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Previously exhibited by the NBTHK/AB at the San Francisco Token Kai
About this sword : Early Juyo are precious. There were many high quality blades being submitted to Juyo shinsa in the 1960's. To achieve this rank against such a fine field is very impressive. When acquiring a Juyo level blade, one should consider examples that have superior quality even among Juyo token. This Juyo Token Yamato Shikkake is certianly such a specimen.
The Yamato tradition of sword making consists of the Senjuin, Taima, Tegai, Hosho and Shikkake schools. These are the 5 ryu ha that represent the origins of Yamato den in its purest form. The Yamato smiths were retained by the warrior monks of the golden age of Nihonto. Their products were made solely for the serious business of war. The high shinogi and wide shinogi-haba combined with O-itame jigane becoming running masame in the ha of this katana is unmistakably representative of Shikkake. In addition to this, the blade shows all of the textbook features of the Shikkake mon as noted below in the Juyo Token To Zufu.
It is important to note that in the 11th Juyo Token To Zufu volume, the NBTHK states that the ji-ha (ji-gane and hamon) of this sword is fully intact, healthy and that the quality of the ji-gane is excellent. (See the red highlighted text in the text image)
This sword is in shirasaya bearing sayagaki by Dr. Kanzan Sato. It also states that this is an excellent work in healthy condition.
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This blade was published in the 11th Juyo Token To Zufu. The following is a translation of the text :
Designated on November 15 Showa 38
The 11th Juyo Token
Katana - O-suriage mumei - Shikkake - one item - Owner's name
Horyo:
Nagasa: 2 shaku 2 sun 7 bu 5 ri (68.9cm) (27.13")
Sori: 4 bu 5 ri (1.4cm) (0.55")
Motohaba: 1 sun 5 ri (3.2cm) (1.26")
Sakihaba: 7 bu 6 ri (2.3cm) (0.91")
Kissaki nagasa: 1 sun 5 bu (4.5cm) (1.77")
Nakaga nagasa: 6 sun 9 bu (20.9cm) (8.23")
Nakaga sori: slight
Keijo :
Shinogi-zukuri, iroi-mune, o-suriage with shallow sori, elongated chu-kissaki
Kitae :
O-itame, there are running masame close to the ha, overall ji-gane is hada-tachi, ji-nie present
Hamon :
Suguha based with shallow midare, ko-midare and gunome mixed in, ko-ashi, yo, nioi-guchi is tight and covered with ko-nie, lower part of the hamon has nijuba
Boshi :
Slight midare-komi, omote has swept hakikake and nijuba, ura side has pointed tip and hakikake, both omote and ura sides have kinsuji
Nakago :
O-suriage, sori is shallow with kuri jiri, yasurime katte sagari, three mekugi-ana, mumei
Explanation :
O-suriage attributed to Yamato Shikkake and the attribution is with absolute certainty. This is a work of the Nanbokucho ji-dai. The ji-ha shows strong Yamato characteristics. Shikkake works are few in number. The overall ji-ha is healthy and complete. The ji-gane has excellent quality.
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