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Nagasaki logo

Nagasaki

Japanese port city, the designated area of trade with Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries
Ainu dagger logo

Ainu dagger

Called kuttom-ushbe in the local language. This one mounted in deer antler mounts.
Mini makiri logo

Miniature Ainu makiri

Despite its size it is of remarkably fine workmanship.
Archaic Asian shortsword

Archaic Chinese shortsword

Probably of Chinese origin, resembling some of the earliest Japanese swords in existence.
Jumonji yari logo

Jūmonji yari (十文字槍)

Japanese word for a cross shaped spear
Nakago logo

Nakago (茎 / 中心)

Japanese word for the tang of a sword
Echizen Kanesada blade in spectacular koshirae

Echizen Kanesada in striking koshirae

Blade with fine dragon horimono. The mounts signed Sōmin and Masatatsu.
Fine daisho with maki-e lacquer work

Fine autumn themed daishō

Both blades signed, its koshirae fine maki-e lacquer work. Ito school tsuba and Mino Gotō style mounts.
Kanabo school jumonji yari

Jumonji yari by Kanabō Masazane

Made in the 16th century, for the warrior monks of the Hozo-in temple in Nara.
Hachiwari logo

Hachiwari (鉢割)

Language: Japanese
Origin: Old literature

Hachiwari

Very good hachiwari

Literally "skull splitter", more widely known as kabutowari; "helmet splitter." An excellent example, one of the best of its type.
Yagami school nanban tsuba

Yagami school nanban tsuba

A masterpiece of the genre. The Yagami school were excellent carvers of iron.
Hirado Kunishige tsuba logo

Enamelled Hirado Kunishige tsuba

Fine work and one of the very few enamelled tsuba by this maker.
Hirado Kunishige logo

Hirado Kunishige (平戸市國重)

A group of Japanese sword fitting makers working on the island of Hirado.
Katana with horse themed koshirae logo

Katana in horse theme koshirae

Blade signed Sesshū-jū Fujiwara Hiroyoshi, active in the 1670s-80s.
Three wise monkeys tsuba logo

Three wise monkeys tsuba

Japanese sword guard depicting three wise monkeys conveying the message see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Shimosaka o-tanto

Shimosaka o-tantō

N.B.T.H.K. Hozon with a set of Nanban-style koshirae with signed tsuba.
Important Juyo Ko-Hoki Sadatsuna logo

Important Ko-Hōki Sadatsuna katana

12th-century blade. 33rd Shinsha Juyō Token with sayagaki by Tanobe.
Jumyo katana logo

Jumyo katana with fine koshirae

The very detailed mountings are decorated with designs of Japanese spiny lobsters.
Musashi Taro Yasukuni katana logo

Katana by Musashi Taro Yasukuni

Signed, ubu. Complete with tasteful koshirae and Hozon papers.
Musashi Taro Yasukuni logo

Musashi Taro Yasukuni (武蔵太郎安国)

A Japanese swordsmith who lived between 1650-1730.
Shihozume kitae logo

Shihōzume-gitae (四方詰め鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge, low carbon core, medium carbon sides and a separate back.
Honsanmai gitae logo

Hon-sanmai-gitae (本三枚鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge plate under a soft core, flanked by medium steel.
Sanmei gitae logo

Sanmai-gitae (三枚鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a center high carbon edge plate.
Wariha-gitae logo

Wariha-gitae / wariba-gitea (割刃鍛え)

Japanese term for a sword construction with an inserted edge made of higher carbon steel.
Hyoshigi gitae logo

Hyoshigi-gitae (拍子木鍛え)  

Japanese term for a sword construction with an edge made of higher carbon steel.
Maru gitae

Maru-gitae (丸鍛え)

Japanese word for a basic blade construction consisting of one type of steel.
Japanese sword construction methods logo

Construction methods of Japanese swords

This article will describe several methods by which the Japanese joined higher and lower carbon steels into their blades.
Shin jugomai kobuse logo

Shin jūgomai kōbuse-gitae (真十五枚甲伏鍛え)

Japanese sword construction that is was found inscribed on some tangs.
Kobuse logo

Kōbuse-gitae (甲伏せ鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with high carbon steel outer jacket around a softer core.
Kanetuhu-etuhu point of knife or sword

Kanetuhu / Etuhu

Ainu words for the point of a knife or sword.
Notak logo

Notak

Ainu word for the edge of a sharp tool like a knife.
Back of knife

Mekkashike

Ainu word for the back of a knife, or sword. Also the ridge of a mountain or house.
Makiri saya

Makiri-saya

Ainu word for the scabbard of a utility knife called makiri.
Makiri nip

Makiri-nip

Ainu word for a knife handle.
Ibehe ainu

Ibehe

Ibehe is an Ainu word for a knife or sword blade.
Nioi

Nioi (匂)

Japanese word for fine martensite crystals in the blade's temperline.
Nie logo

Nie (沸)

Japanese word for martensite crystals that form in blade under certain conditions.
Yoki wazamono logo

Yoki Wazamono (良業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the third highest rated cutting ability.
o-wazamono logo

Ō Wazamono (大業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the second highest rated cutting ability.
Saijo o wazamono

Saijō Ō Wazamono (最上大業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the highest rated cutting ability.
Wazamono logo

Wazamono (業物)

Japanese term for a sword that is tested to cut well.
Tametsugu signature logo

Tametsugu (為継)

A Japanese swordsmith in the Shōshū tradition.
Tametsugu logo

Sōshū sword with tachi koshirae

Tokubetsu Hozon, attributed to Den Tametsugu. With fine itomaki no tachi koshirae.
Itomaki no tachi

Itomaki no tachi (糸巻太刀)

Japanese term for a type of tachi koshirae.
Koshirae logo

Koshirae (拵)

Japanese term for the mountings of an edged weapon.
Makiri blade logo

Makiri-ibe

Ainu word for knife blade.
Ainu emushi sword with sash

Ainu sword with sash

With deeply carved scabbard, complete with fine guard embroidered sash.
Ainu tanto logo

Rare Ainu kuttom-ushbe

A luxury Ainu knife styled after the Japanese tantō.
Unusual Ainu knife

Unusual Ainu knife

Resembling a makiri but with the blade's edge on the opposite side.