A very good condition tanto with a Mihara signature has just arrived.

The sword is extremely well preserved with no flaws such as flaws, rust, chips, or dents. The jigane has typical koto characteristics with itame well mixed with mokume. Hamon is a thin suguha with well-compacted nie. The name Mihara Kai Masayoshi is engraved on the nakago.

Kai Mihara refers to the area near Kaigahara, Mitsugi-cho, northern part of Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, where a group of bingo swordsmiths flourished from the Nanbokucho period to the end of the Muromachi period, collectively known as Kai Mihara. Although Kai Mihara swords are well known, many of them were worn out due to the warring feudal lords such as Mori Motonari, who fought for supremacy in the Chugoku region.

As a result, very few of them are still in existence, making them rare and valuable. As can be said for this piece, the origin of Kai Mihara was a swordsmith from Yamato Province (present-day Nara Prefecture) who moved to Mihara in the Bingo region, so the characteristics of the Yamato-den are well represented. 

The Gun and Sword Research Society authenticated this piece as a genuine Masayoshi in December 2024 and issued a certificate of authenticity.

Now is your chance to own a rare Mihara Kai tanto.

• Blade length: 21.6 cm
• Curvature: 0.0 cm
• Number of Mekugi hole: 1
• Motohaba: 21.7 mm
• Motokasane: 6.5 mm
• Signature: Mihara Kai Masayoshi
• Era: Koto
• Structure: Hira-zukuri, Iori-mune
• Jigane: Itame with Mokume mixed in
• Hamon: Suguha
• Boshi: Massugu Haitte Ko-maru ni Kaeru
• Weight: 150 g(blade only)
• Nakago: Ubu
• Koshirae: Shirasaya
• Original Registration No.: Tokyo 102508

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