A gorgeous tanto made at the end of the Edo period, a turbulent time in Japan's history, has just arrived at TOZANDO.

The blade is in excellent condition with no flaws, chips, dents, or other defects. The very well packed itame hada has fine layers of yubashiri. The hamon is a wide gunome with overall niedeki. The boshi is very beautiful with a pointed shape. On the nakago, "Ichige Tokurin residing in Mito" is engraved on the front, and "August of the 5th year of the Bunka period" is engraved on the back.

Tokurin was one of the best swordsmiths representing the Mito clan at the end of the Edo period. He was first taught swordmaking by Kume Shinhichiro, a Mito feudal retainer, but later learned from Ozaki Suketaka in Kyoto, and in 1809 became the official swordsmith of the Mito clan. This tanto is engraved with the 5th year of Bunka(1808 AD), so we can say that it was made before he became the official swordsmith of the Mito clan.

All parts of the Koshirae are made from the original materials of the time. It should be noted that the sheath is fully wrapped in sharkskin, and ivory is also used for the koiguchi, kurigata, and kojiri. This tanto is believed to have belonged to a Mito clan member.

This tanto is a gem that can be sufficiently passed down to posterity as a family heirloom, as one can feel the spirit of Mito, which produced the last shogun of the Edo period, Yoshinobu.

• Blade length: 22.5 cm
• Curvature: 0.0 cm
• Number of Mekugi hole: 1
• Motohaba: 28.1 mm
• Motokasane: 5.9 mm
• Signature: Mito ju Ishige Tokurin(front)/Bunka Gonen Hachigatubi
• Era: Shinshinto
• Structure: Hira-zukuri
• Jitetsu: Ko-itame
• Hamon: Gunome
• Boshi: Midarete Haitte Togatte Kaeru
• Weight(blade only): 170 g
• Nakago: Ubu
  
• Original Registration No.: Kochi 22581

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