Juyo Naoe Shizu katana

Jūyō Tōken – 44th Designation

Designated on: November 12, Heisei 10 (1998)
Owner: Masaharu Kojima, Kagoshima Prefecture

Sword Type:

Katana – Mumei (unsigned)
Attribution: Naoe Shizu

Measurements:

• Nagasa: 69.5 cm

• Sori: 1.7 cm

• Motohaba: 3.0 cm

• Sakihaba: 2.4 cm

• Kissaki-nagasa: 4.6 cm

• Nakago-nagasa: 17.5 cm

• Nakago-sori: 0.1 cm

Shape (Katachi):

Shinogi-zukuri, iorimune, with a wide mihaba and little difference between the widths at the base and the tip. Though ō-suriage, it retains a pronounced sori and features a large ō-kissaki.

Kitae (Forging):

Itame-hada with a flowing tendency, mixed with mokume. The jigane is thick with ji-nie, and displays prominent chikei.

Hamon:

A gentle notare-style mixed with gunome, deeply nioi-based with abundant nie. There are activities such as sunagashi, kinsuji, and yubashiri. The nioiguchi is bright and clear.

Bōshi:

Notare-style, turning back in a small rounded komaru.

Horimono:

A bōhi is carved through on both the omote and ura.

Nakago:

Ō-suriage, with a kirijiri tip. Yasurime are sujikai. Two mekugi-ana, with one plugged. The blade is mumei.

Explanation:

In the region of Shizu in Mino Province, Kaneshige — counted among the Juttetsu (Ten Great Disciples) of Masamune — settled and founded a thriving school. Later, his disciples Kanetomo, Kaneuji, Kaneshige, Kanenobu, and others relocated to Naoe, also in Mino, and continued their work there. These smiths and their works are collectively referred to as Naoe Shizu.

Although this blade is ō-suriage and mumei, its characteristics — the vibrant hada with flowing itame mixed with mokume, thick ji-nie, chikei, and the calm notare-style hamon mixed with gunome, as well as the active features such as sunagashi, kinsuji, and yubashiri — clearly express the Naoe Shizu style. The bōshi turns back in a small rounded komaru, and the blade as a whole reflects a composed and stately atmosphere, presenting a classic example of the Naoe Shizu tradition. The jigane and hamon are both clear and vivid, and the blade is in healthy condition.