AS20243-Katana: Mumei (Mihara)

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae.(NBTHK Hozon Token)

Signature :　Mumei (Mihara)

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jyo Jyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki: copper single habaki.
Blade length :　70.3　cm or 27.6 inches.
Sori :　　1.67cm or 0.65 inches.
Mekugi : 　
Width at the hamachi : 3.0　cm or 　1.18 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 　1.89 cm or 0.74　inches.
Kasane : 　0.69cm or 0.27 inches.
The weight of the sword 735 　grams.

Era : Early of Muromachi
Shape : Regular width. Thick Shinogiji. Deep Sori and longer kissaki.
Jigane : Itame-hada and Jinie attached. Able to see clear Hadame. there is Shirake-Utsuri
Shinogiji: Itamehada with Masame.
Hamon :Nie-deki Suguha based, mixed with Gunome-midare. Ko-ashi is also attached cleary.
Boshi: Midarekomi style, round shape.

Special feature: Mihara school had been prospered from late Kamakura to
late Muromachi period in Bingo province present Okayama prefecture. The representative swordsmiths were Masaie and Masahiro. It is said that Masachika was a younger brother of Masahiro. Rising above the times, Mihara school had been influenced by Yamato School. There had been many shoen; manors in medieval Japan in Bingo province ruled by the shrines and temples of Yamato province.
As the features of Mihara school, elegant suguha-hamon
with slight midare-ba and smooth Itame-hada.
It is said that the War of Onin occurred in 1467 proved
the sharpness of Mihara swords and make it be popular.

Koshirae :
Saya : Aogai-chirashi
Tsuba : On round iron Tsuba, something is engraved.
Menuki : A person with Gunbai is engraved with gold color.
Fuchikashira: Shakudo plate and Ishime plate. Butterfly are engraved with gold color.

From Aoi Art: This peace was judged as Mihara which was made during the early to middle of Muromachi. An interesting thing of this sword is Nakago. It is Ubu-nakago and keeping the shape at the time. It has only 1 Mekugi hole and it mean the sword was
kept carefully. It was made around 1440 and about 580
years already passed but it keeping this condition. Jigane is
Itame-hada and Mokume-hada mixed. There is thin Chikei and
Shirakeutsuri. Hamon is Suguha base with clear Ashi. Boshi
is Midarekomi with Komaru.
If you submit it to appraisal again, it may judge as something but not Mihara. This Koto has many changing and it will not make you tired.
The Koshirae is not so gorgeous but calm.

NBTHK Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper
whole Oshigata.