AS15463 Katana: Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper)

Katana in Shirasaya(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper)

Signature : Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu Saku Kore To-yama Mitsuru Teinai.
Showa 13 Nen 2 Gatsu Kichijitsu Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa Horu Kore Showa 49 Nen 8 Gatsu Kichijitsu

*Explanation: Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu made this sword at the factory in the mention
of Toyama Mitsuru (the right-wing politician) in 1938, February lucky day.
The holy name of gods Hachiman Daibosatsu and Kasuga Daimyo-jin on the tang
by his student later on in August 1938, lucky day.

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijo saku, Jojo saku, Jo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jojo saku ranking.

Sayagaki done by Gosanzo mentioned as follows.
‘The blade was forged at the mention of Toyama Mitsuru. Horimono was engraved
by his student Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa. The engraving is nice and quite precious sword the length is 29.8 inches long size’

The blade is polished by the high ranking polisher.
Habaki: Gold-wrapped single Habaki.
Blade length: 75.7 cm or 29.8 inches.
Sori : 1.9 cm or 0.75 inches.
Mekugi : 1
Width at the Hamachi : 3.59 cm or 1.4 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 2.96 cm or 1.17 inches.
Kasane :0.65 cm or 0.27 inches.
Era : 1938 (Showa period during WW2)
Shape : The blade is very wide and thick with deep curve and long Kissaki gorgeous style.
And the holy name of the gods ‘Kasuga Dai Myo-jin’ and ‘Hachiman Daibosatsu’ are engraved on each sides of the blade.
Jigane : Koitame-hada well grained with Jinie attach and also small Chikei work.
Hamon : Niedeki Chouji midare with Ashi scatter. Sunagashi and Kinsuji work active in Hamon.

Special feature: Ikkansai Shigetsugu was born in 1886 at Shizuoka prefecture as a nephew
of Miyairi Ikkansai Shigetoshi who was also a swordsmith. Shigetsugu learned under his uncle
and Morioka Masayoshi. Shigetsugu went to Tokyo in 1903 and entered to
the Tokiwa-Matsu Token Kenkyu-sho the Toyama house. Shigetsugu became
a chief swordsmith and made several special swords to present.
He spend his life to revive and passing the traditional method of tempering Japanese sword tu future.
Shigetsugu passed away in 1966, aged 80.
Miyairi Akihira and Tsukamoto Okimasa were his famous excellent students.
Miyairi Akihira became a preserver of Important Intangible Cultural Assets,
popularly known as Living National Treasures. Tsukamoto Okimasa
became Shigetsugu’s son-in-law but died while still young.
According to the inscription on the tang, The blade was made
by Toyama Mitsuru who was right wing politician.
And also the blade was engraved by Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa who was
a student of Ikkansai Shigetsugu at Showa 49th August lucky day.
It is quite unusual sword. This sword is a copy of the Kanemitsu who was working
at Nanbokucho period Bizen top ranking sword maker.
The blade is extremely wide and long and also deep curve long Kissaki gorgeous style.

Historival back ground : The Nazis merges Austria on March 13, 1938.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper(*the paper will be issued later.)
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata.