S70848(S2060)

Katana unsigned attributed to KAIFU (Shin-shin-to) with)Black Roiro lacquered scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae

Shin-shin-to End of Edo period (Bunka era/circa 1804-) Awa
Length of cutting edge 69.5cm Curvature 1.4cm Width of base 27.3mm Width of Yokote 19.7mm Thickness of base 7.6mm

NBTHK(Hozon) certificate

with)Black Roiro lacquered scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae


Blade construction (kengyo) :Well harmonized curved Katana in Shinogi-zuruki, Iori-mune. Thick in Kasane and width on base is in average that holds well-proportioned degree of tapering from base to the point of medium Kissaki.(click HERE for high resolution of the blade photograph)
Forging pattern (kitae hada) : Kitae hada is fine Itame and flowing Masame ware is perceived here and there. Hamon boundary line activates with a bit on stronger side Nie and isolated activities of Ni-ju-ha and Hotsure fray appears where the interior of temper is filled with misty Nioi.
Temper of tip (boshi) : Temper of Boshi forms straight Suguha then small circle turns back.
Tang (Nakago) : The Nakago is unaltered UBU original. The heel of Nakago is uneven U-shaped (Ha-agari Kurijiri). The Yasurime filemarks is horizontal KIRI. One Mekugi-ana peg hole.
In Shikoku island where estranged from the central Yamashiro (today's Kyoto), expert sword smiths didn't appear up to Nanbokucho 14th century. YOSHIMITSU 吉光 came from Yamato province in early Muromachi period also Ujiyoshi 氏吉 who belonged to Naminohira 波平 school in Kyushu followed immigration to Kaifu 海部 in Awa 阿波 (today's Tokushima pref.) The sword smiths in Kaifu school prospered along Kaifu river up to 50 makers in Muromachi period and enjoyed high reputation as brilliance of beauty as well as supreme sharp cutting performance.
Invaded by Chosokabe Motochika 長宗我部元親 in Tensho 3rd (1575), the castle Kaifu was shelled into surrender and caught up in the vortex of war, Kaifu smiths were scattered in all directions but only Ujitsugu 氏次 and Ujiyoshi 氏吉 exclusively worked for a feudal lord Hachisuka 蜂須賀 in Tokushima-castle town in 10 generations throughout Edo period.

with) Black Roiro lacquered scabbard Uchikatana Koshirae (click
HERE for entire Koshirae and HERE for each fitting)
  • Fuchi : Shakudo Nanako-ji ground bearing the crest of Goryu-Tsuta and Goryu-Yotsume in gold Iroe inlay signed Shiryuken YOSHINOBU 志立軒 嘉信
  • Menuki : Akikusa Autumn leaves flowers design, Shakudo Katabori carving, gold Iroe
  • Tsuba : Water wheel design, Iron ground, Openwork, Gold drop inlay, unsigned
  • Tsuka : White rayskin, deep blue silk cord Moro-tsumami style lozenge wrap
Silver foiled single layer Habaki collar, preserved in Shirasaya plain wood mounting.
Due to the Katana iremains in old polish, there are some scratches and slight whitish stains on surface and as for the Koshirae some dents appear on the possible original scabbard.
Old polish/Condition scale: excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor).
reference data:
Matsushima Masao/Okada Ichiro Awa-no Toko, Shuppan co.,ltd. 1972