{"product_id":"katana108","title":"Japanese Shinsakutō Katana Sword by Hizen Kazuyoshi with Suguha Hamon, Plum Sukashi Tsuba and Daikoku Menuki, Dated 1988","description":"\u003c!-- KATANA108 — Tokyo Nihonto --\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"product\"\u003e\u003cheader\u003e\u003c\/header\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"specs\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature (Mei):\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e肥前国一吉作\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cem\u003eHizen no Kuni Kazuyoshi saku\u003c\/em\u003e (\"made by Kazuyoshi of Hizen Province\"), dated \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e戊辰年二月日\u003c\/span\u003e (\"a day in the second month of the \u003cem\u003etsuchinoe-tatsu\u003c\/em\u003e year\", February 1988)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSwordsmith:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nakao Kazuyoshi \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e中尾一吉\u003c\/span\u003e (born 1939), Saga Prefecture\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSchool \/ Tradition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hizen tradition; son and pupil of Nakao Tadatsugu \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e忠次\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/strong\u003e Late Shōwa, February 1988. A modern \u003cem\u003eshinsakutō\u003c\/em\u003e: the date is on the tang and the sword was registered one month later\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCertificate:\u003c\/strong\u003e None. No shinsa paper; the attribution rests on the signed and dated tang\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJapanese Registration (Tōroku-shō):\u003c\/strong\u003e Saga no. 27041, issued 16 March 1988\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMounting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Complete \u003cem\u003ekatana koshirae\u003c\/em\u003e: reddish-brown speckled lacquer \u003cem\u003esaya\u003c\/em\u003e, iron plum-tree \u003cem\u003esukashi\u003c\/em\u003e tsuba with gold inlay, iron \u003cem\u003efuchi\u003c\/em\u003e with gold pine needles, \u003cem\u003ekashira\u003c\/em\u003e carved as an Okame face, Daikoku \u003cem\u003emenuki\u003c\/em\u003e, brown silk \u003cem\u003etsuka-ito\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlade Length (Nagasa):\u003c\/strong\u003e 71.8 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurvature (Sori):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.9 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMekugi-ana:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape (Sugata):\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eShinogi-zukuri\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eiori-mune\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003echū-kissaki\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ebo-hi\u003c\/em\u003e on both sides running down into the tang; tang unaltered (\u003cem\u003eubu\u003c\/em\u003e) with a rounded \u003cem\u003ekuri-jiri\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJihada:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very tight \u003cem\u003eko-itame\u003c\/em\u003e, fine and even\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHamon:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eSuguha\u003c\/em\u003e with gentle undulations, in \u003cem\u003enioi\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBōshi:\u003c\/strong\u003e Straight, with a small rounded turnback (\u003cem\u003eko-maru\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHabaki:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single-piece copper, with diagonal file marks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA signed and dated katana of \u003cstrong\u003e71.8 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e by \u003cstrong\u003eNakao Kazuyoshi\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e中尾一吉\u003c\/span\u003e, a licensed swordsmith of Saga Prefecture, the old Hizen Province. The tang reads \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e肥前国一吉作\u003c\/span\u003e and is dated \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e戊辰年二月日\u003c\/span\u003e, the second month of the \u003cem\u003etsuchinoe-tatsu\u003c\/em\u003e year: \u003cstrong\u003eFebruary 1988\u003c\/strong\u003e. The sword was registered in Saga on \u003cstrong\u003e16 March 1988\u003c\/strong\u003e, a few weeks after it left the forge. This is a \u003cem\u003eshinsakutō\u003c\/em\u003e, a sword made by hand in the traditional way in modern Japan, and it is sold as such, not as an antique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shape is a full-sized \u003cem\u003eshinogi-zukuri\u003c\/em\u003e katana with an \u003cem\u003eiori-mune\u003c\/em\u003e and a \u003cem\u003echū-kissaki\u003c\/em\u003e. At \u003cstrong\u003e71.8 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e with \u003cstrong\u003e1.9 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e of curvature, it is a long, well-balanced blade, a little over the 2 \u003cem\u003eshaku\u003c\/em\u003e 3 \u003cem\u003esun\u003c\/em\u003e that is the standard length for a katana. A \u003cem\u003ebo-hi\u003c\/em\u003e is cut on both sides and runs down into the tang, which lightens the blade without reducing its width.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hamon is a \u003cem\u003esuguha\u003c\/em\u003e, a straight temper line with gentle undulations, formed in \u003cem\u003enioi\u003c\/em\u003e, ending in a straight \u003cem\u003ebōshi\u003c\/em\u003e with a small rounded turnback. A straight hamon is the signature of the Hizen tradition, and it is also the hardest to make well: there is no pattern to hide an uneven line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe steel is a very tight \u003cem\u003eko-itame\u003c\/em\u003e, fine and even. The blade is in a bright polish and in healthy condition. The tang is unaltered, with a single \u003cem\u003emekugi-ana\u003c\/em\u003e and a light grey surface: at less than forty years old, it has not yet taken the dark patina of an Edo-period tang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"koshirae\"\u003e\u003ch3\u003eKoshirae Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003etsuba\u003c\/em\u003e is a round iron plate with a lobed rim, cut in openwork (\u003cem\u003esukashi\u003c\/em\u003e) as an old plum tree: a thick, gnarled trunk, thin branches and blossoms carved in relief. Small gold dots are inlaid across the iron, and on one face a single plum flower is inlaid in gold. The plum flowers at the end of winter, before any other tree, which made it a favourite emblem of endurance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003efuchi\u003c\/em\u003e is iron with a stippled surface, carved in relief with a small stone lantern and scattered with gold inlaid pine needles. The \u003cem\u003ekashira\u003c\/em\u003e is unusual: it is carved as the round, smiling face of \u003cstrong\u003eOkame\u003c\/strong\u003e, the goddess of good fortune and good humour, with flecks of gold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003etsuka\u003c\/em\u003e is wrapped in brown silk in \u003cem\u003ehineri-maki\u003c\/em\u003e over white \u003cem\u003esame\u003c\/em\u003e, with a large nodule visible on one side. The \u003cem\u003emenuki\u003c\/em\u003e depict \u003cstrong\u003eDaikoku\u003c\/strong\u003e, god of wealth and one of the Seven Lucky Gods, in his flat cap: on one side he holds a large gilt mallet or rice bale, on the other he appears in silver. Okame and Daikoku together make this a mounting built entirely around good fortune.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003esaya\u003c\/em\u003e is lacquered in a reddish-brown with a fine black speckle, with a black horn \u003cem\u003ekoiguchi\u003c\/em\u003e, an iron \u003cem\u003ekojiri\u003c\/em\u003e with low-relief scrolls, and a brown \u003cem\u003esageo\u003c\/em\u003e. The \u003cem\u003ehabaki\u003c\/em\u003e is a single-piece copper collar with diagonal file marks, and the \u003cem\u003eseppa\u003c\/em\u003e are gilt and copper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"smith-background\"\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe Swordsmith: Nakao Kazuyoshi \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e中尾一吉\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNakao Kazuyoshi was born in \u003cstrong\u003e1939\u003c\/strong\u003e into a family of swordsmiths in Saga Prefecture. He trained under his father, \u003cstrong\u003eNakao Tadatsugu\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e忠次\u003c\/span\u003e, himself a pupil of \u003cstrong\u003eHorii Toshihide\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e堀井俊秀\u003c\/span\u003e, one of the leading smiths of the first half of the twentieth century. He signs \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e肥前国住一吉作\u003c\/span\u003e or, as here, \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e肥前国一吉作\u003c\/span\u003e, and is listed in the directory of the All Japan Swordsmith Association (\u003cem\u003eZen Nihon Tōshō-kai\u003c\/em\u003e) under Saga Prefecture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKazuyoshi is known for his \u003cem\u003eutsushi\u003c\/em\u003e, studies of great historical styles: the Kamakura-period \u003cstrong\u003eIchimonji\u003c\/strong\u003e school, \u003cstrong\u003eMinamoto Kiyomaro\u003c\/strong\u003e, and above all \u003cstrong\u003eHizen Tadayoshi\u003c\/strong\u003e, the founder of his own province's tradition. Japanese dealers describe him as a versatile smith who also worked in the manner of Sukehiro and Naotane. He has won several prizes at the annual contemporary sword exhibitions, including \u003cem\u003eYūshū-shō\u003c\/em\u003e (excellence) and \u003cem\u003eDoryoku-shō\u003c\/em\u003e awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe made relatively few blades. This one is not signed as a copy of any earlier master: it is his own work, in the straight-hamon style of Hizen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"school-history\"\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHizen Swords, Then and Now\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder the Edo period, Hizen Province was ruled by the \u003cstrong\u003eNabeshima\u003c\/strong\u003e clan, and its official swordsmiths, the \u003cstrong\u003eTadayoshi\u003c\/strong\u003e line, founded the most consistent school of the \u003cem\u003eshintō\u003c\/em\u003e era. Over more than two and a half centuries, the Tadayoshi family and its branches trained over a hundred smiths. Their trademark was a fine, almost seamless steel called \u003cem\u003ekonuka-hada\u003c\/em\u003e (\"rice-bran grain\") and a calm, perfectly controlled \u003cem\u003esuguha\u003c\/em\u003e. Hizen swords were valued as much for their reliability as for their beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter 1945, sword making was banned in Japan, and it only resumed in 1953 under a licensing system that still applies. Every traditional sword is now made by a licensed smith, in tamahagane steel produced in the traditional furnace, and each smith may make only a limited number of long blades a year. Every finished blade is registered with the prefectural Board of Education before it can be sold, which is why this sword carries a registration card issued only weeks after its date.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is offered here is a katana of 71.8 cm, signed by Nakao Kazuyoshi of Hizen and dated February 1988, registered in Saga, with a straight Hizen-style hamon and a complete koshirae built around good-fortune motifs: an iron plum-tree tsuba, an Okame kashira and Daikoku menuki.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"Tokyo Nihonto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57700987535684,"sku":"KATANA108","price":4300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0753\/4080\/8516\/files\/Katana108_360K_0041_GenerativeFill3.jpg?v=1794452733","url":"https:\/\/tokyo-nihonto.com\/products\/katana108","provider":"Tokyo Nihonto","version":"1.0","type":"link"}