吉 | 1449-1452 | 0 |
| Nobusada信貞 | 1346-1370 | 0 |
| Yoshinaga吉長 | 1381-1384 | 0 |
The Muromachi period (1392 to 1573)
After the Ōnin War broke the Ashikaga order, a century of Sengoku warfare armed nearly every province in Japan. The era rewards a discriminating eye: routine work exists in quantity, and beside it stand custom blades of the first 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 siteAs a general rule, returns/exchanges are not accepted on Japanese sword orders unless damaged upon delivery. Other items: returns/exchanges accepted within 7 days of delivery. Cancellation for personal reasons incurs a 30% restocking fee (70% refunded). Return shipping must be prepaid and insured by the buyer; shipping/handling fees are non-refundable. Contact katana@tozando.co.jp to initiate a return.
¥450,000
Certificate reading — 無銘（三条吉則）