Echizen Shinto Katana

Early Edo Period (1615-1868), circa 1660

Mei: Kazusa (no) Kami Fujiwara Munemichi

上総守藤原宗道

NBTHK Hozon Tōken

Nagasa [length]: 73.4 cm

Sori [curvature]: 1 cm

Motohaba [bottom width]: 2.85 cm

Sakihaba [top width]: 2 cm

Motokasane [bottom thickness]: 7 mm

Sugata [configuration]: Shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune, deep sori, elongated chu-kissaki

Kitae [forging pattern]: Ko-itame hada with jinie and chikei.

Hamon [tempering pattern]: Gunome midare in nie-deki with soft nioiguchi; hataraki include ashi, yō, sunagashi and strong kinsuji.

Boshi [point]: Hakikake with kinsuji.

Nakago [tang]: Suriage, yasurime slightly katte sagari; two mekugi-ana

Origami [paper]: The blade comes with a Hozon Tōken (Sword Worth of Preserving) certificate issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai. 

Koshirae [mounts]: The sword is accompanied by a good antique koshirae with good fittings with sea-life theme.

Fujishiro describes Munemichi works as “exuberant”. He worked in Echizen in the early Edo Period in a very rich style, with profuse jinie, sunagashi and kinsuji. The richness of his stylistic language is clearly evident in this work, in which the texture of the steel and the hardening line enter into a constant dialogue and overlap to produce continuous, striking activities.