AS25658 Wakizashi： Sagami no Kuni Hirokuni kore wo kitae Hasegawa Shoichi kore wo yakihajime Date: June 1, 1994

Ordering Number: AS25658

Wakizashi in Shirasaya

Signature: Sagami no Kuni Hirokuni kore wo kitae
Hasegawa Shoichi kore wo yakihajime
Date: June 1, 1994
相模国弘邦鍛之
長谷川昭一淬刃之 平成六年六月一日

We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku.
This work is ranked as Jyo Saku for Sagami no Kuni Hirokuni.
Habaki: Double-layered gold foil.
Blade Length: 32.7 cm (12.87 in)
Curvature: 0.4 cm (0.16 in)
Mekugi Hole: 1
Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.09 cm (1.22 in)
Thickness of rim (Kasane): 0.56 cm (0.22 in)
Sword Weight: 275 g
Shape: A slightly elongated tanto with wide mihaba and moderately thick kasane.
Jigane: Well-forged ko-itame hada with clearly visible grain pattern.
Hamon: Nie-deki suguha with abundant nie. The precise workmanship reflects the skill and dedication of this uninspected smith in the Meiji style.

Features: Sagami no Kuni Hirokuni was born in 1948 (Showa 23) in Fukuoka Prefecture as the son of swordsmith Hiroki Kunihiro.
He studied under his father and further trained with Sumitani Masamine in Ishikawa Prefecture.
Hirokuni was also a researcher of Japanese swords and sword fittings, and worked as a professional polisher.
He studied polishing under Ikeda Suematsu.
Later, he was certified as a Mukansa (uninspected) swordsmith and became known especially for his mastery of suguha hamon.
He went on to learn and incorporate styles from the Bizen-den, Yamashiro-den, and Soshu-den traditions, and successfully recreated the Bitchu Aoe style.
He passed away in 2013 (Heisei 25) at the age of 65.

Aoi Art’s Comment:
To become a Mukansa swordsmith, one must receive the Mukansa award multiple times — an achievement that requires tremendous dedication.
This piece features suguha hamon with ko-ashi, and the boshi ends in a pointed komaru shape.

Aoi Art estimation paper
Whole Oshigata