Ordering number: 21071
Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae.(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)
Signature : Bizen Suke Hujiwara Munetsugu
Meiji 2 Nen 5 Gatsu hi 備前介藤原宗次
(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyo-jyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to jyoujyo saku ranking.
The blade was polished.
Habaki : Gold foiled single habaki.
Blade length :68.0 cm or 26.77 inches.
Sori :1.0cm or 0.39 inches.
Mekugi : 1
Width at the hamachi : 2.84cm or 1.12 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 2.19cm or 0.86 inches.
Kasane : 0.64 cm or 0.25 inches.
The weight of the sword 735 grams.
Era : Late Edo period to early Meiji
Shape : The blade is regular widthm rather thick with small sori and longer kissaki.
Jigane :Koitame hada well grained like Muji style Jigane.
Hamon :Koniedeki Cyoji midare hamon continued from Hamachi to Kissaki. Bo-shi is midarekomi and turns back.
Special feature: Munetsugu was born at Shirakawa province and younger brother of Koyama Munehira.
He studied from Kato Tsunahide which is called Koyama so-bei.
After that he moved to Edo and sword maker of the Kuwana family. He lived Yotsuya Saemon cho in Akasaka Azabu and studied from Yamada Asaemon about cut well swords.
Therefor his some swords exist Tameshigiri (cutting test) by Yamada Asaemon. According to the Fujishiro book, Kiyomaro made sword Tanrenjyo(making sword factory) in Iga city in Yotsuya near by Koyama Munetsugu without any greeting. So Koyama Munetsugu got angry and apply cartel to Kiyomaro.
It is interesting Japanese culture at that time.
He was making sword until Meiji 2nd year before Haito-rei（decree banning the wearing of swords).
Koshirae :
Saya :Red color saya.
Tsuba :On the Mokko style iron Tsuba, rise up Mimi and engraved theume flowers and gold color.
Fuchi: On the iron plate, samurai&s motif is engraved with gold color. kasher Samurais on the horseback are fighting scene is engraved with gold color.
Menuki : Shishi dog is engraved with gold color.
From Aoi Bijyutsu: Bizen suke Fujiwara Munetsugu produced in Meiji 2 Nen May of this work is probably his last produced sword. He was so old that he had no power to make sword It is believed that he made it with the last power of the era.
Background of age:1846 Kouka 1st year, American ambassador James came to Japan off shore of Sagami Uraga city off shore and apply freedom of trade to Japanese government.
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token
Aoi Art estimation paper: whole Oshigata.
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