The maker of this formidable katana is the fourth generation Yasutsugu of the famed Edo branch of the Yasutsugu School.

The name Yasutsugu has a distinctly royal flavor. Shodai Yasutsugu (first generation) was supported by Matsudaira Hideyasu, third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu (first shogun of the Edo period).

Hideyasu was the daimyo (great family) of Echizen province. His power and influence bolstered the fame of Yasutsugu considerably. By the year 1600, Yasutsugu was well established in Echizen. His patronage by Hideyasu secured his livelihood and allowed him the freedom to produce swords in a variety of styles.

In 1606 or 1607, Yasutsugu’s fame reached the point that he was called to Edo (Tokyo) to share his time with Tokugawa Ieyasu. Not long after Yasutsugu was given the privilege of using the kanji character Yasu (康) from Tokugawa Ieyasu’s name.

An additional privilege followed whereby the carving the Aoi Mon (hollyhock crest) on his blades was granted. These privileges were given in perpetuity to Yasutsugu and his descendants. Yasutsugu swordsmiths thus became the kaji (official smiths) of the Tokugawa Family.

No less than eleven generations of Yasutsugu smiths in the Edo line proudly followed suit.

The fourth generation’s working period was from the third year of Enpo (1675) to the Jokyo era. He specialized in crafting swords with a deep consistent suguha (straight) hamon (temper line) with tiny undulations.

The 71.2cm cutting edge makes this sword a classic Samurai katana, typical of his fine work.

Interestingly, the steel used to produce this sword was in part sourced from Europe, likely from Dutch traders. This steel was known as “Namban tetsu”, (lit. Southern Barbarian steel). It would have been expensive and unique to produce swords with steel from faraway lands in the late 1600s. Thus the nakago (tang) is chiseled with the words Namban tetsu.

Two certificates of authenticity accompany this katana from the sword museum of Japan, the NBTHK. A vintage Tokubetsu Kicho Token (An Especially Precious Sword) certificate issued in 1970 and a modern-day Tokubetsu Hozon (Especially Worthy of Preservation).

As the sword was originally acquired in it’s shirasaya (magnolia wood scabbard), a custom koshirae (fittings) was traditionally crafted for the sword that took over three months to produce.

Like a tailor made suit, the tsuka (hilt), the saya (scabbard) along with the ray skin base wrapped with Japanese silk are all made to measure. Each koshirae is unique to the sword and owner.

All the fittings for the sword are from the Edo Period (pre 1868). Two further NTHK-NPO certificates for the tsuba (guard), and the koshirae further accredit the sword.

The common theme throughout the koshirae is that of the Aoi Mon (hollyhock leaf) – the official kamon (crest) of the Tokugawa family. PK

Download the Full PDF description with images that was produced for the sword (18 pages, 13MB).
*Photos by Eric Bossick for Unique Japan. Open document in iBooks if on iPad.

If owning an authentic Japanese Samurai sword is of interest to you and your family, we would be honoured to serve you. We have shipped hundreds of Japanese swords from Japan to happy clients living around the world.

If you have the pleasure of living in Japan or visiting the country, we recommend that you come to one of our upcoming sword shows or schedule a private VIP meeting with us.

VIP meetings are normally held near JR Ebisu station in Tokyo at our studio by appointment only. We can also arrange visits to a hotel, company office, or a private residence.

To those exploring our collection online, be sure to download our catalogue of available swords here.

We completely respect the fact it takes a HUGE leap of personal FAITH in us to commit to a particular sword given the reliance on photos and descriptions for such a highly valued item.

It is our PROMISE to address all your questions to the best of our ability. It’s important to us that you feel completely confident that the sword you choose (and that chooses you) is destined for you and your family.

You can also take reassurance that ALL swords from Unique Japan are GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC and come with a 3-DAY WORRY FREE inspection period upon arrival to your home.

Yes, it is completely legal to own a genuine antique Japanese sword (even those that are several hundreds of years old). Unique Japan specialises in all proper legal compliances so that swords can be exported from Japan.
All required paperwork is provided free of charge for clients.

Unique Japan has safely sent well over 300 swords FROM Japan to immensely proud owners in the United States, Canada, Europe and around the world.

We look forward to making your dream of owning an authentic Japanese sword a reality for you.

→ 7 Points to Consider when Choosing your Japanese Sword
→ 5 Steps to Owning an Authentic Japanese Samurai Sword
→ Download catalogue of currently available Japanese swords
→ Building your own custom koshirae and daisho, recommended!
→ PARTS of a Japanese Sword and Mountings (High-quality images)
→ 7 reasons WHY I love Japanese swords
→ Resource Information on Japanese Swords
→ NBTHK Certification Paper Ranking for Japanese Swords
→ NTHK-NPO Certification Paper Ranking for Japanese Swords