Hizen no Kuni-jū Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro Katana
肥前国住近江大掾藤原忠広　刀
Item TK051

  • Period: Shinto Period - Early Edo (1641-1688)

  • Mei (Signature): Hizen no Kuni-jū Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro 肥前国住近江大掾藤原忠吉

  • Designation: Designated on Heisei 2, May 25th (1990)
    36th JUYO TOKEN

  • Nakago - Ubu - 2 Mekugi-Ana

  • Nagasa - 73.8cm

  • Sori: - 1.2cm

  • Motohaba - 3.05cm

  • Sakihaba - 2.05cm

  • Kissaki - 3.4cm

  • Motokasane - 0.7cm

  • Nakago - 20.8cm

Price on Inquiry

ORDER

Hizen no Kuni-jū Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro - True Heir to Shodai Tadayoshi

Touken Takarado’s Supplementary Commentary:
There is little I can add to the excellent assessment contained in the Jūyō Zufu. The NBTHK has already highlighted the qualities that make this sword an outstanding example of the second generation Hizen Tadahiro's workmanship. Instead, I would simply offer my own impressions from handling Hizen swords over the past eight years.

Having examined countless Hizen blades, I can say without hesitation that this example is about as complete as one could hope to find. Every element is executed to an exceptionally high standard, and there are no obvious weaknesses to distract from its overall quality.

One of the first things that immediately caught my attention was the condition of the blade. Take a close look at the hamachi; it is remarkably healthy for a sword approaching 400 years of age. The blade retains an impressive amount of its original substance, suggesting it has lived a careful life and has escaped the repeated heavy polishing that has diminished so many comparable works.

The konuka-hada is equally impressive. Among Hizen swords, one of the defining characteristics of a truly exceptional blade is the consistency and refinement of its forging. Here, the ko-itame is extraordinarily tight and uniform, producing the beautiful, silky konuka texture for which the Hizen tradition is celebrated. It is precisely the kind of forging one hopes to encounter in a top-quality work by Nidai Tadahiro.

Combined with the beautifully executed suguha hamon, this is an elegant, impeccably crafted sword that perfectly showcases why the second generation Tadahiro is regarded as one of the finest masters of the Hizen school.

To complete the package, the sword is fitted with a particularly attractive two-piece solid gold and shakudō habaki as well as It’s original Katana Box.

Below is a Direct Translation of the NBTHK Juyu Zufu

Sugata

Shinogi-zukuri construction with an iori-mune. The blade is slightly wide, with comparatively thick kasane. There remains a subtle taper from the base (fumbari). The curvature is shallow, and the medium kissaki is somewhat elongated.

Forging (Kitae)

A finely forged ko-itame hada that is tightly compacted, mixed with some mokume. The surface is covered with a dense layer of extremely fine ji-nie, and delicate chikei appear throughout the ji.

Hamon

A chū-suguha (middle-width straight temper) with ashi and yō. The nioiguchi is deep, with abundant ko-nie. Sunagashi appears throughout, and fine kinsuji are visible.

Boshi

The temper enters the point somewhat deeply, continues straight, and turns back in a long ko-maru.

Nakago

Ubu (unaltered). The tip is iriyamagata. The yasurime are shallow katte-agari. There is one mekugi-ana. A long signature is engraved on the omote side near the mune.

Commentary

Ōmi Daijō Tadahiro was the eldest son and rightful heir of the first generation Tadayoshi. When his father died in Kan'ei 9 (1632), Tadahiro was still only nineteen years old. Nevertheless, examples of his work are already known from that same year.

Although he undoubtedly possessed exceptional natural talent and technical ability as a swordsmith, an important factor in his success was the strong support he received from the skilled disciples who had served under the first-generation Tadahiro.

In the 7th month of Kan'ei 18 (1641) he received the honorary title Ōmi Daijō. He passed away in Genroku 6 (1693) at the age of eighty-one.

Over the course of more than sixty years of swordmaking, he produced more surviving works than any other smith of the Hizen tradition. His style encompasses both suguha and chōji-midare, and he excelled equally in both.

Evaluation

This sword displays a tightly forged ko-itame hada covered with a dense sprinkling of ji-nie and enlivened by chikei. Upon this foundation is a chū-suguha hamon containing ashi and yō, with a deep nioiguchi, abundant ko-nie, sunagashi, and fine kinsuji.

This represents the straight-tempered style at which the second-generation Tadahiro was most accomplished and for which he is especially renowned. His finest abilities are fully expressed in this work.

It is a healthy and exceptionally well-preserved blade, possessing a powerful feeling in both the jihada and the hamon, and is an outstanding example of his craftsmanship.