Superb Koto era (15th Century) Katana by Kaneaki

(Signed: Kane-aki)

This elegant Katana comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper attesting to its authenticity and quality.

Koto Beginning of Muromachi period (Ouei era/about 600 years ago) Mino/Suruga
Length of cutting edge 69.5cm Curvature 2.45cm Width of base 29.2mm Thickness of base 6.6mm Width of Yokote 16.0mm

Sugata (configuration) : Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune. Deep in curvature on base with upper pointed curve indication leading to a neat tip so called Tachi style which is elegant and awe-inspiring.

Kitae (forging pattern) : Kitae-hada is ko-itame hada base which is fine and elaborate and covered with whitish belt UTSURI reflect granules.Darkish hard metal grain lines crerate Masame wavy marks so called thick CHIKEI activity indication like stream. The entire Kitake marks show full of an old atomosphere in early 15 th century.

Hamon (tempering pattern) : Hamon is fairy Nie based starting with small gunome and delicate clove outlines on base, middle and lower upper areas shows sharped-up (Togari) indications with Tobiyaki, splashed-temper marks here and there, upper Monouchi ares becomes calm straight based temper with delicate irregular mark so called KOMIDARE. In the interior of temper, filled in whitish NIOI-mist, there works wirh darkish Nie lines so called Sunagashi-bruising lines activity and ASHI-feet gives off toward the cutting edge delicately.

Boshi (tip): The temper of the tip comes in straight with Ni-ju-ha (double lines) indication into KOMARU small circle.

Nakago(tang) : UBU, Round end (Kurikata) heel shape and Checked(HIGAKI) filemarks. The signature in hakiomote is located on shinogiji , two small character that reads Kane-Aki.

A place (Takatenjin), present Shimo-Hijikata town, Kakegawa-city, Shizuoka pref, had been a strategic point during the Warring States period and there used to be a Takatenjin castle here. A powerful family clan Imagawa invited the smith KANEAKI who lived in Seki town, Mino province to the place of Takatenjin offering an exclusive post. His real name is Uemon-no-jo, a frontier of Takatenjin-KANEAKI workhouses who had prospered till end of Muromachi period about 200 years. The smith KANEAKI (Uemon-Shiro) during Tenbun era (1532-1554) collaborated with 2nd gen. KANEMOTO (Magoroku) in Seki then to enjoy a part of name [TORA] from a general Takeda Nobutora (father of Takeda Shingen) to change his smith name TORA-AKI. There are very few swords of 1 st generation KANEAKI early Muromachi Period still extant.

The incidental Tachi style koshirae fitting consists of silver metal furniture of whcih ASHI parts shows KIRI-crest, Tsuba, iron ground cross rectangular shape with four Shishi-me corners' open-work, gold the bridge of a koto(kotoji) motif gold inlay, Silver fukurin rim, Pure gold dragon design menuki hilt ornaments, Tapped Japanese lacquered surface with gold high-relief AOI-crests makie shearth, White Rayskin straw color narrow silk cord wrapping hilt.
Gold double rayer habaki collar, Shira-saya plain wood mouting.