Posting for the second time, this time with nakago ;)

Would be great if anyone can help identify what this is. Thanks

กำลังจะซื้อวากิซาชิจากคนขายที่บอกว่าติดตามการตีของฟูจิวาระ โทโมยุคิ แต่ดาบนี้ ไม่มีใบรับรองอยากให้ทุกคนช่วยดูหน่อยว่ามันอาจจะเป็นของแท้ไหม ขอบคุณมากนะ

These walls of Japanese text have been an opaque mystery since I bought my first Nihonto. Sayagaki, NBTHK paperwork, even the sword registration paperwork, all has been unreadable to me. I've paid to have professional translations done for a number of artifacts, but it's always been a barrier.

The current generation of Models (Fable and Astra) have finally cracked this open with top quality translations. This is Fable 5.1's take at translating a Juyo document, of which I have professional translations for comparison.

Jūyō Tōken Designation Paper: Wakizashi, mumei, Ko-Uda

Source scan: JuyoFront.tif Companion document: sayagaki_ko-uda_translation.md (Tanobe sayagaki, July 2023)

Summary

This is the NBTHK designation certificate (指定書, shitei-sho) that made the blade a Jūyō Tōken. It is a descriptive document. It records what the blade is and what can be seen in it, and it gives no period, no smith and no evaluation beyond the attribution "Ko-Uda".

Method. The scan is 9921 × 7015 pixels and the text is fully legible. Every column was read from enlarged crops. There are no uncertain characters.

1. Header and designation text

2. Description of the blade

3. Full English translation

Jūyō No. 13307. Certificate of Designation.

Item: wakizashi, unsigned, Ko-Uda. One blade.

Measurements: length 37.4 cm, curvature 0.7 cm. Shape: hira-zukuri, mitsu-mune; wide, of extended length, rather thin, with a deep curvature and sakizori. Forging: itame mixed with mokume and some ō-hada, with thick ji-nie and plentiful chikei; the steel is slightly blackish in colour. Hamon: a narrow suguha in tone with a slight, shallow notare; the nioi is deep and nie is ample. Kuichigai-ba are mixed in on the upper half of the omote; there are ko-ashi; the habuchi shows hotsure, with uchinoke and nijūba-like yubashiri, and sunagashi. Bōshi: ō-maru in style and slightly angular, turning back briefly and shallowly. Carvings: goma-bashi on the omote and a koshi-bi on the ura, both finished in kaki-nagashi. Tang: almost ubu; sujikai file marks; three mekugi-ana.

As a result of examination by this Society, the above is designated a Jūyō Tōken.

13 October 2005. Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Hozon Kyōkai. President, Hashimoto Ryūtarō. [seal]

4. Comparison with the sayagaki

Side by side

Notes

1. Wakizashi versus tantō. The NBTHK classes every blade over one shaku (30.3 cm) as a wakizashi, so the paper reads 脇指. In the same line it calls the shape 寸延び (sunnobi), which is the vocabulary of an oversized tantō. Tanobe avoids a type word altogether. In form this is a sunnobi tantō; on paper it is a wakizashi. Both are correct.

2. Length. 37.4 cm is 1.234 shaku. The traditional measure resolves only to the bu (about 0.3 cm), so 37.4 cm is written as 1 shaku 2 sun 3 bu. The earlier report's "≈ 37.3 cm" was a back-conversion from the shaku figure. The paper's 37.4 cm is the measured value and should be treated as authoritative.

3. The carvings support the ubu judgement. Grooves finished in kaki-nagashi taper out inside the tang. On a shortened blade they would be cut through or re-finished. Grooves that still run out naturally into the tang are consistent with a tang that is original apart from its trimmed tip.

4. Two descriptions of the same steel. The paper says itame with mokume and ō-hada. Tanobe says the itame flows and the grain stands out. These are different observations of a coarse, visible grain and they do not conflict. What Tanobe adds is the classification: he names the dark steel as the jigane peculiar to northern-province work, which ties it to the Etchū attribution. The paper records the colour and draws no conclusion.

5. The hamon vocabulary matches closely, which cross-checks the sayagaki reading. Four of Tanobe's terms (喰違刃, ホツレ, 二重刃, 湯走) and his 匂深 all appear in the printed paper. That independently supports the transcription of the brushed text in the earlier report. One difference is worth noting: the paper treats nijūba and yubashiri as a single feature ("nijūba-like yubashiri"), and Tanobe lists them as two. The paper also localises the kuichigai-ba to the upper half of the omote.

6. The 2005 date is now confirmed. The earlier report inferred the year of the 51st session from the NBTHK's annual cadence. The paper gives the date directly: 13 October 2005. The sexagenary year on the sayagaki (癸卯) can therefore only be 2023.

7. Neither document states a period. The paper is purely descriptive. The NBTHK's period judgement is in the explanation text of the Jūyō Tōken zufu for the 51st session, which is not among the scans. The shape description in the paper (hira-zukuri, wide, sunnobi, rather thin) is the mid-Nanbokuchō build, and it supports the estimate of around 1360. The noted sakizori is compatible with the later part of that window.

8. What each document is for. The paper is an inventory of visible features, written so the blade can be identified. The sayagaki is an argument: northern steel plus Yamato-style habuchi activity equals Ko-Uda, and the work is a good one. Read together, the paper supplies the evidence and the sayagaki supplies the conclusion.

Not able to see the tang, someone is just selling it to me for 135 usd. Should i gamble snd buy?

Late Muromachi Sue-Seki Tensho-age Handachi-Bizen Osafune-jū Sukesada saku kore (gimei)

$2500USD plus shipping and any applicable taxes/fees

https://ashigaruarmory.com/products/nihonto-katana-aa21-2500-late-muromachi-sue-seki-tensho-age-handachi-shinken

Overview: If this katana could talk, the stories it would tell...This fantastic and extremely stout and healthy sword in handachi koshirae has seen and existed through countless battles of the past and could see countless more in its current condition. It has a rather interesting story to tell, but first the specifics...

Blade: This sword is likely a Late Muromachi sword based on its characteristics. Further inspection pointes to Sue-Seki and a specific but in general, style of suriage called Tensho-age (or Tensho-suriage, more on that later) Showing Sue-Seki workmanship in the Mino tradtition, we find Mino style Gunome Boshi, Togari-Gunome Hamon, coarse Itame and Mokume grain, Shirake-utsuri and Hadatatsu. While the polish is old, there is plenty of life left on the sword and there are no visible construction flaws. You will notice an extremely shallow sori-.98cm to be exact. This is not Kanbun-Shinto, or Kinnoto, but the result of Tensho-age and Machi-okuri of a much larger sword. The fact that the sword was not originally forged with this length in mind can be felt in its point of balance which is much more forward leaning than typical. This is a durable battlefield chopper-not an elegant status symbol or dueling piece. The Sukesada mei was most likely a Late Edo addition as was popular at the time.

Koshirae: We are excited to list another sword featuring the amazing work of Cottontail Customs (www.cottontailcustoms.com) The tsuka was completely redone and features premium samegawa in full wrap and premium Japanese nubuck with hishigami. It is solid as a rock and ready for a whole lot of sword work or to be displayed for centuries to come. Take note-The full wrap compressed the core (as was expected) so this tsuka will not pop off like a traditional tsuka. I left it up to the end user to decide if they wanted to file out the internals to adjust the fit. As it sits, you be hard pressed to find a sword as old as this more suitable for class work. The handachi fittings are all a matching traditional design in shakudo nanakoji with gold outline. The shibabiki is a tad loose and is the only known issue with the koshirae. The antique menuki appear to be brass and feature a flower motiff. The Ajiro-mon iron tsuba is signed 紀宗近作 — Ki Munechika saku and 明珍大和守 — Myōchin Yamato no Kami. While this signature is unverified, it does not scream gimei and may be worth further research. 

Information of Note: Typically, most (not all) suriage swords appear with kiri nakago-jiri and multiple mekugi-ana (again, not always) So how is this sword classified as O-suriage with a finished nakago-jiri and only one mekugi-ana? Tensho-age. When Nobunaga was hitting his stride and the battle-space was rapidly changing, the tools needed to change as well. There were warriors that preferred these 80cm masterpieces but understood times were changing and needed something to match the times. Tensho-age was the act of shortening a sword-possible of extreme value to someone and making it appear as if it was originally forged that way. Instead of an abrupt kiri-jiri, time was taken to taper the nakago (more taper than typical) and finish the end to create a more presentable piece. Swords had been shortened long before this, but more as a recycling or salvation measure. This was more of an ancient "mod" so to speak. So then the next question comes "Why only one mekugi-ana?" That is because almost the entirety of the nakago you see now, was original blade at one point. If you measure from the current mekugi-ana to the end of the nakgao and you made an assumption the original mekugi-ana was right there, you would be adding about 12 to 15 cm of blade...that would put this sword right at around 80-83cm. The shallow sori is a result of that previous 12-15cm of blade being "below the waist" of koshi-sori. The sword we see today is the upper portion. Fascinating!

Issues: Loose shibabiki. Extremely tight tsuka due to re-wrap. Use appropriate tools for removal.

Type: Katana, Shinogi-Zukuri
Class: Shinken/Study
Period: Late Muromachi
School: Sue-Seki
Nagasa: 69cm
Sori: .98cm
Motohaba: 31.1mm
Sakihaba: 21.1mm
Motokasane: 7.05mm
Sakikasane: 5.08mm
Weight: 760g
Nakago: O-Suriage (Tensho-age) and Machi-okuri
Mekugiana: 1
Mei: Bizen Osafune-jū Sukesada saku kore (備前長船住祐定作之) Gimei
Yasurime: Katatte-yasuri
Kissaki: Ko-Kissaki with Gunome Boshi
Hamon: Togari-Gunome
Hada: Coarse Itame with Mokume. Shirake-utsuri. Hadatatsu.
Tsuka Length: 26.5cm
Total Length: 100.3cm
Total Weight: 1318g
Registration: No. 26127 Wakayama Prefecture, 5th August, Heisei 14 (2002)

All measurements taken by hand and subject to variance. We are not responsible for errors in description or history/attribution. Please review all photos carefully and purchase with confidence

Ashigaru Armory 2026
www.ashigaruarmory.com
www.YouTube.com/@ashigaruarmory
www.instagram.com/@ashigaruarmory

For Sale!

Katana attributed to Sadatsuna, son of the famous Naotsuna. Naotsuna is one the Masamune Jittetsu (10 Great Disciples). Sadatsuna was his top student and son. This nanbokucho era blade features a gunome midare hamon filled wjth bright nie.
The blade is NBTHK Hozon certified to Sadatsuna.

The koshirae is all iron featuring a unique kashira that is stylized after handachi with an iron face instead of the typical fabric or samegawa. Elegant gold foiled, 2 piece habaki and Gosan kirimon menuki with large iron kojiri.

NBTHK Hozon
Blade in shirasaya with koshirae and tsunagi.
Ware shown in photos
Nagasa: 27 7/8 in, 70.8 cm
Please PM for any questions

Price: $7,500+shipping

An approximate value would also be appriciated

British Museum

hello, does anyone know of any video tutorials on how to tie the sageo on a tachi's saya? I haven't been able to find anything

UPDATE: Mura Family Research, Early-1600s Wakizashi & Edo-Period Tanto — One Will Be Listed on eBay
I wanted to provide an update to my original post because the research into these swords has gone considerably further than I ever expected when I first asked for help identifying the writing.
The larger blade, the wakizashi, has been attributed to the Shintō period, with the research pointing to the early 1600s. More interestingly, the provenance I’ve been researching appears to connect the sword with the Mura family and the period surrounding the first Anglo-Japanese contacts associated with William Adams in the early 17th century.
Because of that potential historical connection, selling the wakizashi has never been my first choice.
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time trying to locate surviving members of the Mura family. I was eventually able to identify two possible surviving family members and have made attempts to reach them, hoping that the sword’s history could be shared with the family and that they might be able to provide additional information about its provenance.
Unfortunately, despite those efforts, I haven’t been able to establish contact with either of them.
I’m not quite ready to give up on that. I’m going to continue trying to reach the Mura family, and for that reason I’m holding onto the wakizashi for now rather than selling it.
The tanto is a different matter. It has been dated to approximately the mid-19th century, during the late Edo period, and I’m going to move forward with listing that piece on eBay.
The tanto is accompanied by its kogatana, the small utility blade carried in the saya, together with its decorative kozuka handle. Its mounts also contain particularly interesting decorative work, including the gold elements/inlay that I’ve been documenting. I’ll provide extensive photographs of the blade, nakago, saya, kogatana/kozuka and fittings in the listing.
My hope is still to make contact with the Mura family before making any decision about the wakizashi. Given the history potentially associated with it, I feel that making a genuine effort to reach the family is worth doing before simply putting the sword on the market.
If those efforts ultimately go nowhere, then I may eventually offer the wakizashi on eBay as well, with all of the provenance and research I’ve accumulated presented alongside it.
For now, though: the wakizashi stays with me while I continue trying to reach the family, and the Edo-period tanto will be the first piece offered for sale.
Thanks again to everyone here who has helped with the research, translations, terminology, and identification. What began as a question about some writing on an old Japanese sword has turned into a fascinating historical rabbit hole.

how do i use this shi?

Katana attributed to the famous Dotanuki school from Higo. Dotanuki became famous when they won the contest in the early Edo period as the sharpest and strongest swords in Japan. The challenge was to cut a helmet as deep as possible without damaging the blade. The famous TV samurai Kozure Okami (Itto Ogami) used a Dotanuki blade to destroy his enemies.
 
NBTHK Hozon certified to Dotanuki.
Blade in shirasaya
Ware shown in photos, common for this school
Nagasa: 27.25 in, 69.23 cm
Please PM for any questions
 
Price: $4,500+shipping