Among the most evocative names in the history of Japanese sword art, Nobuie (信家) holds a place of distinction. His tsuba have been admired for centuries for their expressive power and refined simplicity, which make them unmistakable. But who was Nobuie? Why do collectors and

Hirata Hikozo (1590? – 1635) is one of the most famous Higo craftsmen, also a master of the first generations of Jingo and Kanshiro. He worked under the patronage of Hosokawa Sansai, an important samurai and tea ceremony master, who was a disciple of Sen