Our Journal.
Exploring the philosophy, history, and craftsmanship of the Japanese sword.
NihontōA Kamakura Masterpiece. An Exceptionally Important Nagamaki Naoshi Attributed to the Aoe School (Kareki 2, 1327)
An NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Nagamaki Naoshi attributed to the Bitchū Aoe School and dated Kareki 2 (1327), a rare survivor from the golden age of Japanese swordsmithing.
GendaitōMinatogawa Shrine Tantō by Masatada (January 1942)
A signed and dated January 1942 Imperial Japanese Navy tantō by Masatada, one of the founding swordsmiths of the Minatogawa Shrine forge.
NihontōHeianjō Nagayoshi. The Kyoto Master Who Shaped the Origins of the Muramasa Tradition
An NBTHK Jūyō Tōken tantō by Heianjō Nagayoshi, one of Muromachi Kyoto's foremost swordsmiths and, by long standing tradition, the teacher of the legendary Muramasa.
NihontōRai Kunizane Katana. A Rare Late Kamakura Masterpiece with Edo Period Koshirae
An exceptional NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon katana attributed to Rai Kunizane of the Yamashiro Rai School. A late Kamakura masterpiece preserved with its Edo period koshirae.
NihontōSuishinshi Masahide Wakizashi (1816). A Rare Masterpiece with Edo Period Tameshigiri
A signed and dated 1816 wakizashi by Suikanshi Sadahide, the future Nidai Suishinshi Masahide, bearing an authentic Yamada Asaemon tameshigiri inscription and NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certification.
NihontōThe Only Known Jūyō Wakizashi by Shume no Kami Ippei Yasuyo
Discover the only known NBTHK Jūyō Tōken wakizashi by Shume no Kami Ippei Yasuyo. A signed Satsuma masterpiece bearing the Tokugawa Aoi Crest, featuring exceptional kurogane jigane, brilliant nie activity, and a bespoke koshirae commissioned by Touken Takarado.
HistoryGassan Sadakazu and Gassan Sadakatsu. The Father and Son Who Preserved a Tradition
Two generations of Gassan masters, Ayasugi hada, Imperial Household commissions, and the seven hundred year lineage that survived the end of the samurai.
NihontōThe Muramasa Demon Blade. A Late Muromachi Tantō from Ise
Inside a signed Muramasa tantō with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers. The Sengoku era smith whose blades the Tokugawa shogunate branded as cursed.
ConnoisseurshipNidai Muramasa. A Katana with a Tanobe Sensei Sayagaki
A second generation Muramasa katana (1532 to 1555) carrying an NBTHK Hozon paper, Tokubetsu Kichō certification, and a sayagaki by Tanobe Michihiro.
ConnoisseurshipJūyō Tōken. A Mumei Katana Attributed to Yamato Shizu
What 'Jūyō Tōken' really means, why mumei attributions can be priceless, and a closer look at a Yamato Shizu katana in the Shizu Kaneuji tradition.
HistoryYokoyama Sukekane 1866. The Last Light of the Samurai
A Tokubetsu Hozon tachi by Bizen Osafune Yokoyama Sukekane, forged in 1866. The final years of the samurai class and the Bizen tradition itself.