Length of cutting edge52.3cm Curvature1.6cm Width of base33.6mm Thickness of base7.2mm Width of Yokote21.7cm
Forging(Hada): Forging mark is conspicuous Itame wooden grain mixing in with Mokume burl marks, There shows streaming hada ware indication along temper side. The highlight is Chikei-scene that Ji-nie hard metal glitter covers on hiraji-surface to generate outstanding darkish Nie-lines.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is wide Suguha straight, Ko-nie based of which temper line activates with Uchinoke, fray, frequent Ashi feet and floating YOU activity and Sunagashi blushing marks in the interior of temper.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Boshi is small circle turns back deeply to the back ridge.
Tang(Nakago): UBU, Two peg holes. Greatly Slanting left with horizontal Kesho filemarks. Uneven U-shape bottom heel. Round back ridge. The signature on Haiomote starts with an official district [Hōkinokami] title granted by the Imperial Court, the clan [Fujiwara] and smith name [NOBUTAKA].
The smith Kawamura San-no-sho NOBUTAKA, who was born in the ninth year of Kanei (A.D.1632) in Nagoya, Owari, enjoyed Hōki-no-kami title when he was 34 years old at the fifth day, third month, the fifth year of Kanbun (A.D.1665). Also he was nominated in the fifth month, the same year, to work for the domain of Owari Tokugawa exclusively by the second feudal lord Tokugawa Mitsutomo. During Kanbun/Enpo period in the middle of 17th century, there was large demand of swords from Samurais, who preferred stout and best cutting performing blades especially in Owari where Bushido was very vigorous. The smith Nobutaka proudly worked for a Bushido instructor of Owari Tokugawa, Yagyu Renya Shigekane and have been prized by Samurais from long ago for their cutting ability as Owaza-mono (the best cutting performance).
This wakizashi, it is stout with wide mihaba on base, deeply curved and heavy on hand. There is rich and conspicuous activity of large itame hada and mokume with ji-nie that glitters in the light, that has close resembles to a work of NORISHIGE-hada. This is an example of work which had been owed and treasured by Owari Samurais holding brave spirit, and it is understood that smith Nobutaka was particularly skilled to meet with their requirement. Nakago holds a good taste of patina, remains clear filemark and chisel of signature.
Gold foiled Owari habaki collar (Upper shell is gold foiled/lower one is copper alloy shakudo), Preserved in a Shira-Saya plain wood mounting.
An old good polish/Condition scale: very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
reference data:
[Owari Tōkōfu] Iwata Atou 1985 Publisher : Nagoya city Board of Education
[Token Bijutsu vol.357] Kato Hiroshi 1986 Japan Sword Preservation Society
