A new Tokubetsu Hozon-approved wakizashi from the Koto period, equipped with a Tachi Koshirae with a Juyo Toso appraisal, has just arrived at Tozando.

The preservation of the sword is so excellent that it is hard to believe that it is a piece from the Koto period, as it is completely flawless and you would be mistaken to think that it was made in the modern era.

The jitetsu is an itame hada with a jinie, and the entire blade is decorated with the powerful Soshu-den-like hitatsura hamon, with very active hataraki such as nie, tama, and yo. Both sides of the sword are engraved. On the sashiomote side, there is a kusa-no-kurikara figure with an esoteric Buddhist ritual tool called renge, and on the sashiura side, there is a Sanskrit character meaning Fudo Myoo and a gomahashi, a two-striped groove, which adds even more flair to this piece. It is assumed that this sword itself was made for the purpose of protection.

The name Soshu Ju Takahiro is engraved on the nakago. Takahiro was a representative Soshu swordsmith who was active during the period from about the Bunmei period (1469) to the Chokyo period (1487) of the Muromachi era (1333-1568). His works have been highly evaluated since that time for their artistic beauty in addition to their sharpness, and they are rare and valuable, not being sold on the market very often due to the short period of his activity.

And this masterpiece by Takahiro is equipped with a magnificent tachi koshirae, which was made in the late Edo period and inherited from the Naruse family. This itomaki style tachi was often used by upper-class samurai families as a votive offering to shrines and temples or as a gift to feudal lords. All metal fittings are made of red copper and have nanako processing. The family crest of katabami (sorrel flowers) is frequently decorated, and can be seen on the habaki. This family crest belonged to the Naruse family, who were the lords of Inuyama Castle and served the Matsudaira family for generations. Naruse Masakazu served Tokugawa Ieyasu as a Fushimi magistrate, and his eldest son, Masanari, served Ieyasu as a petty farmer from an early age. Later, Masanari received Inuyama Castle from the second shogun, Hidetada, in 1617.

We hope you will take this opportunity to enjoy this historic and splendid wakizashi by Master Takahiro with the masterful Soshu engraving.

• Blade length: 57.1 cm
• Curvature: 1.8 cm
• Number of Mekugi hole: 3
• Sakihaba: 19.2 mm
• Sakikasane: 4.2 mm
• Motohaba: 28.2 mm
• Motokasane: 5.3 mm
• Signature: Soshu ju Takahiro
• Era: Koto
• Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
• Jitetsu: Itame with Jinie
• Hamon: HItatsura
• Boshi: Midaretekomi
• Weight(blade only): 510 g
• Nakago: Suriage
  
• Koshirae: Navy silk Tsuka with gold Nashiji with gold Makie lacquered Saya with Katabami family crest, Shirasaya
• Original Registration No.: Aichi 11328

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