NihontoWatchThe famous swordsmith Minamoto Shigeyoshi, who is a Mukansa swordsmith and designated as a Kumamoto Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property, was born Tanigawa Matsukichi in Taisho 9; he served as a director of the All Japan Swordsmith Association and is a master craftsman representing Japan, having won top prizes at the Shinsaku Meito Ten such as the Chairman's Award, Director-General's Award, Kanzan Award, and Mainichi Shimbun Award. He is also famous as a swordsmith who spent his entire life researching the Bakumatsu period master Minamoto Kiyomaro in the modern era. This sword has a long nagasa with a wide moto-mihaba and wide saki-mihaba with an extended kissaki, reproducing the grand sugata of Minamoto Kiyomaro; the jigane is forged in itame hada to create a powerful steel, and the horimono of futasuji-hi is masterfully carved, while the hamon is a gunome midare in the style of Kiyomaro with varied changes, tempered with a spirited edge that masterfully displays nie-sunagashi and kinsuji within the ha, recreating Minamoto Kiyomaro here. This sword is further graced by a koshirae with a magnificent saya and a tsuka wrapped in monkey skin, an authentic Higo koshirae style that can no longer be seen today. The production cost at the time was said to be over ¥2,500,000, and as it has appeared in the world for the first time in an uncirculated state, we are offering it at a special low price through the kindness of the owner. Please enjoy it by all means.
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Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors ·
Kumamoto · around 1926-1989
9 pieces on the market now
Shōwa to the present: destruction and revival
The twentieth century nearly killed the craft twice: wartime distortion, then the occupation ban. The NBTHK’s founding in 1948 and licensed forging from 1953 rebuilt the sword as an art, crowned by Living National Treasures and the mukansa rank.
For 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.