AS25435 Katana： (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Ordering number:AS25435

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature: Fujiwara Nagasada
慶応四年二月日於江戸青山作之
橘蔵之助試之

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku.)
This sword belongs to Saijyo Saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki: Gold-foiled single Habaki.
Blade Length: 69.4 cm (27.3 in).
Curvature (Sori): 1.3 cm (0.51 in).
Mekugi Hole: 1
Width at the Hamachi: 3.09 cm (1.21 in).
Width at the Kissaki: 2.25 cm (0.88 in).
Thickness of rim (Kasane): 0.61 cm (0.24 in).
Sword Weight: 725 grams.
Era: The late Edo period, Keio 4 (1868), the very last year of the Edo period.
Shape: The blade is wide and thick, Ububa is left, the curvature is rather shallow, and the Kissaki is long.
Jigane: Koitame-hada, well grained, healthy, with pastel Utsuri appearing.
Hamon: Niedeki, Suguha, with Futaeba work. Uchinoke appears, and Kinsuji works along the blade in Hachu.

Features:
Fujiwara Nagasada was a lower branch smith from the Mino Koku Akasaka Senjuin line, born in Taruicho (present-day Gifu Prefecture) in Bunka 6 (1809), named Matsui Jiichiro.
He produced many swords with the signature “Okachiyama Sanroku” (“At the base of Mount Okachiyama”), a location where Tokugawa Ieyasu once commanded his forces.
At age 36, around the Koka era (1845–1848), he moved to Edo and became a pupil of Taikei Naotane.
There, he studied swordsmithing in Edo Aoyama and later served as a resident swordsmith for the Kishu Tokugawa family.
He passed away at the age of 61 in June, Meiji 2 (1869).
He was known for his diligence, leaving behind no poor-quality work.

Koshirae:
Tsuba: Mokko-shaped iron Tsuba, with engraved characters at the center, silver inlays around the central area, and the rim decorated in gold patterns.
Fuchikashira: Iron plate with engraved patterns in gold color.
Saya: Dark brown Saya with engraved patterns, in Kawari-nuri style.
Menuki: Shakudo plate with a carved figure of a Shishi-dog.

Aoi Art’s Comment:
Okachiyama (Fujiyama) Nagasada built a distinguished career as a private swordsmith for the Kishu Tokugawa family.
He studied under Taikei Naotane, mastering the Soshu-den style and producing masterpieces such as this.
This sword was made in Kyoto in Meiji 1 (1868), aiming to emulate the Hasebe school, and it shows magnificent craftsmanship.
It exhibits a powerful presence with distinct Kinsuji appearing in the Hachu.
Nagasada often used the signature “Okachiyama” or sometimes “Isetamaru”.
He forged swords in Edo Aoyama and Kyoto, as seen in this piece.
A highly diligent craftsman, he evolved from a Mino style to Soshu-den, producing impressive swords.
This particular work was intended to resemble Yamato-den styles such as Tegai Kanenaga or Toma.
Especially around the Monouchi, the bright Suguha with deep Nioikuchi is excellent, reminding us of Kanenaga’s masterpieces—very refined.
His mastery of Soshu-den came from Taikei Naotane, with very similar characteristics.
Nagasada crafted many Soshu-den and Yamato-den swords, and this piece notably balances the deep and shallow parts of the Nioikuchi.
We highly recommend this piece.

Additionally, there is an inscription on the Nakago (tang), which reads:
“Made at Edo Aoyama in Keio 4 (1868). Cutting test performed by Tachibana Kuranosuke.”

[For Your Reference] Tachibana Kuranosuke (1820–1880) was a Kenjutsu/Bujutsu master of the Ryuko school, active from the late Edo to early Meiji periods.
Born in Watarai-gun (present-day Minami-Ise, Mie Prefecture) in Ise no Kuni, as the second son of Yokoji Ryozauemon.
He was adopted by the Tamaru magistrate of the Kishu domain, but both adoptive parents died soon after.
He studied Bujutsu under Naoi Katugorou of the Ryuko school in Tamaru.
After Naoi’s death, sword master Hayashi Rokunesuke from Bizen trained him in Kenjutsu.
In Tempo 15 (1844), he was invited to Edo by Matsudaira Tadanori, a senior pupil of Naoi school, to become a Shihandai at his dojo.
He later returned to Tamaru and opened his own dojo, teaching both Bujutsu and academics.
His instruction was strict, attracting not only samurai but also farmers, and he taught thousands of students.
In Ansei 5 (1858), he demonstrated his Kenjutsu before the Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi.
In 1859, his student competed in a match against four other Kishu domain dojo schools, and the Ryuko school was officially recognized.
Ryuko-ryu became the official style taught in the Kishu domain school.
In June of Meiji 13 (1880), 119 of his students celebrated his 60th birthday by erecting a monument at Kotai Shrine in Miyako, Watarai-gun.
However, he passed away on November 11 the same year.
(Translated from Wikipedia by Aoi Art.)

This is a masterpiece made in Edo Aoyama for Tachibana Kuranosuke, a renowned Bujutsu master of the late Edo period, still retaining Ububa.
Please preserve it for the next generation.
The sword exudes dignity, and the Koshirae was made during the same period.
We definitely recommend this masterpiece for you.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper / Whole Oshigata