The divided-courts war impoverished the court society that had sustained Kyōto’s most refined work. With the last Rai masters the classic line effectively closed, while Hasebe and Nobukuni carried the new Sōshū manner into the capital.
NihontoWatchNihontoWatchAttributed to Echizen Rai by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2022. The Echizen Rai school was founded by Rai Kuniyasu of the famous Rai school of Yamashiro, who relocated to Echizen Province during the Nanbokuchō period. Echizen Rai swords are made in Yamashiro-den and exhibit stunning Jihada. This katana is a beautiful Nanbokucho-period example, with a wide mihaba and a Chu-kissaki. The katana features a suguha Hamon, with abundant nie activity as visible in my image. The real beauty of this sword is in the Jihada, exhibiting stunning itame and mokume patterns which are quite “in your face”. There is some muneyaki on the mune close to the kissaki, but this really only adds to the allure in my opinion. There are some small imperfections and scratches, which are expected for a Nanbokucho sword, but the sword preserves a beautiful Nanbokucho appearance with a very heavy weight. There is no damage to the cutting edge or the sword. There is also a polisher's signature in kanji, which I have not been able to decipher. The sword is accompanied by a (mostly) modern red-and-white-themed koshirae with a red saya and white tsuka-ito. The Tsuba and other tosogu are all Edo period. And a newly made shirasaya for long-term preservation. A complete package at an affordable price, a true Yamashiro-den katana that is perfect for the jigane lovers among us ;).
NihontoWatchOffered by Token Oranda
5 on the market
Yamashiro-den · Echizen
5 pieces on the market now
| Smith | Era | Designated |
|---|---|---|
| Echizen越前 | 1336-1392 | 1 |
Yamashiro in the Nanbokuchō period
The divided-courts war impoverished the court society that had sustained Kyōto’s most refined work. With the last Rai masters the classic line effectively closed, while Hasebe and Nobukuni carried the new Sōshū manner into the capital.
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 site
Returns accepted within 14 days after the package is received. Return shipping paid by the customer if cancellation is preference-based; paid by Token Oranda if there are condition issues on arrival. Full refund once the returned product arrives unused. EU customers have full European rights including a guaranteed 14-day return period.
€4,900