Shinano no Kami Fujiwara Nobuyoshi Katana
信濃守藤原信吉　刀
Item TK040

  • Period: Shinto Period - Early to Mid-Edo

  • Mei (Signature): 信濃守藤原信吉 Shinano no Kami Fujiwara Nobuyoshi

  • Designation: Tokubetsu Hozon (Katana), Tokubetsu Kicho (Katana) & Tokubetsu Kicho (Koshirae)

  • Nakago - cm - Ubu - 1 Mekugi-Ana

  • Nagasa - 69.3cm

  • Sori: ‍ ‍- 0.7 cm

  • Motohaba - 3cm

  • Sakihaba - 2cm

  • Kissaki - 3cm

  • Motokasane - 0.78cm

Price: ¥ 1,300,000

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Shinano no Kami Fujiwara Nobuyoshi

Shinano no Kami Fujiwara Nobuyoshi (信濃守藤原信吉), personal name Takai Kinzaburō (高井金三郎), was a Kyoto based swordsmith active in the mid Edo period and counted among the prestigious Kyō Go Kaji, the five official swordsmiths serving the imperial court. Associated with the Yamashiro tradition, he is recorded as residing in Aburakōji in Rakuyō (Kyoto), and is believed to have had familial ties to the Mishina school through Iga no Kami Kinmichi. The Nobuyoshi lineage continued through multiple generations, with the nidai his son in law later adopting the Minamoto surname and eventually relocating to Osaka, where he also worked under the title Echizen no Kami.

The blade is formed in a classic Kanbun Shintō sugata, exhibiting a shallow sori and compact ko-kissaki, with a well-proportioned shinogi-zukuri construction and iori-mune. The jigane is particularly refined, displaying a very tight ko-itame hada with subtle areas of flowing itame-nagare, resulting in a dense and clean surface that speaks to careful forging.

The hamon is a suguha executed in fine nie-deki, with a delicate and even distribution of nie throughout. Subtle ashi can be observed working within the temperline, adding a quiet level of activity without disturbing the overall composure.

Altogether, this is a very clean and well-executed blade, with an especially attractive jigane that enhances its overall presence and quality.

This katana is accompanied by a ryaku tachi koshirae, representing a simplified and more understated form of traditional tachi mounting. Emphasizing practicality and refined restraint over elaborate decoration, this style reflects a quieter aesthetic while retaining the classical tachi form.

The fittings are executed in copper and yamagane, offering a subdued and cohesive appearance, while the saya is finished in a combination of textured ishime lacquer and aogai-nuri urushi, providing a tasteful contrast in surface and finish.