Nihonto Blog

Edo-period sword appraiser studying antique blades beside a swordsmith ranking ledger — ukiyo-e style illustration

Hawley Rating Explained: Valuing Japanese Sword...

Hawley Rating Explained: How Japanese Swordsmiths Are Valued Quick Summary The Hawley rating is a numerical score, drawn from W. M. Hawley's reference book Japanese Swordsmiths, that ranks a smith's...

Hawley Rating Explained: Valuing Japanese Sword...

Hawley Rating Explained: How Japanese Swordsmiths Are Valued Quick Summary The Hawley rating is a numerical score, drawn from W. M. Hawley's reference book Japanese Swordsmiths, that ranks a smith's...

The five greatest Japanese swords (Tenka-Goken) displayed in a temple treasure hall — ukiyo-e style illustration

Tenka-Goken: The Five Greatest Japanese Swords ...

Tenka-Goken: The Five Greatest Japanese Swords Ever Made Quick Summary The Tenka-Goken (天下五剣), the "Five Swords Under Heaven," are the five blades traditionally ranked as the greatest in Japanese history....

Tenka-Goken: The Five Greatest Japanese Swords ...

Tenka-Goken: The Five Greatest Japanese Swords Ever Made Quick Summary The Tenka-Goken (天下五剣), the "Five Swords Under Heaven," are the five blades traditionally ranked as the greatest in Japanese history....

Appraisal inscription (sayagaki) brushed on a shirasaya scabbard with brush and inkstone — ukiyo-e style illustration

Sayagaki: The Appraisal Inscriptions That Add V...

Sayagaki: The Appraisal Inscriptions That Add Value to a Nihonto Quick Summary Sayagaki (鞘書き) is an appraisal written in ink directly on the shirasaya, the plain wooden scabbard a blade...

Sayagaki: The Appraisal Inscriptions That Add V...

Sayagaki: The Appraisal Inscriptions That Add Value to a Nihonto Quick Summary Sayagaki (鞘書き) is an appraisal written in ink directly on the shirasaya, the plain wooden scabbard a blade...

Close inspection of an antique katana blade for flaws (kizu) — ukiyo-e style illustration

Kizu: Nihonto Blade Flaws That Kill Value (and ...

Kizu: The Nihonto Blade Flaws That Kill Value (and the Ones That Don't) Quick Summary Kizu (疵) means flaw, and every antique blade has the potential for them. The skill...

Kizu: Nihonto Blade Flaws That Kill Value (and ...

Kizu: The Nihonto Blade Flaws That Kill Value (and the Ones That Don't) Quick Summary Kizu (疵) means flaw, and every antique blade has the potential for them. The skill...

Japanese sword registration certificate (torokusho) scroll beside a katana — ukiyo-e style illustration

Torokusho: The Japanese Sword Registration Cert...

Torokusho: The Japanese Sword Registration Certificate Explained Quick Summary The torokusho (登録証) is the registration certificate issued by a Japanese prefectural Board of Education that makes a nihonto legal to...

Torokusho: The Japanese Sword Registration Cert...

Torokusho: The Japanese Sword Registration Certificate Explained Quick Summary The torokusho (登録証) is the registration certificate issued by a Japanese prefectural Board of Education that makes a nihonto legal to...

Antique Japanese tachi sword on a stand showing its parts — ukiyo-e style illustration

Parts of a Japanese Sword: The Complete Anatomy...

Parts of a Japanese Sword: The Complete Anatomy Guide Quick Summary A Japanese sword (nihonto) is described in three sections: the blade, the nakago (tang), and the koshirae (mounting). Learning...

Parts of a Japanese Sword: The Complete Anatomy...

Parts of a Japanese Sword: The Complete Anatomy Guide Quick Summary A Japanese sword (nihonto) is described in three sections: the blade, the nakago (tang), and the koshirae (mounting). Learning...