with) Black Roiro-style lacquered scabbard Uchigatana Koshirae
（whole koshirae image）（detailed koshirae image）
(TOKUBETSU KICHO)
Length of cutting68.9cm Curvature0.9cm Width of base30.5mm Width of thickness6.8mm Width of Yokote20.6cm
Forging pattern (kitae hada) : Kitae hada shows a shade of blue, conspicuous Itame hada mixing in Mokume marks and there shows flowing forging ware partially.
Tempering pattern (hamon) : Hamon is fine ko-nie base, wavy Notare-ha,mixing in Gunome and Togari-ha. There are some Tobiyaki (quenched spots) marks on the back ridge. The interior of entire temper outline is covered in soft and misty Nioi, vividly bright.
Temper of tip (boshi) : Boshi is regularly straight, medium circle turns back.
Tang (Nakago) : Nakago is UBU original. Suji-chigai (Slanting left) filemarks. V-shape (Kengyo) heel shape. One Mekugi-ana peg hole.The signature in front on the Shinogi-suji ridge below the habaki starts with [AOI crest] and chiselled long character that starts from smith name [Yasutsugu] and the place of work [oite Echizen-saku kore].
The first smith YASUTSUGU, real name is Shimosaka Ichizaemon, initially named himself as Higo-daijo Shimosaka. He was born in Oumi (now in Shiga prefecture) and moved to Echizen(now in Fukui prefecture) to work for Yuki Hideyasu who is the second son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. He and his successive generations had become the exclusive official sword smith in ordinary to the Tokugawa Shogun families to allow using AOI-crest and the character of [YASU] granted by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The first and second generation of YASUTSUGU, had worked in Bushu and Echizen province every other year.
Because of the family feud to whom succeeded the third generation, the third son of the first generation Yasutsugu moved out and started a branch Yasutsugu family in Echizen province. On after the third generation, Yasutsugu in Bushu province had succeeded by 12 generations and Yasutsugu in Echizen province had prospered byl 9th generations till Meiji renovation.
The subject sword is the typical work of Echizen Yasutsugu who is a frontier of the Echizen yasutsugu family, real name is Shimosaka Shirouemon, later changed as Shimosaka Ichiuemon. His workmanship has close resembles to the work of his father(1st gen.) and elder brother(2nd gen.). Also in view of his signature [YASU], the "thread" left-hand side radical of kanji character comes from the one of his brother(2nd gen.) and right-hand side of kanji (Tsukuri) comes from his father (1st gen.).
Black Roiro style lacquered scabbard Uchigatana Koshirae consists of
(click HERE for the entire Koshirae and HERE for high resolution of each furniture)
White Rayskin wrapped, brown/gold lozenge cord wrap hilt.
Fuchi/Kashira : Samurais in combat motif Iron ground Gold and Shakudo Iroe inlay, Shakudo Kobuchi-rim.
Menuki : Samurai motif Shakudo Yobori Gold Iroe inlay
Kogai : Clover against stream scene Iron ground Gold inlay
Tsuba : The Seven Sages against Bamboo forest theme. Iron ground Nikubori openwork, Gold, Shakudo and copper inlay Gold Fukurin rim.
signed Souheishi-Nyudo Souten-sei Gou-shu Hikone-ju.
Single layer gold foiled Habaki collar, Preserved in Shira-Saya mounting.
