Hizen no Kuni-jū Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro Katana
肥前国住近江大掾藤原忠広　刀
Item TK057

  • 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: Tokubetsu Hozon (Katana) & Tokubetsu Hozon (Fuchi Kashira)

  • Nakago - Ubu - 1 Mekugi-Ana

  • Nagasa - 70.1cm

  • Sori: - 1.2cm

  • Motohaba - 3cm

  • Sakihaba - 2.1cm

  • Kissaki - 3.2cm

  • Motokasane - 0.6cm

  • Nakago Length - 20.2cm

¥ 1,800,000

ORDER

An Exceptional Katana by Hizen Kuni Jū Ōmi Daijō Tadahiro

Ōmi Daijō Fujiwara Tadahiro (近江大掾藤原忠廣), commonly known as the second-generation or Nidai Tadahiro, was one of the foremost swordsmiths of the Hizen tradition and among the most accomplished smiths of the Shintō period. Born in 1614 as the son of the celebrated first-generation Hizen Tadayoshi, he inherited leadership of the main Hizen school following his father's death in 1632, when Tadahiro was still only nineteen years old. Supported by the highly skilled craftsmen of the established Tadayoshi school, he continued and further developed the distinctive style that would make Hizen blades some of the most immediately recognizable and highly regarded works of the Edo period.

In Kan'ei 18 (1641), Tadahiro received the prestigious honorary title Ōmi Daijō (近江大掾). His career was exceptionally long, continuing until his death in Genroku 6 (1693) at the age of eighty-one, giving him more than six decades of activity. The NBTHK notes the remarkable productivity of Tadahiro and the Hizen main line, and his surviving works demonstrate an extraordinary consistency of quality across this long working life. His swords were produced under the patronage of the powerful Nabeshima clan of the Saga domain, whose support allowed the Hizen school to maintain an unusually organized and sophisticated system of sword production.

Tadahiro became particularly celebrated for the exceptionally refined Hizen jigane, characterized by tightly forged ko-itame covered in fine ji-nie and developing the distinctive konuka-hada (“rice-bran” grain) for which the school is famous. His best-known hamon is an elegant chū-suguha, formed in a dense, bright and remarkably clear nioiguchi, although he was equally capable of producing more flamboyant chōji-midare and gunome-based works.

These celebrated characteristics are beautifully represented in the present katana, which stands as a highly typical and refined example of Nidai Tadahiro’s classic workmanship. The jigane is formed in an exceptionally tight and finely worked ko-itame, displaying the characteristic konuka-hada of the Hizen tradition. The steel is compact, clear and remarkably well controlled, with the fine texture of the hada readily visible and allowing the quality of the forging to be appreciated throughout the blade. The hamon is executed in Tadahiro’s signature chū-suguha, displaying a bright, even and clearly defined nioiguchi that runs with great consistency along the length of the blade.

Above all, this is a remarkably cleanly and precisely executed work. There is a strong sense of control and refinement throughout, with the jigane, hamon and finer details of the workmanship all clearly visible and unobscured. The temper continues through the kissaki into a classically formed ko-maru bōshi, completing the restrained and elegant character of the blade. Nothing is excessive or out of place; rather, its appeal lies in the precision, consistency and clarity for which the finest Hizen workmanship is renowned. Everything can be readily seen and appreciated, making this katana an excellent representation of the refined aesthetic that established Ōmi Daijō Tadahiro as one of the foremost masters of the Hizen tradition.

The katana is accompanied by a handsome vermillion-lacquered saya kodhirae, featuring a signed fuchi-kashira attributed to Masakuni (政国), depicting the charming theme of a monkey hiding within a cave while a bird of prey (hawk) circles above. The fittings retain fine details in gold and colored metal, adding both character and visual interest to the complete mounting.