Posts Tagged ‘yamato’

A YAMATO SHIZU KANEUJI KATANA WITH 19TH JUYO TOKEN CERTIFICATE

Wednesday, July 8th, 2015
ujka138 Yamato Shizu Katana Introduction

Overview

It is with great pride to showcase an NBTHK 19th Juyo Token katana (A Profound Sword) attributed to Yamato Shizu. It was crafted circa 1319 in the late Kamakura period.
The description on the Juyo Token reads as follows:
This sword has been shortened and mumei (unsigned) and attributed to Yamato Shizu. Yamato Shizu refers to the name and period Shizu Saburo Kaneuji used before he became a student of Soshu Masamune.
Even though there is a Kaneuji that worked in the Nambokucho period, they are different.
Blades crafted by Yamato Shizu feature a gunome (undulating hamon), konotare (small wave pattern hamon), and sunagashi with kinsuji (brushed sand with short black shiny lines inside the hamon).
The colour of the hamon is vivid, much more vivid than other Yamato work. It is similar to Soshu tradition, and the tsukuri komi (how it is made) is similar to the Yamato tradition.
According to historical records swordsmiths populated Mino province in the Hogen era (1156-1159) during the Heian period. However, it’s only once the very late Kamakura period (early 1300s) appeared that works by Shizu Saburo Kaneuji and Kinju have been confirmed.
Kaneuji is said to have moved from Yamato (Nara) to study under the great Masamune to become one of his ten finest pupils (Masamune Jutettsu).
Kaneuji eventually moved to Shizu district in Mino province and is largely considered the founder of the Mino tradition. Shizu means ‘still’ or ‘calm’ in Japanese.
Kaneuji’s works carry a strong mixture of Yamato Tegai School qualities (a jihada of mokume hada with straight grain masame hada) and the Soshu tradition with a hamon displaying nie-deki (large, visible crystals) with plenty of hataraki such as sunagashi (streaks of sand), kinsuji (stripes of gold) and inazuma (crooked lightning bolts).
A noteworthy difference is that is that the hamon carries some togari (tapered peaks) in the hamon. As a basic rule, all Mino tradition swords have togari in the hamon.
The sword is blessed with an outstanding set of koshirae (fittings) that features a gorgeous kizami (grooved) saya (scabbard).
The unique tsuba (guard) depicts a plant (herb) called fuki, also known as a giant butterbur. The tsuba has an NTHK-NPO certification certificate attributing the design to the Shoami School.
The powerful menuki (grips on hilt) are in the design of a sankozuka, a weapon with immense spiritual protection. Scroll down the images below to view more information on the tsuba and menuki.
The fuchi-kashira (collar/pommel) are of guarding shisa lions warding off evil while inviting good fortune.
A significant point to mention is that this katana was granted NBTHK Juyo certification in 1970. Juyo blades judged prior to 1971 are considered prestigious as there was no higher ranking at the time (NBTHK Tokubetsu Juyo did not yet formally exist).
Swords awarded Juyo Token from this extremely selective period were of the absolute top rank and are thus highly coveted. This katana was the Tokubetsu Juyo of its day.
Former co-chairman of the NBTHK, Dr. Sato Kanzan, has further signed the sword’s shirasaya (scabbard). This is a further level of respected authentication known as sayagaki.
This is a healthy katana of formidable museum-grade historical importance.

SOLD to a private collector

*Photos by Eric Bossick for Unique Japan

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