Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchThis blade was signed by Bitchu no Kami Tachibana Yasuhiro(備中守橘康広). Yasuhiro was active in sword-forging during the Kanbun (1661-1673: Early Edo Period). Yasuhiro belonged to a prestigious sword school called Kishu Ishido and Osaka Ishido School. The back of the tang has an inscription of Kikumon (chrysanthemum emblem). He was allowed to inscribe this emblem, which is the symbol of the Japanese emperor. His sword forging technique was so great that the emperor permitted him to use this emblem, which was honorable for any swordsmith. Ishido School His father, Tosa Shogen Tachibana Yasuhiro(土佐将監橘康廣), was born in Omi province, located in Shiga prefecture. And he belonged to Omi Ishido school during the early Edo period. Ishido school was initially founded by Sukenaga, an offspring of Ichimonji Sukemune, who made Fukuoka Ichimonji school in Bizen province(Today’s Okayama prefecture). During 1492-1501(Late Muromachi period), Sukenaga and his school moved from Bizen province to Omi province after being summoned by Gamou family, a powerful feudal line in that region. Sukenaga started to live in front of Ishido temple, and he changed his surname to Ishido. Kishu＆ Osaka Ishido School As of the early Edo period, many Ishido swordsmiths moved to other parts of Japan, looking for better opportunities. There are four areas: Edo, Osaka, Kishu(Wakayama prefecture), and Chikuzen(Fukuoka prefecture). Omi Ishido school is the origin of whole other Ishido branches that flourished during the Edo period. Following this trend, Yasuhiro’s father, who belonged to Omi Ishido school, moved from Omi province to Kishu province. It is said that the father was the founder of Kishu Ishido school and played an essential role in making this school prosperous. Yasuhiro was born as the son of the head of Kishu Ishido school. And he mastered excellent sword forging techniques from his father. And it is said that Yasuhiro served Tokugawa Yorinobu, the first head of Kishu domain, who was the 10th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Yasuhiro exclusively forged swords for Kishu domain for many years. Later in his career, Yasuhiro received the honorable title “Bitchu no Kami” in 1657 and moved to Settsu city in Osaka to spread the tradition of Ishido school. He built the foundation of Osaka Ishido school. Yasuhiro is known as one of the most prominent figures that made Osaka Isido school prosperous during the early Edo period. Osaka city flourished as a castle town and became the business center during the early Edo period. Many swordsmiths moved to Osaka to look for better opportunities. They not only forged swords for those Samurai who lived in Osaka but also for feudal lords nationwide. Among many swordsmiths active in the same period as Yasuhiro, he was one of the most famous figures in Osaka Ishido school. This blade is appraised as a Tokubetsu Hozon Token(特別保存刀剣) issued by NBTHK(Nihon Bijutsu Touken Hozon Kyokai:日本美術刀剣保存協会). Authentication Paper They authenticated the blade on March 10th in the 5th year of Reiwa (2023). They appraised it as Tokubetsu Hozon Touken, the blade especially worth preserving for Japanese society.
Yasuhiro康廣
Offered by Samurai Museum
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Settsu · around 1684-1688
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 76%
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Where Yasuhiro stands among comparable artisans: across all of nihontō, and within tradition, era, and period. The tiers (Foremost · Leading · Major · Notable) weigh official designations from the NBTHK and Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, together with historical honors of lasting repute such as the Sansaku and Meibutsu-chō.
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The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
Edo was the sword’s age of connoisseurship: the Hon’ami appraisers, the shogunal register of famous blades of 1719, and a thriving literature turned the sword into an object of study even as it ceased to be drawn in war.
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 siteReturns/exchanges limited to defects caused by shipping (except willful misconduct or gross negligence by the company); customers must contact within 72 hours of receiving the product.