C6169(S8103)

Katana signed Hida-no-kami Fujiwara UJIFUSA

Shinto Early Edo period (Keicho era / circa 1596-) Owari
Length of cutting edge 71.0cm Curvature 1.7cm Width of base 31.6mm Width of Yokote 22.1mm Thickness of base 7.6mm

NBTHK(Tokubetsu Hozon) certificate

Blade construction: Dignified Katana of Shinogi-zukuri, High in Iori-mune. Wide in Mihaba on base and there is less degree of tapering to the upper swelling Fukura area that leads to an extended large Ō-Kissaki. The ratio of Hira-ji is on wider side to Shinogi-ji. Shinogi-suji ridge is massively high and shaved off toward the back ridge of Mune to design higher cutting performance. (click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade).
Forging(Hada): Itame hada covers with sparkling Ji-nie glitter to generate darkish lines "Chikei" in different carbon ratio whereas Masame appears on Shinogi-ji.
Temper(Hamon): Nie based undulating Notare and large Gunome. Coarse Nie granules attaches along the crest of Notare. Upper the blade stronger the Nie to show isolated "Yubashiri" overflows to be Niju-ha or Tobiyaki scene onto Hiraji surface and some Muneyaki appears from the tip along back ridge. In the interior of temper, thick Nie-ashi feet and floating YOU appears - entire temper shows plenty of rich Nie broad-minded activity and full of variety.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Boshi is undulating Midarekomi then medium circle turns back deeply to connect Muneyaki on back ridge.
Tang(Nakago): Nakago is an UBU original. One mekugi-ana peg hole. Ō-sujikai (greatly slanting left) filemarks. The imposing inscription chiselled in front locates right under the Mekugi-ana, along Shinogi-suji Hida-no-kami Fujiwara UJIFUSA 飛騨守藤原氏房.

The second generation UJIFUSA 氏房, real name of initially Kawamura Isechiyo 河村伊勢千代, later changed to Kawamura Heijurō 河村平十郎, was born in the 10th year of Eiroku(1567).
His father Wakasa-no-kami Ujifusa 若狭守氏房 won the praise from the daimyo Oda Nobunaga 織田信長 to exclusively belong to him. In the 5th year of Tensho (1577), Hida-no-kami Ujifusa 飛騨守氏房 moved to Azuchi castle town in Oumi province along with his father Wakasa-no-kami Ujifusa 若狭守氏房 to work exclusively as a page of Oda Nobutaka 織田信孝 who is the 3 rd son of Oda Nobunaga.
After the Incident at Honnō-ji (本能寺の変, Honnō-ji no Hen) referred to the forced suicide in the 21th day, the sixth month, the 10 th year of Tensho (1582) of Oda Nobunaga, UJIFUSAs parent and son returned to his home town Gifu with Oda Nobutaka's help then again came back to Kiyosu castle town under the support of Sakuma Masakatsu 佐久間正勝.
After his father Wakasa-no-kami Ujifusa passed away in the 11 th day, the 5 th month, 18 th year of Tensho (1590), he learned from his uncle Nobutaka 信高 of 1 st generation and officially enjoyed Hida-no-kami 飛騨守 title in the 11 th day, the 5 th month, 20 th year of Tensho (1592).
On after Nagoya castle relocation in 1610, he moved from Kiyosu to Kaji town, in Nagoya (now in 3 chome Marunouchi,Naka-ku) then was in retirement 1631 to yield his position as head of the Ujifusa to his eldest son - the 3 rd generation Bizen-no-kami Ujifusa 備前守氏房. Hida-no-kami Ujifusa 飛騨守氏房 was passed away in the same year in 1631, was 65 years old.

This brave Katana Hida-no-kami Fujiwara Ujifusa 飛騨守藤原氏房 is judged as a work of his later period because of it's signature analysis - the 4th stroke of character [HARA 原] goes through the 2nd stroke. He chisels a very good hand in a free and easy style like this example.
Such lively brave katana with powerful long Kissaki had come into vogue during Momoyama period and assumes an air of dandysm of Samurai spirits.
Old silver foiled copper Habaki collar, Preserved in a Shira-Saya plain wood mounting.
Good old polish/Condition scale: excellent (using a scale of mint-excellent-very good-good-fair-poor)