Sword - Steel - Japan

Hiroyasu
Tantō

- Blade length: 29.7 cm
- Curvature: 0.2 cm
- Mekugi hole: 1
- Motohaba (Width near tang): 29 mm
- Motokasane (Thickness near tang): 7.3 mm
- Sakihaba (Width near tip): 23.7 mm
- Sakikasane (Thickness near tip): 5.4 mm
- Weight: 960 g (blade only)/ 1,210 g (with koshirae)
- Signature: Osafune jūnin Hiroyasu saku
- Signature translation: Made by Hiroyasu, a resident of Osafune
- Era: Modern
- Construction: Hira-zukuri, Iori-mune
- Kitaehada (Grain pattern): Itame
- Hamon (Temper line): Sakachōji with kataochi gunome
- Bōshi (Hamon in the tip): Sansaku bōshi
- Tang: Unshortened

This tantō dagger is a recent creation by popular modern smith Andō Yūsuke (craft name: Hiroyasu), swordsmith in residence at the Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum in Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture.

Son of Andō Yukio, currently recognised by Okayama Prefecture as the official protector of the Intangible Cultural Property of traditional swordsmithing, Andō Yūsuke is well known in Japan due to his frequent appearances on TV and his large following on social media. Deeply involved with the national swordsmithing community, he not only helps to preside over the national swordsmithing examinations and swordsmithing tryouts, but also participates in the annual traditional iron-smelt run by the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords at their tatara in Okuizumo, Shimane Prefecture each winter.

A long tantō dagger with an almost Nanbokuchō-like shape and a grain pattern of elongated itame (woodgrain), the hamon is in the style of Osafune smith Kagemitsu, featuring a line of sakachōji (slanted clove blossom) and kataochi gunome (slanted small wave) in nioi (very fine steel grain), with visible nie (coarse steel grain) in places. The hamon is filled with small details, studded with dark jinie (dark coarse steel grains), ashi (lines reaching from the hamon border), and yō (lighter spots within the hamon), and is capped with utsuri (shadow hamon). Finishing with a sansaku bōshi (hamon in the point typical for early Osafune School smiths), featuring almost 'hakikake' ('swept')-like striations of nie (coarse steel grains), it curves back to terminate about 3 cm down the spine.

This blade comes with a hōnoki wood shirasaya storage scabbard and gold-plated 'nijū' (two-part) habaki.

The habaki and scabbard are in excellent condition. The blade too is in very good condition, having been treated by a professional polisher to remove minor rust on the tang that had developed since its creation.
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This item will be shipped to you directly from Japan after the transaction is finalized. We will apply for an export permit from Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs and ship it once approval is granted. Please understand that this process takes approximately one month.

Swords will be shipped by air freight (UPS or EMS) in most cases but, should air shipment to the winning bidder's country not be possible, it will be sent by sea. In Belgium, private sales of Japanese swords are prohibited by law, so bids from Belgium are not permitted.