{"product_id":"authentic-shinto-era-wakizashi-for-sale-kunitsugu-nbthk-hozon-certificate-tozando","title":"Authentic Shinto Era Wakizashi for Sale - Kunitsugu, NBTHK Hozon Certificate | Tozando","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAntique Japanese Wakizashi, signed Uta no Kunitsugu — NBTHK Hozon Tōken\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEtchū Uta school · Early Edo period (Shintō), c. Kan'ei–Kanbun era\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAccompanied by an NBTHK Hozon Tōken (\"Sword Worthy of Preservation\") certificate.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis large wakizashi bears the signature \u003cem\u003eUta no Kunitsugu\u003c\/em\u003e (宇多之国次) and is accompanied by an \u003cstrong\u003eNBTHK Hozon Tōken\u003c\/strong\u003e certificate, which papers it as a genuine work of the \u003cstrong\u003eUta school of Etchū province\u003c\/strong\u003e dating to the \u003cem\u003eShintō\u003c\/em\u003e (\"new sword\") era — the certificate itself notes the \"Shintō\" classification, placing this blade in the early Edo period, around the Kan'ei to Kanbun eras (mid-17th century).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Uta school of Etchū\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Uta school traces to a smith remembered as Ko-nyūdō Kunimitsu, who in the late Kamakura period moved from Uda district in Yamato province to Etchū (present-day Toyama), settling at Gousho Mikkaichi. He signed \u003cem\u003eUta\u003c\/em\u003e to record his home district, and the name passed to the school he founded. From the Nanbokuchō period through the Muromachi era and on into the early Edo period, generations of Uta smiths — Kunifusa, Kunimune, Kunitsugu and others — worked in Etchū, making the school one of the great enduring swordmaking lineages of the northern provinces. The name Kunitsugu itself was carried by several smiths across these generations; this blade belongs to the school's Shintō-era work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWorkmanship and condition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn impressive wakizashi of full length, in \u003cem\u003eshinogi-zukuri\u003c\/em\u003e with a well-proportioned form and elegant curvature. The \u003cem\u003ejigane\u003c\/em\u003e is a well-forged \u003cem\u003eitame\u003c\/em\u003e grain in which \u003cem\u003echikei\u003c\/em\u003e — dark, glittering lines of activity in the steel — appear throughout, together with \u003cem\u003eyubashiri\u003c\/em\u003e, \"running\" patches of bright hardening that drift across the surface. It is a rich, active ground in the finest tradition of the Uta school.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003ehamon\u003c\/em\u003e is the highlight of the blade: a highly individual \u003cem\u003emidare\u003c\/em\u003e temper that calls to mind the swell of great rolling waves — broad, surging undulations breaking along the edge — with a \u003cem\u003enioiguchi\u003c\/em\u003e that is bright and tightly knit. Within the hardened edge, rounded pools of \u003cem\u003enie\u003c\/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003etama\u003c\/em\u003e, \"beads\") and bright \u003cem\u003ekinsuji\u003c\/em\u003e (\"golden lines\") run freely, giving the temper a restless, luminous life. The \u003cem\u003ebōshi\u003c\/em\u003e turns back at the point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade is in outstanding condition: freshly polished and essentially flawless, with the workmanship of both steel and temper showing to superb effect. It is a blade that rewards close appreciation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe signature\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade is signed on the omote (front) face of the tang: \u003cem\u003eUta no Kunitsugu\u003c\/em\u003e (宇多之国次). The \u003cem\u003enakago\u003c\/em\u003e (tang) carries the even patina of age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade is housed in a newly made wood \u003cem\u003eshirasaya\u003c\/em\u003e, wrapped with a protective covering sheet to guard the surface in transit and storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA signed, NBTHK-papered wakizashi from the historic Uta school of Etchū, in fresh polish and near-flawless health, distinguished by a wave-like hamon alive with tama and kinsuji over a chikei-laden ground — an outstanding study piece for the collector drawn to the swordsmiths of the northern provinces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wakizashi (short sword)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature (mei):\u003c\/strong\u003e Uta no Kunitsugu (宇多之国次), omote side\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSchool:\u003c\/strong\u003e Uta school, Etchū province (present-day Toyama)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/strong\u003e Early Edo, Shintō era (c. Kan'ei–Kanbun, mid-17th c.)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJigane:\u003c\/strong\u003e itame with chikei throughout and yubashiri\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHamon:\u003c\/strong\u003e bold wave-like midare, bright and tight nioiguchi, with tama and kinsuji in the edge\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlade length (nagasa):\u003c\/strong\u003e 60.0 cm \/ 23.62 in\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurvature (sori):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth at base (motohaba):\u003c\/strong\u003e 30.3 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness at base (motokasane):\u003c\/strong\u003e 5.4 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth at tip (sakihaba):\u003c\/strong\u003e 18.9 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThickness at tip (sakikasane):\u003c\/strong\u003e 4.2 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight (blade only):\u003c\/strong\u003e 500 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConstruction:\u003c\/strong\u003e shinogi-zukuri\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMounting:\u003c\/strong\u003e shirasaya (newly made, with protective wrapping)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCertification:\u003c\/strong\u003e NBTHK Hozon Tōken\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTorokushō (Japanese registration) No.:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tokyo 321866\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"TOZANDO KATANA SHOP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53444325900651,"sku":"611-ATQSWD-Tokyo321866","price":650000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0491\/2178\/8069\/files\/tokyo321866_kunitsugu_1.jpg?v=1782895134","url":"https:\/\/japanesesword.net\/products\/authentic-shinto-era-wakizashi-for-sale-kunitsugu-nbthk-hozon-certificate-tozando","provider":"Tozando Katana Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}