NihontoWatchThis blade was signed by Bitchu Koku Mizuta Ju Kunishige (備中国水田住国重) during the Shoho era (1644-1648: Early Edo period), according to this NTHK’s appraisal. Bitchu Koku is the name of the province located in today’s Okayama prefecture and it means Kunishige resided in this area when he forged this blade. The real name of Kunishige is Ichizo (市蔵), and he was also known as Yamashiro Daijyo Minamoto Kunishige (山城大掾源国重). He was most active in sword-forging during the early Edo period (the mid 17th century). Yamashiro Daijyo is the honorable title given to this swordsmith in the second year of the Shoho era (1646). He was the younger brother of Otsuki Yogoro Kunishige (third-gen Kunishige), the most highly-regarded swordsmith in Mizuta school, located in Bitchu province (today’s Okayama prefecture). He also forged swords in Edo city with his son, the second-gen Yamashiro Daijyo Kunishige. The Mizuta school is believed to have been founded in Bitchū Province during the late Muromachi period, around the 16th century, by swordsmiths who traced their lineage to Ko-Aoe Tametsugu (古青江為次). Tametsugu was one of the most highly regarded smiths of the Ko-Aoe tradition and was active from the late Heian to the early Kamakura period (late 12th–early 13th century). One of his surviving works is designated a National Treasure of Japan. Aoe (青江) was the name of a renowned sword-making school based in an area corresponding to present-day Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. The school flourished from the late Heian through the Nanbokuchō period but declined during the Muromachi period. The Mizuta school later emerged in Bitchū Province as an important successor to the Aoe tradition, preserving elements of its earlier workmanship while developing its own distinctive style. The abundant and strongly visible Nie (沸)—bright crystalline particles formed along the hardened edge—seen on this blade is consistent with the workmanship traditionally associated with the Bitchū Mizuta school, a later branch of the Ko-Aoe lineage. The Bitchu Koku Mizuta school flourished from 1530-1700 (the end of the Sengoku period to the mid-Edo period) in today’s Okayama prefecture. It lasted until the end of the Edo period. There were about 60 swordsmiths who belonged to Mizuta school, and Kunishige was the most prestigious smith name only selected swords maker were allowed to use in this school. During the Edo period, many Kunishige swordsmiths moved to other parts of Japan. There were two major groups in Kunishige swordsmiths during the Edo period. One is called Oyogo Kunishige school (大与五国重派), lead by Master Otsuki (大月) and the other is called Kono school (河野派) led by Tameie (為家). Since he was the younger brother of Otsuki Yogoro Kunishige, this Kunishige belonged to Oyogo Kunishige school. Yamato Daijyo Kunishige was a prestigious swordsmith. He used Kunishige as his maker’s name and received the honorable title (Yamato Daijyo). Okayama prefecture is located near the Chugoku Mountains, where iron sands, one of the essential materials for making Japanese swords, were abundant. Furthermore, the swordsmiths in Okayama prefecture had close access to the Yoshi River to find pure water and high-quality charcoal, which are essential to make great swords. This geological location contributed to the swordsmiths to forge high-quality refined blades. We presume Bichu was quite active in sword-forging from ancient times. Yushu Saku Appraisal This blade has successfully passed the Yūshū-tō (Excellent Sword) examination conducted by the NPO Tōken Hozonkai, a respected Japanese sword preservation organization. The Yūshū-tō certification is not easily obtained. During the appraisal process, swords are subjected to strict and detailed evaluation by qualified judges with deep knowledge of traditional Japanese sword craftsmanship. Factors such as forging quality, hamon activity, balance, preservation state, and historical importance are thoroughly examined. Only swords that meet these demanding standards are awarded this distinction. As a result, the Yūshū-tō paper is regarded as strong evidence of both authenticity and superior artistic and historical merit. *Please keep in mind that there are a couple of Kitae Kizu on the blade. Fuchi-Kashira You would find the figure of a flying bird on the Kashira, and a man looking up in the sky from a boat on the Fuchi. The bird seems to be Tsubame (燕, swallow). The swallow has been regarded as a migratory spring bird, as compared to the migratory autumn bird, wild geese. Also, the swallow was widely rooted in Japanese culture, such as being mentioned in the Manyoshu (万葉集), the oldest extant collection of Japanese waka (poetry in classical Japanese) in the Nara period (the 8th century). It is also said that swallows appeared as a motif on Kimonos and Kabuki costumes. Tsuka and Menuki The motif of this Menuki is a plant called Fuji (藤, Japanese wisteria). Wisteria has strong fertility and grows being entwined with other trees. Therefore, people regarded this flower as a symbol of longevity and prosperity for future generations. Also, its Japanese name Fuji (藤) is likened to another word Fushi, which is written as “不死,” which means immortality. That is why the Fujiwara (藤原) family, who reached the height of glory in the Heian period (794-1185), used this motif for their family name and family crest. A theory says that more than 100 types of wisteria’s family crest designs in the Edo period. We could assume how this motif was popular among people. Besides, wisterias bloom downward. Its appearance was likened to a scene in which the gods or Buddha is descending to the earth. Tsuba and Habaki The flower engraved with openwork on this Tsuba is probably the Kakitsubata (燕子花, rabbit-ear iris). Its flower is blooming, and birds are flying around it. Kakitsubatas color the waterside during their short flowering time; Japanese people have loved this elegant appearance since ancient times. This flower has been treated as a motif in various arts, such as poems or pictures. There is a famous collection of Japanese poems that is called the Ise Monogatari (伊勢物語, The Tales of Ise). One of the well-known episodes in this book treats the Kakitsubata. The plot of the story is as follows. The protagonist no longer felt comfortable living in the city and decided to go to the eastern country, which was the countryside at that time. He left the town with his friends, and during the journey, one of them found that Kakitsubatas were blooming at the waterside. The protagonist was requested to write a poem using characters of the Kakitsubata (it is written as かきつばた in Hiragana character), and he responded to this challenging request. He composed a nostalgic poem, and it made them feel homesickness for their home or families. We could feel their importance when we are away from these things. Since this event happened at the Yatsuhashi (八橋, a bridge in which several narrow bridge boards are connected in a lightning-like shape to a pond or stream), the combination of the Kakitsubata and the Yatsuhashi became popular. We guess that The Tales of Ise have inspired this Tsuba’s theme. There is another possibility of this flower’s model; the Shoubu (菖蒲, iris flower). Its Japanese name has the same pronunciation as the word “Shoubu (勝負),” which means battle. So, the “Shoubu” (菖蒲, iris flower) motif was associated with the idea of “Shoubu” (勝負, fight) due to the same pronunciation. Therefore, these motifs have reminded Samurais of battles. Based on these ideas, we would judge one of these two flowers is the motif of this Tsuba’s design. Saya On the head of this Saya, you would find the wave pattern is engraved. As waves’ movements continue endlessly, the wave pattern represents eternity, immortality, longevity, birth, etcetera. Also, since tides repeatedly change the shape and terrain of rocks, some people hoped for a strong will by using this motif. People used this pattern wishing for an indomitable spirit to rechallenge time and time without giving up. Thanks to its dynamic design, this motif has been appreciated, especially for men’s Kimono (traditional Japanese costume). Also, the surface of this Saya s decorated with an uneven pattern. *Please note that the surface of this Saya is partly damaged. Authentication Paper NTHK, also known as NPO Nihon Touken Hozon Kai, is the oldest organization for sword authentication of Japanese swords in modern times. It was established in 1910 during the post-Samurai era. They authenticated the blade on September 15th in the 6th year of Reiwa (2024). They appraised it as Yushu-Saku To (優秀作刀): an outstanding sword considered especially worthy of preservation for Japanese society. Registration Number It is called Jyu Hou Touken Rui Torokusho (銃砲刀剣類登録証).
Offered by Samurai Museum
This piece has sold
Get an email when a new Mizuta Kunishige piece hits the market.
Shinto · Bitchu · around 1624-1644
Fujishiro Jo-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 26%
6 pieces on the market now
Kunishige worked within the Mizuta school of Bitchu Province, a lineage that flourished from the late Muromachi period into the Edo era. The most celebrated smith of this name is Otsuki Yogoro Kunishige, commonly abbreviated as "Daiyogo," who was the son of Otsuki Saburobei Kunishige and is recognized as the foremost master of the Mizuta school. The NBTHK observes that "the nationwide prosperity of this school during the Edo period was likely due to the presence of such superior craftsmen." Earlier work signed "Ko-Mizuta Kunishige" is dated to the late Muromachi period, with a katana bearing the date Tensho 20 (1592) among the few signed examples by the older lineage.
The Ko-Mizuta works display a kitae of dense ko-itame-hada with ji-nie and utsuri, and a hamon built around gunome-midare as the principal theme, incorporating small midare and ko-choji in what the NBTHK describes as an "overall somewhat busy" manner, with a tightly formed nioiguchi and attached ko-nie as the chief point of appreciation. The later Daiyogo Kunishige, by contrast, excelled particularly in the Soshu-den, producing itame-hada with prominent standing grain, well-adhering ji-nie, and chikei, tempered in bold notare-style o-midare that in the upper half becomes nearly hitatsura, with deep nioi and coarse nie. The boshi on such works enters in irregular midare-komi with hakikake, burning down long to the mune-machi. The tang tip in the Mizuta manner is characteristically ha-agari kurijiri.
Signed examples by both the Ko-Mizuta and Daiyogo lines are described as "comparatively few," lending particular significance to surviving blades. The Ko-Mizuta katana of Tensho 20 is called "not only a typical example, but also one of his representative works," while the Daiyogo Kunishige is praised as "a superior craftsman who exceeded his father's skill." This rarity of signed work is traditionally attributed to signatures being removed or blades being shortened and reworked into superior pieces -- a testament to the enduring regard in which Mizuta workmanship has been held.
Where Kunishige 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.
Select a lens to see how it's measured.
Shinto · Bitchu
14 pieces on the market now
In Bitchū Province at the close of the Muromachi period, the Mizuta group emerged at the village of that name, and successive generations took the name Kunishige. The setsumei trace their work across Matsuyama, Toribe, Ihara, Ebara, and Niimi, with their vitality carrying into the shintō era. The smiths the records cover form a recognizable line: Ko-Mizuta Kunishige, whose dated blade reaches Tenshō 20 (1592); the Niimi Saburōzaemon no Jō Kunishige, said by signature references (meikan) to have come from Bingo into the Niimi estate and afterward to have served the Mimura family, lords of Matsuyama Castle; Kunishige of Ihara, who signed "Bitchū no kuni Ihara-jū Kunishige saku"; Kunishige styled Ōtsukiyo Goemon, recorded as forging also at Fukuyama in Bingo and at Kawanami; and Ōtsuki Yogorō Kunishige, abbreviated "Daiyogo," son of Ōtsuki Saburōbei Kunishige, who came after the old Mizuta period and worked from the Kan'ei years. So many smiths bore the name Kunishige that the setsumei call the group's reliance on it overwhelming. The shared vocabulary is consistent across the entries. The jigane is itame, sometimes flowing and sometimes standing out, with ji-nie adhering and chikei entering; utsuri is visible on the older pieces. The hamon of the shintō hand rests on a notare or ko-notare base mixed with gunome, deep in nioi, with nie forming vigorously and at times breaking into coarse ara-nie; sunagashi and kinsuji run through, and muneyaki recurs frequently. On the Daiyogo katana the temper rises until the upper half is nearly hitatsura, an ō-midare in notare style with the bōshi burning down long toward the mune-machi.
The bōshi elsewhere goes midare-komi with hakikake, taking a flame-like (kaen) cast or becoming ichimai-like. The Niimi blade adds yakidaka composition with angular and yahazu-like elements. These are the marks of the hand: a strong nie-laden Sōshū bearing on a serviceable, iori-mune shinogi-zukuri build, the signatures cut long toward the mune. For kantei the records single out the notare foundation worked with gunome and intense nie, the yahazu shapes and ichimai bōshi the setsumei name as "the highlights of the Mizuta manner," and the ha-agari kurijiri tang that rises markedly toward the edge. The shintō smiths are read by their pronounced Sōshū emphasis, the kotō-period Ko-Mizuta by a busier (kosekose) gunome-midare carrying ko-chōji and a tight nioiguchi. The setsumei describe these as cutting, utilitarian blades, and the Ihara daishō carries elaborate carving, including kurikara, "Marishiten," and the Nine Syllables. Named pieces anchor the line: the Niimi Kunishige is published in the Kōzan Oshigata and, by the record on its old scabbard, once served as the camp sword (jin-tō) of Bunjō-in, Tokugawa Ienobu, the sixth shōgun. Of Daiyogo the setsumei say few signed works survive, the loss attributed to mei being removed or blades shortened and reworked, yet they name him the leading master of the group and credit the school's spread through the Edo period to smiths of his ability. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Kunishige國重 | 1592-1596 | 2 |
| Kunishige國重 | 1673-1681 | 1 |
| Kunisada國定 | 1688-1704 | 0 |
| Kunishige国重 | 1684-1688 | 0 |
| Kunishige國重 | 1554-1573 | 1 |
The Edo period (1615 to 1868)
For two and a half centuries of peace the sword was the warrior’s legal badge rather than his weapon. Each great city developed its own manner, Edo’s tested strength against Ōsaka’s polished brilliance, until demand thinned in the era’s last decades.
The NTHK’s highest distinction, awarded at its once-a-year examination to a blade of outstanding artistry, condition, and academic importance. It ranks above the standard Kanteishō.
The NTHK (Nihon Tōken Hozon Kai, the Society for the Preservation of the Japanese Sword) is the oldest of Japan’s sword-appraisal bodies, founded in 1910, decades before the NBTHK. After the death of its long-serving head it divided into two successor societies, the NTHK and the NTHK-NPO, both of which continue to hold shinsa. NTHK blade certificates are known for a detailed worksheet that records a numerical point score alongside the judges’ written opinion (fitting papers carry the judges’ opinion without a point score), and the society is especially respected for its attribution of unsigned (mumei) work.
Returns/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.