An excellent shinshinto katana in koshirae by Tegara Yama Kai no Kami Masashige, dated 1804.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

Nagasa 69.5 cm, 27.375 inches

Sori 1.1 cm

Motohaba 28.5 mm Sakihaba 19.5 mm

Motokasane 6.2 mm Sakikasane 4.6 mm

Sashi Omote: Tegara Yama Kai (no) Kami Masashige

Sashi Ura: Kyowa san nen hachi gatsu hi A day in the 8th lunar month of the 3rd year of Kyowa (1804)

This slim, graceful blade by the well known shinshinto smith, Masashige, is an ubu shinogi tsukuri katana with shallow torii zori, chu kissaki, a slightly raised shinogi, and a medium shinogi ji and iorii mune. The nakago is ha-agari kuri jiri with one mekugi ana. The tang is finished in keisho with osujikai yasurime. The blade is forged in a fine ko itame with profuse fine ji nie. The hamon is suguha based with slight notare. There are running inazuma, sunagashi, hotsure, and other fine ko-nie based hataraki in the nioi deki habuchi.

The blade is mounted in a black-lacquered saya with horn kojiri, koiguchi and kurikata, black tsukaito over good same, with shakudo and gold kiku f/k and menuki. Good iron sukashi tsuba with kiku motif, probably Chosu school. Brown sageo with woven silver thread pattern, good silver foil over copper habaki.

Fujishiro rates Tegara Yama Masashige as Jojo Saku. Masashige was the younger brother of sandai Ujishige, and when his brother died at an early age, he became the head of the school and signed Ujishige until his nephew came of age. He then signed Masashige. The Ujushige forge was at the foot of Tegara Yama. Masashige came to the attention of Etchu Matsudaira Sadanobu, became his retained kaji with a fief of 500 koku, and moved to Edo. He was awarded the title, Kai no Kami, in Kyowa ninen. Some sources indicate he may have studied for a time with Suishinsi Masahide at some point in Edo.

$20,000

This is a graceful shinshinto katana forged in the MIno tradition. There were a number of shinshinto smiths tracing their heritage back to Sanjo Munechika and using the mei Munetsugu. We are still tracking this one down. The blade is well forged and light in the hand and would make a nice shinken iaito, as well as being a lovely blade.

Sugata: a shinogi zukuri, iori mune katana with torii zori, a chu kissaki, and a narrow shinogi ji, and a slightly raised shinogi.

Nagasa: 67 cm (26.37")

Sori: 1.9 cm

Motokasane: 29 mm Motohaba: 6.5 mm

Sakikasane: 19 mm Sakihaba: 5 mm

Hamon: The omote is a nioi deki regular gunome with the peaks trending towards the kissaki in the monouchi and extending into the boshi with a komaru turnback. The ura is similar to the omote, but the peaks of the gunome angle back toward the hamachi in the monouchi. The yakidashi on both sides stops about a cm from the hamachi. There is a distinct mizukage on both sides, starting about a cm into the nakago and running up to the shinogi. The hamon extends into the boshi in a smaller gunome ending in komaru.

Kitae: A tightly forged, flawless ko itame with ji nie.

Nakago: Ha agari kuri jiri with katte sagari yasurime and one mekugi ana

Mei: Sanjo Kokaji Munetsugu saku

Koshirae: Gold-washed silver foil over copper habaki. Tsuka with dark blue ito, patinated brass fuchi/kashira and floral menuki. Black patterned lacquered saya with handachi hardware matching the f/k. Horn kurikata with blue and gold woven sageo. There is currently a contemporary iai tsuba mounted on the blade, but that could easily be replaced with nice older iron piece.

SOLD

A signed, dated tachi by Yoshindo Yoshikazu, in shirasaya with sayagaki by Yoshikazu. One piece gold and shakudo habaki. Yoshikazu, the son of Yoshindo Yoshihara, is a mukansa smith in his own right. This is a strong, beautifully forged blade, with a majestic sugata.

Nagasa: 75 cm (29.5")

Sori: 2.54 cm (1.0")

Motokasane: 30.5 mm Motohaba: 8 mm

Sakikasane: 21 mm Sakihaba: 6 mm

Hamon: An exuberant nioi deki choji with ashi, that becomes condensed in the monouchi and extends into the boshi ending in a komaru kaeri on the tachi ura, and a sharp, short kaeri on the tachi omote.

Kitae: A finely forged ko itame with profuse ji nie

Horimono: There is a deep bohi on both sides extending well into the koshinogi, and tapering off halfway down the nakago.

Nakago: the nakago is kuri jiri with katte sagari yasurime and one mekugi ana.

Tachi mei: Toto Takasago ju Yoshikazu saku kore

Nengo: Heisei ni ju go nen yayoi kitsu jitsu (2013)

Yoshindo Yoshikazu san has passed away. This blade has gone back to Japan as part of his estate. We are leaving it on our site as a tribute to the skill and spirit of Yoshikazu sensei. He will be missed.