{"id":29202,"date":"2025-11-22T12:20:48","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T03:20:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sword-auction.com\/product\/29202\/as25507-%e5%88%80%e7%84%a1%e9%8a%98%e5%8f%a4%e6%b3%a2%e5%b9%b3-%e7%ac%ac41%e5%9b%9e%e9%87%8d%e8%a6%81%e5%88%80%e5%89%a3\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T12:21:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T03:21:22","slug":"as25507-%e5%88%80%e7%84%a1%e9%8a%98%e5%8f%a4%e6%b3%a2%e5%b9%b3-%e7%ac%ac41%e5%9b%9e%e9%87%8d%e8%a6%81%e5%88%80%e5%89%a3","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/sword-auction.com\/en\/product\/29202\/as25507-%e5%88%80%e7%84%a1%e9%8a%98%e5%8f%a4%e6%b3%a2%e5%b9%b3-%e7%ac%ac41%e5%9b%9e%e9%87%8d%e8%a6%81%e5%88%80%e5%89%a3\/","title":{"rendered":"AS25507  Katana\uff1aMumei (attributed to Ko-Naminohira) (41st NBTHK Juyo Token)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ordering number:AS25507<\/p>\n<p>Katana in Shirasaya (41st NBTHK Juyo Token)<\/p>\n<p>Signature: Mumei (attributed to Ko-Naminohira)<br \/>\n\u7121\u9298(\u53e4\u6ce2\u5e73)<\/p>\n<p>We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku.<br \/>\nThis blade is ranked as Saijyo Saku (the highest level) among works attributed to Mumei (Ko-Naminohira).<br \/>\nHabaki: Gold foiled single Habaki.<br \/>\nBlade Length: 76.6 cm (30.16 in)<br \/>\nCurvature: 2.5 cm (0.98 in)<br \/>\nMekugi Hole: 2<br \/>\nWidth at Base (Motohaba): 3.01 cm (1.18 in)<br \/>\nWidth at Tip: 1.78 cm (0.70 in)<br \/>\nThickness of rim (Kasane): 0.62 cm (0.24 in)<br \/>\nSword Weight: 855 g<br \/>\nShape: This blade remains close to its original length, with a deep curvature.<br \/>\nJigane: The Hamon on the shinogi-ji and that on the main body appear identical.<br \/>\nHamon: The Hamon typical of the Kamakura period is vivid and clear, and the Boshi shows the same characteristics.<\/p>\n<p>Features: Ko-Naminohira swords were highly favored by naval officers because the name &#8220;Naminohira&#8221; (literally &#8220;flat waves&#8221;) symbolized calm seas. These swords originated in Naminohira, Taniyama-go, Taniyama District, Satsuma Province \u2014 present-day Kamihabamoto, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture.<br \/>\nDuring the Battle of Ichinotani, a warrior named Ibo Noritsuna, known for his unmatched strength, used a blade crafted by Naminohira of Satsuma Province to take the head of Etchu-no-kami Moritoshi. The nearby coastline of Naminohira was known to be rich in iron sand, making it an ideal place for swordsmithing.<br \/>\nAmong existing works, the swordsmith Yukiyasu is considered the founder of this lineage. The Naminohira school is generally categorized into different periods: Kot\u014d (Old Sword period), Ko-Naminohira (Old Naminohira), Chu-Naminohira (Middle Naminohira), and Sue-Naminohira (Late Naminohira). The earliest Naminohira smiths are believed to have been active during the Heian period, including Yukiyasu, Yukihito, Yasunori, Yukimasa, and Yasumitsu.<\/p>\n<p>Aoi Art\u2019s Comment: This tachi measures 76.6 cm in length and is nearly ubu (unaltered), showing a grand and elegant appearance.<br \/>\nIt was exhibited at the Japanese Sword and Tosogu Exhibition hosted by the Oita Branch of the NBTHK in 1998 (Heisei 10).<br \/>\nThe sword is recorded in important reference books as a Kamakura period piece.<br \/>\nIt is a magnificent and dignified work, featuring a bright and clear suguba hamon characteristic of Ko-Naminohira.<br \/>\nThe yasurime (file marks) on the tang are still visible.<br \/>\nAlthough designated as a Kamakura-period blade in sword references, it may date back even earlier.<br \/>\nDiscovered in Kagoshima, this piece has an elegant form with no flaws or defects on the blade\u2014an exceptional work to be treasured at home.<br \/>\nAccording to the Japanese Sword Museum, a swordsmith named Masakuni migrated from Yamato to Naminohira around the Eien era of the Heian period, becoming the school\u2019s founder.<br \/>\nHis son, known as Yukiyasu, continued the line, which lasted well into the modern period.<br \/>\n&#8220;Ko-Naminohira&#8221; refers to works no later than the Nanbokucho period.<br \/>\nTheir style closely resembles the Yamato tradition, but their ji-hada and ha show distinctive characteristics: the nioiguchi is soft and moist, the jihada has a sticky texture, and the yakiba sometimes ends in yakiotoshi near the tang.<br \/>\nThis sword, although unsigned and suriage (shortened from the tang), retains a koshi-zori curvature, with a slender form, high shinogi, and clear difference in width between base and tip.<br \/>\nWhile the overall style suggests Yamato-den, close inspection reveals a resemblance to Yamato proper, but with a more sticky, shiroke utsuri (pale reflection), soft and moist nioiguchi, and subtle irregularities in the suguha hamon\u2014traits that identify it as Ko-Naminohira.<br \/>\nBased on its characteristics, this is considered an excellent piece from a school that predates the Kamakura period.<\/p>\n<p>41st NBTHK Juyo Token<br \/>\nAoi Art estimation paper<br \/>\nWhole Oshigata included<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"30%\" height=\"30%\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507-3.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"30%\" height=\"30%\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507-4.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"30%\" height=\"30%\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507paper-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507paper-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40%\" height=\"40%\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507paper-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507paper-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40%\" height=\"40%\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507sayagaki.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507sayagaki.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40%\" height=\"40%\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507_p.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aoijapan.com\/img\/sword\/2025\/25507_p.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"70%\" height=\"70%\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ordering number:AS25507 Katana in Shirasaya (41st NBTHK Juyo Token) Signature: Mumei (attributed to Ko-Naminohira) \u7121\u9298(\u53e4\u6ce2\u5e73) We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo Saku, Jyojyo Saku, Jyo Saku and Regular Saku. This blade is ranked as Saijyo Saku (the highest level) among works attributed to Mumei (Ko-Naminohira). Habaki: Gold foiled single Habaki. Blade Length: [&#8230;]\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-29202","product","type-product","status-publish","hentry","product_cat-katana-en","product_cat-sword-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sword-auction.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/29202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sword-auction.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sword-auction.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sword-auction.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}