This sword holds a special place in the heart of Unique Japan.

In very early 2014, I was approached by NHK Enterprises to be part of a documentary on Japanese sword polishing, “In Love with the Samurai Sword”. It is a film that set out to capture the trials and tribulations of two live-in sword polishing apprentices under the expert guidance of master sword polisher Takushi Sasaki.

It is such a wonderfully made documentary, touching and very insightful.

For those who have not seen the documentary, please visit this link, which was posted to YouTube. For the record, it was not posted by Unique Japan. All copyright is owned by NHK Enterprises and Discovery Channel Canada.

Given the opportunity to meet Sasaki sensei and his sword polishing family was a true honour. I was asked by NHK if I wished to consider retaining their sword polishing services. I then thought about a potential sword to invest in.

I soon decided on a wakizashi by the brilliant Shodai (first generation) Yamato no Kami Yasusada who worked in the Early Edo Period, circa 1648-1672.

We took it in for polishing in February of 2014. This meeting and handover was shown in the documentary.

Little did I know how transformative the polish would be on the sword. When I picked up the sword in late spring after only 2 months, the result truly blew me away. I was speechless…

As my trusted photographer Eric Bossick had already photographed the sword in 2012, we are able to show everyone visiting this page the before and after images (scroll down for all images).

Yamato no Kami Yasusada is a tremendous talent. It is said that he is originally from Echizen province and learned from Shodai Yasutsugu, however this is not for certain.

Another theory is that he travelled to Edo (Tokyo) by way of the Kishu Ishido School. Whichever way you cut it, he did eventually make it to Edo and flourished.

Fujishiro ranks Yasusada as Jo-saku (a superior swordsmith). He is also rated ryo-wazamono for the very good cutting ability of his swords.

Many Yasusada swords have achieved the prestigious rank of NBTHK Juyo and a great number were used for cutting tests. This sword has recently earned NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certification.

The hamon (temper line) is an exquisite example of a gunome midare, or random semi-circular waves. The sword, with its new polish, is dazzling. Every bit of detail in the blade is there for the eyes and heart to soak in.

Accompanying the sword is an splendid set of Edo period fittings that feature an Echizen Kinai tsuba with the Tokugawa hollyhock aoi-mon kamon (family crest).

As Shodai Yasutsugu was given permission to use the Tokugawa family Aoi-mon by Tokugawa Ieyasu on his swords, this tsuba makes for an interesting topic of conversation.

Furthemore, the menuki displays the courageous rooster (in gold) and the remarkable fuchi-kashira tells the story of the “Blind men and an Elephant”. Their unique symbolism has been documented on this page.

Please scroll to view images and discover information regarding this remarkable wakizashi.

I am proud to say this sword is part of our family collection. It will eventually be passed down to our third child, Nelson, born on September 5, 2016.

Pablo Kuntz
Founder, Unique Japan

If owning an authentic Japanese Samurai sword is of interest to you and your family, we would be honoured to serve you.

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 a hired gallery space. We can also arrange visits to a company office, hotel, near the airport or at 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 400 swords FROM Japan to immensely proud owners in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia 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