Perry’s arrival in 1853 unraveled the Tokugawa peace and created the first mass demand for working swords in two centuries. Kiyomaro, called the Masamune of Yotsuya, died on its eve; Munetsugu and Yukihide carried the boom to the end.
This katana is a masterpiece by Gassan Unryushi Sadakazu, forged in Settsu province during the Keio era (1865-1868) when he was 30 years old. It features a powerful construction with a wide motohaba and sakihaba, thick kasane, and a slightly extended chu-kissaki, reminiscent of Bitchu Aoe blades from the Nanbokucho period. The jitetsu displays a beautiful ko-itame hada with fine ji-nie and chikei, while the suguha hamon shows subtle ko-gunome, bright nie, and a clear nioiguchi, evoking the Aoe school's characteristic utsuri and ashi/yo. It comes with a gold-foiled double habaki and shirasaya, and is accompanied by a Tokubetsu Hozon certificate from the NBTHK.
NihontoWatchmei · Gassan · Genji (1864-1865) · nagasa 69.99cm · sori 1.39cm
Shinshinto · Settsu · around 1864-1865
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 23%
10 pieces on the market now
Where Sadakazu 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.
Shinshinto · Settsu
36 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadakazu貞一 | 1864-1865 | 2 |
| Sadaharu貞晴 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1926-1989 | 0 |
| Yoshiaki吉明 | 1844-1848 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1830-1863 | 0 |
Bakumatsu: the last war market
Perry’s arrival in 1853 unraveled the Tokugawa peace and created the first mass demand for working swords in two centuries. Kiyomaro, called the Masamune of Yotsuya, died on its eve; Munetsugu and Yukihide carried the boom to the end.
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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
¥2,500,000
This katana is a masterpiece by Gassan Unryushi Sadakazu, forged in Settsu province during the Keio era (1865-1868) when he was 30 years old. It features a powerful construction with a wide motohaba and sakihaba, thick kasane, and a slightly extended chu-kissaki, reminiscent of Bitchu Aoe blades from the Nanbokucho period. The jitetsu displays a beautiful ko-itame hada with fine ji-nie and chikei, while the suguha hamon shows subtle ko-gunome, bright nie, and a clear nioiguchi, evoking the Aoe school's characteristic utsuri and ashi/yo. It comes with a gold-foiled double habaki and shirasaya, and is accompanied by a Tokubetsu Hozon certificate from the NBTHK.
NihontoWatchmei · Gassan · Genji (1864-1865) · nagasa 69.99cm · sori 1.39cm
Shinshinto · Settsu · around 1864-1865
Fujishiro Jo saku · Tōken Taikan top 23%
10 pieces on the market now
Where Sadakazu 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.
Shinshinto · Settsu
36 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Sadakazu貞一 | 1864-1865 | 2 |
| Sadaharu貞晴 | 1865-1868 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1926-1989 | 0 |
| Yoshiaki吉明 | 1844-1848 | 0 |
| Sadayoshi貞吉 | 1830-1863 | 0 |
Bakumatsu: the last war market
Perry’s arrival in 1853 unraveled the Tokugawa peace and created the first mass demand for working swords in two centuries. Kiyomaro, called the Masamune of Yotsuya, died on its eve; Munetsugu and Yukihide carried the boom to the end.
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 siteIf, due to our fault, the item differs significantly from its proper condition, the item may be returned. Cooling-off is within one week of the item's arrival.
¥2,500,000
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