This piece, although unsigned, is a katana that has been certified by the Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords as tokubetsu kicho for both the sword blade and the koshirae. 

The overall condition of the blade is well sharpened, but there are a few flaws. On the sashiomote side, there is a layer of forging visible on the hiraji about 29.5 cm from the munemachi. There is also rust of about 3 mm on the shinogisuji, about 22 cm from the kissaki. On the sashiura side, there is a visible 5mm forge defect and accompanying visible line at the jien (border between hamon and hiraji) about 18cm from munemachi. There is also rust on the mine.

The hada is itame with very active chikei and yubashiri, and is generally well packed. Hamon is midare, with nioi and sunagashi also visible.

As mentioned above, this piece is unmarked, but due to the characteristics of the blade, the Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords recognized it as a work of Ujifusa in 1975 and issued a certificate of authenticity for Tokubetsu Kicho. Ujifusa was a swordsmith who belonged to the Yoshisada school, one of the seven schools that existed in the Mino country, a school that lasted several generations from the Muromachi period to the early Edo period.

The koshirae has a reddish brown lacquered scabbard with kizami and a tsukaito made of pure silk neatly wrapped in a tsumami-maki style, and the metal fittings are of the period. The scabbard is also equipped with a kogai, making it a full package. The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords also certified the uchigatana koshirae as tokubetsu kicho at the same time as the blade itself, making this a rare piece where both the blade and the koshirae are certified tokubetsu kicho, and although the sword itself has some flaws, both are excellent pieces that are very worthy of being preserved for future generations.

This is simply a katana you should not miss.

• Blade length: 68.8 cm
• Curvature: 1.3 cm
• Number of Mekugi hole: 3
• Sakihaba: 20.0 mm
• Sakikasane: 4.6 mm
• Motohaba: 29.8 mm
• Motokasane: 6.1 mm
• Signature: No signature
• Era: Shinto
• Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
• Jitetsu: Itame
• Hamon: Midare
• Boshi: Midarete Haitte Komaru ni Kaeru
• Weight(Blade only): 680 g
• Nakago: Suriage
  
• Koshirae: Black silk Tsuka wrapping with vermillion gloss Kizami Saya/Shirasaya
• Original Registration No.: Kanagawa 47155

Please contact us if the katana you are looking for is not listed here.