AS25246 Katana：Mumei (attributed to Enju)(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Katana in Shirasaya (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature: Mumei (attributed to Enju)
無銘(延寿)

We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku.
This work is ranked as Jyojyo Saku among Mumei (attributed to Enju) swords.
Habaki: Single-layer shakudo nanakoji
Blade Length: 68.5 cm (26.97 in)
Curvature: 2.0 cm (0.79 in)
Mekugi Hole: 3
Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.11 cm (1.22 in)
Width at Tip: 2.09 cm (0.82 in)
Thickness of Rim (Kasane): 0.64 cm (0.25 in)
Sword Weight: 755 g
Era: Late Kamakura period, around 1329 (approximately 696 years ago)
Shape: A large suriage mumei piece with a wide mihaba, deep curvature, and long kissaki. The blade has a bohi and soe-bi engraved.
Jigane: Ko-itame hada mixed with mokume, showing faint utsuri.
Hamon: Nioi-deki in a straight-line style with ko-ashi. The boshi is wavy and turns back in a rounded manner.

Features: Enju moved to Higo and became the founder of the Enju school. His works are few and often show a straight hamon. According to common theory, he was the son-in-law of Rai Kuniyuki, though some believe he was the son of Yamato Senjuin’s Hiromura or a maternal grandson of Rai Kuniyuki. His students included Kuniyoshi, Kunitomo, Kunitomo, Kunisuke, and Kunitsuna, and the school thrived in Kikuchi from the late Kamakura through Nanbokucho periods. While lacking bold individuality, the school’s style closely resembles that of the Yamashiro Rai school, with some distinctive traits such as a hint of masame in the forging, whitish utsuri, a slightly subdued nioiguchi, gentle hataraki in the ha, and rounded boshi with shallow kaeri—features that contribute to the school’s subtle charm.
This blade’s hamon exhibits a refined style believed to be that of Enju Kunimura, the school’s founder, with a bright nioiguchi indicative of superior craftsmanship.

Aoi Art’s Comment: Because Enju had many disciples, many works were produced under the name. The famed “Kikuchi Senbon Yari” (Kikuchi’s Thousand Spears) were also said to have been made by the Enju school after a great fire. While most of these spears are unsigned, some signed examples remain and are considered very rare. According to tradition, during the Nanbokucho period, the Kikuchi clan originated the spear by tying a tanto to the end of a bamboo shaft during the Battle of Chikugogawa.
It is quite surprising that Enju swordsmiths were behind such weapons. These pieces often show tight itame with flowing sunagashi, active ko-ashi, and boshi that gently fall and return in a rounded manner.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token Certificate
Aoi Art Estimation Paper with Whole Oshigata