{"product_id":"antique-japanese-katana-sword-by-shitahara-nbthk-hozon","title":"Antique Japanese Katana Sword by Shitahara - NBTHK Hozon","description":"\u003csection class=\"product\"\u003e\u003cheader\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/header\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"specs\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature (Mei):\u003c\/strong\u003e Mumei\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSwordsmith:\u003c\/strong\u003e Attributed to the \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e下原（Shitahara）\u003c\/span\u003egroup\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSchool \/ Tradition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shitahara school (Bushu \/ Musashi); Sōshū–Mino influenced workmanship\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod \/ Province:\u003c\/strong\u003e Muromachi period \/ Bushu (present-day Hachiōji, Tokyo)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCertificate:\u003c\/strong\u003e NBTHK Hozon（保存刀剣)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMounting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shirasaya; metal habaki, 22.9 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlade Length (Nagasa):\u003c\/strong\u003e 62.27 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurvature (Sori):\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.76 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMekugi-ana:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shinogi-zukuri\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJihada:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fine koto jihada with Shitahara traits; look for \u003cem\u003ejorinmoku\u003c\/em\u003e (如輪杢) whirlpool figure in places\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlade Weight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 545.1 g (blade only)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHabaki Weight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 22.9 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSaya Overall Length:\u003c\/strong\u003e 85.4 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotohaba \/ Motokasane:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.816 cm \/ 0.728 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSakihaba \/ Sakikasane:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.782 cm \/ 0.388 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA koto \u003cstrong\u003ekatana\u003c\/strong\u003e certified \u003cstrong\u003eNBTHK Hozon\u003c\/strong\u003e and attributed to the \u003cstrong\u003eShitahara\u003c\/strong\u003e group of Bushu (Musashi). Measuring \u003cstrong\u003e62.27 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e in nagasa with a gentle \u003cstrong\u003e0.76 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e sori, the blade presents a dignified \u003cstrong\u003eshinogi-zukuri\u003c\/strong\u003e profile and a well-forged \u003cstrong\u003ejihada\u003c\/strong\u003e praised in the listing. Three \u003cstrong\u003emekugi-ana\u003c\/strong\u003e reflect remounting over a long service life while maintaining healthy proportions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShitahara blades often show steady forging with Sōshū–Mino influences. A hallmark to watch for is \u003cem\u003ejorinmoku\u003c\/em\u003e（\u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e如輪杢\u003c\/span\u003e）—small whirlpool-like figures in the steel surface—seen on representative works by Shitahara smiths.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection id=\"koshirae\"\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSwordsmith Background\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShitahara\u003c\/strong\u003e is the historical smithing area in today’s \u003cstrong\u003eHachiōji City (Tokyo)\u003c\/strong\u003e. The school is said to have been founded by \u003cstrong\u003eYamamoto Norishige\u003c\/strong\u003e and prospered from the end of the Muromachi period into late Edo (late 16th–19th centuries). Shitahara smiths—known as \u003cstrong\u003eShitahara Kaji\u003c\/strong\u003e—first worked under the \u003cstrong\u003eHōjō\u003c\/strong\u003e clan. The celebrated \u003cstrong\u003eYasushige\u003c\/strong\u003e line begins with the first generation, originally signing \u003cem\u003eChikashige\u003c\/em\u003e; he adopted the character \u003cspan lang=\"ja\"\u003e「康」\u003c\/span\u003e (Yasu) from \u003cstrong\u003eHōjō Ujiyasu\u003c\/strong\u003e, changing his name to \u003cem\u003eYasushige\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the Hōjō were defeated by the Toyotomi during the Azuchi–Momoyama period, the Shitahara group served the \u003cstrong\u003eTokugawa\u003c\/strong\u003e as \u003cem\u003eokakae kaji\u003c\/em\u003e—official smiths retained by the feudal house—and continued forging through the Edo period. Many Shitahara smiths bore the family name \u003cstrong\u003eYamamoto\u003c\/strong\u003e; among them, \u003cstrong\u003eYasushige\u003c\/strong\u003e is especially renowned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSchool History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the only smithing tradition within the modern Tokyo area to produce \u003cem\u003ekoto\u003c\/em\u003e-period blades, the \u003cstrong\u003eShitahara school\u003c\/strong\u003e is significant both historically and regionally. Typical features include practical, resilient shapes; calm temper lines influenced by Sōshū\/Mino; and distinctive \u003cem\u003ejorinmoku\u003c\/em\u003e activity in the \u003cem\u003ejihada\u003c\/em\u003e. This Hozon-certified example represents the group’s robust, field-ready character in a well-preserved Muromachi aesthetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"Tokyo Nihonto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43199489474643,"sku":"68ba564defa87","price":2900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/8092\/6035\/files\/P1099546-Enhanced-NR.jpg?v=1762246393","url":"https:\/\/hundredswords.store\/products\/antique-japanese-katana-sword-by-shitahara-nbthk-hozon","provider":"hundredswords","version":"1.0","type":"link"}