Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
It has finally appeared—a long-awaited masterpiece by Hida no Kami Fujiwara Ujifusa. Like Horikawa Kunihiro, who is hailed as the founder of Shinto, Ujifusa was a samurai, making his works rare and highly precious. Hida no Kami Ujifusa was born as the legitimate son of the master smith Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa. In Tensho 5 (1577, 447 years ago), he served as a page (koshō) to Oda Nobutaka, the third son of Oda Nobunaga. Following the Honnoji Incident in Tensho 10 (1582, 442 years ago) and the death of Nobunaga, and the subsequent suicide of Oda Nobutaka in Tensho 11 (1583, 441 years ago) after his defeat by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ujifusa became a ronin. In Tensho 16 (1588, 436 years ago), he began forging swords under his father, Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa. On May 11, Tensho 20 (1592, 432 years ago), he received the title of Hida no Kami through the mediation of Kanpaku Hidetsugu. When Nagoya Castle was completed by Tokugawa Yoshinao in Keicho 15 (1610, 414 years ago), he relocated to the castle town of Nagoya. This sword was originally a massive blade of approximately 2 shaku 6 sun, which a later samurai shortened to match his own swordsmanship style for use as a sashiryo. It presents a gōsō (grand/imposing) sugata with a wide motohaba, a distinct difference between the motohaba and sakihaba, and shallow sori. The jigane is itame-hada mixed with masame-hada. The hamon is nioi-deki with konie, featuring gunome-midare with yahazu-midare and tama-yaki. Furthermore, there are scattered spots of yaki in the ji, and the yaki is applied deeply from the boshi toward the mune, creating a wild and uninhibited edge. It is a masterpiece displaying the typical high-spirited hamon of Hida no Kami Ujifusa. Had it remained in its original ubu condition without being shortened, it would have surely been designated Juyo Token long ago. The Edo-period koshirae further adds splendor to this Ujifusa blade. On this occasion, an elderly collector has entrusted us with this sword, stating that as they have aged, they wish to pass it on to the next generation. Because we were asked to offer this blade by the master Hida no Kami Ujifusa—a smith whose historical lineage is as clear and well-researched as his fellow samurai-smith Horikawa Kunihiro—at an affordable price, we are providing it at a special discount. Please truly enjoy this piece.
NihontoWatchMuromachi · nagasa 71.8cm · sori 0.8cm
Mino-den · Mino · around 1558-1592
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 31%
5 pieces on the market now
Ujisada is traditionally regarded as the son of the first-generation Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa of Seki in Mino province, and as the younger brother of the second-generation Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa. Active during the closing decades of the Muromachi period, with dated works spanning from Tensho 3 (1575) through Tensho 7 (1579), he occupied a distinguished position within the Sue-Seki group. He received the court title Izumo no Kami and signed variously as Sakon Shosho, Sakon Gonshosho, and Gonshosho. The sobriquet "Ikoku Ujisada" is said to have been bestowed in praise of the superb quality of his workmanship, an appellation reportedly arising when a discerning warrior requested one of his blades in preference to a sword from another province.
In the usual style of this smith, one finds a forging texture showing a combination of tight ko-itame with a masame-inclined character, and a temper that forms a gently undulating, shallow and broad notare, into which hako-shaped elements are mixed -- features that well display the characteristics of the Sue-Seki group and in particular of the Ujifusa line. His works range from katana exhibiting large notare that hardens into o-midare with tobiyaki assuming a minayaki-like character, to tanto bearing notare mixed with gunome in which slight ashi and yo enter with a tightening nioiguchi, according well with the transmitted manner of his master. Among tanto, many works bear skillfully executed carvings, placing "grass" kurikara or horimono such as gomabashi with rendai -- a hallmark of the line.
Across the body of designated works, the NBTHK repeatedly observes that Ujisada's blades "clearly display the characteristic features of this smith" and that the workmanship in both ji and ha is excellent. His finest pieces are distinguished by brightness and clarity in the steel -- both jihada and temper described as saeru -- to such a degree that one designated example is characterized as giving an impression that could be mistaken for a superior work by Kotetsu. The consistent presence of dated inscriptions among his surviving works adds documentary value to an oeuvre that stands as a representative achievement of late Seki craftsmanship.
Where Ujisada 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.
Years he was demonstrably active, proven by signed-and-dated blades
Mino-den · Owari
19 pieces on the market now
Rooted in Owari province at the boundary between the kotō and shintō eras, the Ujifusa line carried Mino-den forging into the late Momoyama and early Edo decades, working under the Tokugawa establishment of Owari at Nagoya. The setsumei here cover several hands of the group. Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa and Hida no Kami Ujifusa stand as the reference points against which the others are read. Echigo no Kami Fujiwara Ujitsune, recorded in the Meikan and the Mino-tō Taikan as the second son of Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa, first signed Ujishige, received the Echigo no Kami title in Genna 6 (1620), and died at Nagoya in Meireki 2 (1656). Ujisada, who took the court title Izumo no Kami and signed Sakon Shōshō and Sakon Gonshōshō, is transmitted as a son of the first-generation Ujifusa and younger brother of the second-generation Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa; one of his tantō carries a date of Tenshō 5 (1577). The shared hand begins in the kitae: a dense itame mixed with mokume and nagare-hada, carrying ji-nie and, in the fuller work, fine chikei. The temper draws on the Mino-den vocabulary, a notare mixed with gunome, ko-gunome in tsure, large gunome, and pointed togari-leaning forms, the notare often taking angular turns (kado-gakari).
Ko-ashi and yō enter; nie attaches, at times slightly coarse and unevenly applied, with kinsuji and sunagashi in the lower body and tobiyaki and muneyaki scattered through, so that some blades verge on hitatsura and minayaki. The nioiguchi can incline toward shizumi. The bōshi is tempered deeply and far down (yakisage) with hakikake, the point sometimes drawn into a sanpin-style sharpness on one face and an ō-maru on the other. Ujitsune's signed katana reads as a near-textbook gathering of these traits; Ujisada's tantō tightens the nioiguchi (shimarigokoro) toward his master's manner. For kantei, the angular notare, the patchy nie, the shizumi-inclined nioiguchi, and the sanpin-pointed bōshi with long yakisage mark the Wakasa no Kami group; the larger work adds broad mihaba, ō-kissaki, and thick kasane. Carving belongs to the record: a "grass" kurikara and gomabashi with rendai appear on Ujisada's tantō. The Ujitsune katana, by a smith the setsumei call a scant producer, is named his representative work, holding coherence across a great nagasa. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Ujifusa氏房 | 1596-1615 | 16 |
| Ujifusa氏房 | 1571-1592 | 9 |
| Ujitsune氏恒 | 1596-1615 | 1 |
| Ujisada氏貞 | 1558-1592 | 7 |
| Ujifusa氏房 | 1624-1644 | 0 |
Mino in the Muromachi period
Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
¥680,000
It has finally appeared—a long-awaited masterpiece by Hida no Kami Fujiwara Ujifusa. Like Horikawa Kunihiro, who is hailed as the founder of Shinto, Ujifusa was a samurai, making his works rare and highly precious. Hida no Kami Ujifusa was born as the legitimate son of the master smith Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa. In Tensho 5 (1577, 447 years ago), he served as a page (koshō) to Oda Nobutaka, the third son of Oda Nobunaga. Following the Honnoji Incident in Tensho 10 (1582, 442 years ago) and the death of Nobunaga, and the subsequent suicide of Oda Nobutaka in Tensho 11 (1583, 441 years ago) after his defeat by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ujifusa became a ronin. In Tensho 16 (1588, 436 years ago), he began forging swords under his father, Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa. On May 11, Tensho 20 (1592, 432 years ago), he received the title of Hida no Kami through the mediation of Kanpaku Hidetsugu. When Nagoya Castle was completed by Tokugawa Yoshinao in Keicho 15 (1610, 414 years ago), he relocated to the castle town of Nagoya. This sword was originally a massive blade of approximately 2 shaku 6 sun, which a later samurai shortened to match his own swordsmanship style for use as a sashiryo. It presents a gōsō (grand/imposing) sugata with a wide motohaba, a distinct difference between the motohaba and sakihaba, and shallow sori. The jigane is itame-hada mixed with masame-hada. The hamon is nioi-deki with konie, featuring gunome-midare with yahazu-midare and tama-yaki. Furthermore, there are scattered spots of yaki in the ji, and the yaki is applied deeply from the boshi toward the mune, creating a wild and uninhibited edge. It is a masterpiece displaying the typical high-spirited hamon of Hida no Kami Ujifusa. Had it remained in its original ubu condition without being shortened, it would have surely been designated Juyo Token long ago. The Edo-period koshirae further adds splendor to this Ujifusa blade. On this occasion, an elderly collector has entrusted us with this sword, stating that as they have aged, they wish to pass it on to the next generation. Because we were asked to offer this blade by the master Hida no Kami Ujifusa—a smith whose historical lineage is as clear and well-researched as his fellow samurai-smith Horikawa Kunihiro—at an affordable price, we are providing it at a special discount. Please truly enjoy this piece.
NihontoWatchMuromachi · nagasa 71.8cm · sori 0.8cm
Mino-den · Mino · around 1558-1592
Fujishiro Chu-jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 31%
5 pieces on the market now
Ujisada is traditionally regarded as the son of the first-generation Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa of Seki in Mino province, and as the younger brother of the second-generation Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa. Active during the closing decades of the Muromachi period, with dated works spanning from Tensho 3 (1575) through Tensho 7 (1579), he occupied a distinguished position within the Sue-Seki group. He received the court title Izumo no Kami and signed variously as Sakon Shosho, Sakon Gonshosho, and Gonshosho. The sobriquet "Ikoku Ujisada" is said to have been bestowed in praise of the superb quality of his workmanship, an appellation reportedly arising when a discerning warrior requested one of his blades in preference to a sword from another province.
In the usual style of this smith, one finds a forging texture showing a combination of tight ko-itame with a masame-inclined character, and a temper that forms a gently undulating, shallow and broad notare, into which hako-shaped elements are mixed -- features that well display the characteristics of the Sue-Seki group and in particular of the Ujifusa line. His works range from katana exhibiting large notare that hardens into o-midare with tobiyaki assuming a minayaki-like character, to tanto bearing notare mixed with gunome in which slight ashi and yo enter with a tightening nioiguchi, according well with the transmitted manner of his master. Among tanto, many works bear skillfully executed carvings, placing "grass" kurikara or horimono such as gomabashi with rendai -- a hallmark of the line.
Across the body of designated works, the NBTHK repeatedly observes that Ujisada's blades "clearly display the characteristic features of this smith" and that the workmanship in both ji and ha is excellent. His finest pieces are distinguished by brightness and clarity in the steel -- both jihada and temper described as saeru -- to such a degree that one designated example is characterized as giving an impression that could be mistaken for a superior work by Kotetsu. The consistent presence of dated inscriptions among his surviving works adds documentary value to an oeuvre that stands as a representative achievement of late Seki craftsmanship.
Where Ujisada 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.
Years he was demonstrably active, proven by signed-and-dated blades
Mino-den · Owari
19 pieces on the market now
Rooted in Owari province at the boundary between the kotō and shintō eras, the Ujifusa line carried Mino-den forging into the late Momoyama and early Edo decades, working under the Tokugawa establishment of Owari at Nagoya. The setsumei here cover several hands of the group. Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa and Hida no Kami Ujifusa stand as the reference points against which the others are read. Echigo no Kami Fujiwara Ujitsune, recorded in the Meikan and the Mino-tō Taikan as the second son of Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa, first signed Ujishige, received the Echigo no Kami title in Genna 6 (1620), and died at Nagoya in Meireki 2 (1656). Ujisada, who took the court title Izumo no Kami and signed Sakon Shōshō and Sakon Gonshōshō, is transmitted as a son of the first-generation Ujifusa and younger brother of the second-generation Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa; one of his tantō carries a date of Tenshō 5 (1577). The shared hand begins in the kitae: a dense itame mixed with mokume and nagare-hada, carrying ji-nie and, in the fuller work, fine chikei. The temper draws on the Mino-den vocabulary, a notare mixed with gunome, ko-gunome in tsure, large gunome, and pointed togari-leaning forms, the notare often taking angular turns (kado-gakari).
Ko-ashi and yō enter; nie attaches, at times slightly coarse and unevenly applied, with kinsuji and sunagashi in the lower body and tobiyaki and muneyaki scattered through, so that some blades verge on hitatsura and minayaki. The nioiguchi can incline toward shizumi. The bōshi is tempered deeply and far down (yakisage) with hakikake, the point sometimes drawn into a sanpin-style sharpness on one face and an ō-maru on the other. Ujitsune's signed katana reads as a near-textbook gathering of these traits; Ujisada's tantō tightens the nioiguchi (shimarigokoro) toward his master's manner. For kantei, the angular notare, the patchy nie, the shizumi-inclined nioiguchi, and the sanpin-pointed bōshi with long yakisage mark the Wakasa no Kami group; the larger work adds broad mihaba, ō-kissaki, and thick kasane. Carving belongs to the record: a "grass" kurikara and gomabashi with rendai appear on Ujisada's tantō. The Ujitsune katana, by a smith the setsumei call a scant producer, is named his representative work, holding coherence across a great nagasa. Learn more →
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Ujifusa氏房 | 1596-1615 | 16 |
| Ujifusa氏房 | 1571-1592 | 9 |
| Ujitsune氏恒 | 1596-1615 | 1 |
| Ujisada氏貞 | 1558-1592 | 7 |
| Ujifusa氏房 | 1624-1644 | 0 |
Mino in the Muromachi period
Sengoku Seki was an industry: smiths organized under their tutelary Kasuga shrine, arming the war bands of central Japan. Magoroku Kanemoto’s sanbonsugi and the finest Kanesada work prove quality survived inside mass production.
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 siteFor returns due to customer circumstances, the cost is the customer's responsibility. For returns due to our mis-shipment or a defective item, we bear the cost.
¥680,000
