M21079(S836)
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Katana signed Ichi Jōunsai Hayama Enshin Presented toMr. Takashi Shintarō An auspicious day in January, Taishō 8 (1919), at the age of 74 (seal)

Contemporary sword (Taisho 8th/1919) Tokyo
Length of cutting edge 68.6cm Curcature 2.0cm Width of base 31.4mm Width of Yokote 20.8mm Thickness of base 7.2mm

NBTHK(Hozon) certificate

Blade construction: Shinogi-zukuri, Mitsu-mune. The blade has well-balanced width and thickness, with a harmonized somewhat deeper curvature, terminating in an Ikubi-kissaki. (Close-up photo of the blade)
Forging (Hada): The Jihada is a super-refined Ko-itame-hada , densely forged with sparkling Ji-nie surface particles.
Temper(hamon): A suguha-style straight temper line with a shallow Notare, formed in Nioiguchi with prominent Nie (crystalline martensite particles) thickly accumulated along the blade edge. Ashi (legs of the temper line) extend into the blade, and the Nioi-guchi (temper line border) is remarkably bright and clear.
Bōshi (Tip temper Pattern): The Hamon continues into a high, regular Suguha straight, medium circle turns back.
Nakago (Tang): Ubu (unaltered), with Katte-sagari file marks. There is a section of Higaki-yasurime (cross-hatched file marks) on part of the flat surface. One mekugi-ana (peg hole). The heel end (Nakago-jiri) is Kuri-jiri with an upward slant toward the edge (Ha-agari). On the ridge side (mune-kata) of the tang, there is contoured in full where O-sujikai (diagonal) file marks appears.
On the omote, in tachi-mei style, is a long signature:
"Jōunsai Hayama Enshin kore wo tsukuru – presented to Mr. Takaishi Shintarō"
indicating the maker and recipient 浄雲斉羽山円真造之　贈高石信太郎氏
On the ura, the inscription states the date of year and his age at the time of forging:
"An auspicious day in January, Taishō 8 (1919) – at the time age 74" followed by the kaō (seal) 大正八年壱月吉日　干時年七十四（花押）

Hayama Enshin 羽山円真, whose real name was Suzuki Masahiro 鈴木正寬, was born in 1845 (Kōka 2) as the son of a retainer of the Yoshida Domain, in what is now Toyohashi City. Like his father, he served as a retainer of the Toyohashi Domain, but he made a decisive resolution to become a swordsmith. He studied under Suzuki Masao 鈴木正雄, a prominent disciple of Edo master Minamoto Kiyomaro 源清麿, and established his studio in Shimizu-chō, Yanaka, Shitaya Ward, Edo present in Tokyo.
His first signature was "Masahiro" 正寬 and he also went by the alias "Jōunsai" 浄雲斎. He was the last swordsmith to be profoundly influenced by Minamoto Kiyomaro 源清麿 and is considered one of the representative master swordsmiths of the Meiji and Taishō periods.

He identified himself as a specialist in the Awataguchi tradition, excelling in reproducing Yamashiro-den style works. He forged a sword for Ōmura Masujirō 大村益次郎 and in 1897 (Meiji 30), was commissioned by Prince Fushimi Sadanaru 伏見宮貞愛親王 to produce a replica of the Kogarasu-maru. From that time on, he became known for his exceptional skill in reviving and reproducing ancient swords, such as the Kenukigata warabite-tō.
One example is a sword he forged at Atsuta Shrine, inscribed:
Jōunsai Hayama Enshin – February, Meiji 42 (1909) – 'Sakura kari' – Age: 64 浄雲斉羽山円真造之 明治四十二年二月日さくらかり干時六拾四
The swords made by Hayama Enshin are praised as the masterpieces as "Taishō Masamune"大正正宗 and he was also recognized as a master of Tameshigiri (test-cutting) in modern times.
When Gassan Sadakazu passed away in 1918 (Taishō 7) at the age of 84, Hayama Enshin in 1920 (Taishō 9) at 75, and Miyamoto Kanenori in 1926 (Taishō 15) at 97, the lineage of Shinshintō-period swordsmiths had nearly come to an end.

The subject work is one of Hayama Enshin’s final works at his age 74. The inscription carved in Tachi-mei style includes the character "一" (Ichi-monji) and its graceful curvature with Torii-zori supposes that it was modeled after an old tachi of the Awataguchi school swordsmiths who served Emperor Gotoba.
The Jigane, made using Tōgō steel (Tōgō Hagane) trademarked by Tōgō Heihachirō was forged with exquisite care, forming a finely grained Nashiji-hada (pear-skin-like surface). The hamon is a wide, gently undulating Suguha, with a thick layer of Nie densely lining the bright and clear Nioiguchi, and it features exceptionally fine but gentle internal Hataraki activities, resulting in a superbly refined blade that displays both sharpness and elegance.
Old polish/Condition scale: very good (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor). due to old polish, some insignificant rust is visible in places.
Gold-foiled Tachi Habaki, preserved in a Shirasaya.
reference data : Iwata Atou, Owati Tokofu, Nagoya-city Board of Education, 1984