AS20196-Katana: Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu Saku

Description

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae.(NBTHK Hozon Token)

Signature :　Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu Saku
Showa 10 Nen 2 Gatsuhi

Sayagaki by Dr. Kanzan: Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu Saku
Showa 10 Nen 2 Gatsuhi Deki hori mono migoto
Hacho 2 Shaku 3 Sun Kore ari.
（Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu Saku Showa 10 Nen 2 Gatsuhi has amazing carving and the length is 69.7cm）

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to the Jyojyo-saku ranking.
The blade was polished by high ranking polisher.
Habaki: Silver single Habaki. The family crest is engraved with gold color
Blade length:　69.7cm or 27.4inches.
Sori : 1.8cm or 0.7inches.
Mekugi: 　1
Width at the hamachi: 3.18cm or 1.25inches.
Width at the Kissaki: 2.2cm or 0.86inches.
Kasane : 0.62cm or 0.244inches.
The weight of the sword 650 grams.
Era: Showa 10th February (1935)

Shape: Wide and thick blade, there are Ubuha. Deep Sori and longer Kissaki. Deep Kenmakiryu is engraved on front side, letter is engraved on the backside.
Jigane: Koitame-hada well grained. Jinie attached very good texture.
Hamon: Nie-deki, Gunome-midare and Choji-Midare mixed. Ashi grained and reached to Kissaki.

Special feature: kansai Shigetsugu was born in 1886 in Shizuoka pref. 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 spent his life to revive and passing down the traditional method of tempering Japanese sword. Shigetsugu passed away in 1966, aged 80. Miyairi Akihira and Tsukamoto Okimasa were his famous excellent pupils. Later Miyairi Akihira became a Preserver of Important Intangible Cultural As sets, popularly known as Living National Treasures. Tsukamoto Okimasa became Shigetsugu’s son-in-law but died while still young.

Koshirae :
Saya : Black roiro Saya
Tsuba : On round iron Tsuba, a dragon is engraved
Menuki : Musha is engraved with gold color.

From Aoi Art: Shigetsugu is one of the most famous swords crafter before and during WW2. He is also good at carving. His craving is very deep as the one on this sword. He worked at Touyama family and got many awards and supported by a lot of army and civilian, also one of his swords was presented to Adolf Hitler. This peace is one of his good swords and has an amazing carving. We recommend this sword for you.