This exceptional daishô couples a shintô period katana by shodai Masahiro with a wakizashi by Osafune Sanemitsu, dated to August 1406 during the Ôei era. Among the Waki-Hizen smiths, Masahiro was especially known for his chôji-midare hamon, which is on glorious display on the katana. Sanemitsu belongs to the famed Ôei-Bizen lineage that drew on styles from the earlier Ko-Bizen masters and smiths such as Mitsutada. The NBTHK Hozon certified daishô koshirae is highly classical, tuxedo-like in its formality, with stunning depictions of onagadori birds and iron Higo tsuba bearing a kuyô-mon, a nine star crest hinting at a connection to a daimyô. This is a wonderful opportunity to proudly own and display a tasteful, authentic samurai daishô from the Edo period.

This handsome katana was crafted by Kôzuke no Suke Yoshitoki who belonged to the Zenjô family of Seki, Mino province, the largest among the Seki Shichi-ryû, the seven schools that flourished there. The blade itself measures 70.5cm and boasts a remarkable curvature of 2.8cm, giving it the iconic shape of a tachi, indeed rare for the shintô period. The jihada is ko-mokume, with glimmering ji-nie and chikei with a bright white gunome-midare hamon with pointed togari, thick ko-nie, kinsuji and loads of sunagashi. The katana is housed in a splendid uchigatana koshirae, fitted with a beautiful matching set of Edo-Higo cloud dragon fittings, even the Kyô-Shôami tsuba joins the party. Currently NBTHK Hozon certified, with genuine potential for upgrade to Tokubetsu Hozon given the sword’s quality and clean ubu-nakago. Contact Pablo for details, next submission: December 2026.

This powerful and extra sharp katana has been attributed to Chiyozuru Morihiro, a talented swordsmith who worked in Echizen during the late Nambokuchô period and into the Oei era of the Muromachi period. The blade displays a fine koshi-zori curvature and rich, dark jigane with abundant chikei and flows with itame and mokume-hada. Its bright hamon is based on suguha mixed with ko-midare, abundant ashi, sunagashi, kinsuji, and areas of nijuba. Kinzogan-mei on the nakago confirms this blade severed a human body through the armpit region during a tameshigiri cutting test. Kotô period swords with cutting tests are exceptionally rare to collect. The handsome koshirae features a striped senden-nuri saya and a tsuba depicting the heroic Minamoto Yorimasa, plus splendid fuchi-kashira of the open sea – both crafted by Munetoshi of the famed Nara school.

This is a beautiful and rare opportunity to own a jûyô tôken tantô from the Hôshô school, the most distinctive of the five schools of Yamato. Designated at the 46th jûyô shinsa in October 2000, the blade is signed in red lacquer Hôshô Gorô and shows a clearly running masame-hada with ji-nie and chikei, and a hoso-suguha hamon with fine hotsure. The NBTHK noted that its small, slender shape brings to mind Sadakiyô or Sadaoki. The old shirasaya records an origami by Hon’ami Kôchû in 1711, valued at six mai, or six ôban gold coins. It is accompanied by a spectacular aikuchi koshirae that could potentially be submitted to the NBTHK. Final price depends on certification and any additional work, such as sayagaki, discussed at enquiry. Enquire now to be first in line.

This brilliant katana by Sawahara Shigetane, the most gifted student of Taikei Naotane, is exceptionally long at 81.5 cm. With its deep koshi-zori it carries the unmistakable presence of a Kamakura period tachi. Forged in August 1836, the blade shows a suguha-based hamon with ko-chôji and ko-gunome and an archaic air modelled on Osafune Sanenaga, and Tanobe-sensei’s sayagaki on the shirasaya praises the workmanship as excellent. It comes with a Meiji period tachi koshirae in kawari-nuri lacquer, fitted with late Edo period tachi fittings, a tsuba and dragon menuki, and the taiko-gane bears an aoi-mon hinting at a Tokugawa connection. Final price depends on any additional work discussed at enquiry. Enquire now to be first in line.

This superb katana is by Nidai Kanewaka (Tsujimura Matasuke) of Kanazawa in Kaga province, third son of the first Kanewaka and a jô-saku, wazamono ranked smith. The hamon is a striking gunome-midare mixed with hako-midare that is synonymous with the Kanewaka school. A silver-inlay inscription on the nakago records that the blade severed through one body in a tameshigiri cutting test. It is housed in a late Edo period dragon-themed koshirae, and it is an awesome collectible certified NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon. Final price depends on certification and any additional work, such as sayagaki, discussed at enquiry. Enquire now to be first in line.

Yukihiro was born in 1617 into the heart of the Hizen tradition, receiving his coveted Dewa no Kami title in 1663. This katana dates from his mature period – always the most desirable work of any Hizen smith. The blade presents the ko-itame jihada that defines the finest Hizen output, with a gunome midare hamon of lovely clove-blossom character, long ashi and sunagashi adding life across the steel. We sold this sword many years ago and it has now returned to us. A custom Unique Japan koshirae accompanies the sword, and photos of the project are available on request. The sword is currently in transit to our studio in Japan for a “spa treatment”, including a shirasaya and koshirae check and new photography. Enquire now to be first in line.