AS26432 Katana：Forged at the residence of Toyama Mitsuru by Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu June, Showa 12 (1937) Made upon the request of Hirooka Kenji (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Ordering Number: AS26432

Katana in Shirasaya (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)

Signature:　Forged at the residence of Toyama Mitsuru by Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu
June, Showa 12 (1937)
Made upon the request of Hirooka Kenji
於頭山満翁邸内笠間一貫斉繁継
昭和十二年六月日
応広岡見二需

Sayagaki: By Dr. Tanobe
Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu.
Forged at the residence of Toyama Mitsuru in June 1937 in response to the request of Hirooka Kenji.
The blade displays an exquisitely fine ko-itame forging with delicate ko-nie and a magnificent choji-midare with vigorous ashi, representing excellent workmanship.
He served as an instructor at the Nihonto Denshujo (Japanese Sword Training Institute) in Akasaka, Tokyo, where he devoted himself to preserving and transmitting traditional sword-forging techniques. Among his distinguished pupils was Living National Treasure Miyairi Akihira.
Blade length: 2 shaku 1 sun 5 bu 5 rin.
Written by Tanzan in the autumn of the Kinoe-Tatsu year (kao).

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku).
This blade is ranked as Jyojyo Saku among the works of Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu.

Habaki: Single gold-foiled habaki.
Blade Length: 65.4 cm (25.75 in).
Curvature: 1.6 cm (0.63 in).
Mekugi Hole: 1.
Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.14 cm (1.24 in).
Width at Yokote: 2.19 cm (0.86 in).
Thickness of rim (Kasane): 0.72 cm (0.28 in).
Sword Weight: 705 g.
Era: June 1937.

Shape: A beautifully proportioned katana with standard mihaba and kasane, deep curvature, and a slightly elongated kissaki.
Jigane: Beautifully forged fine ko-itame hada.
Hamon: Ko-nie-deki gunome-midare mixed with choji-midare. The boshi continues in midare and turns back in a rounded form.

Features: Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu was born in 1885 in Shizuoka Prefecture and studied swordsmithing under his uncle, Miyaguchi Ikkansai Shigeju. His given name was Kasama Giichi. He was appointed as a swordsmith to the Imperial Household Ministry, received top honors at the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten), and produced numerous presentation swords. Widely regarded as one of the foremost modern swordsmiths, he passed away on March 11, 1965, at the age of 80. Although he forged a great many blades during his lifetime, this example is of outstanding quality and has been finished with exceptional polishing.

Aoi Art’s Comment: The inscription “Made upon the request of Hirooka Kenji” (Ō Hirooka Kenji no Ju) records that this sword was forged in June 1937 by the master swordsmith Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu at the request of Hirooka Kenji, who is believed to have been a director of Nisshin Spinning Co., Ltd. at the time. It is likely that Shigetsugu devoted the full extent of his skill to fulfilling this prestigious commission. We highly recommend this remarkable work.

Historical Background: In 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident marked the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, setting Japan firmly on the path toward full-scale wartime mobilization. In foreign affairs, the Panay Incident occurred in December when Japanese forces mistakenly attacked the American gunboat USS Panay on the Yangtze River. The League of Nations subsequently adopted a resolution condemning Japan’s military actions.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token Certificate.
AoiArt estimation paper: Whole Oshigata.
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