Katana - Japan - Early Edo period

This piece is a long wakizashi bearing the signature of Tadahiro, equipped with both a shirasaya and an uchigatana koshirae.

The blade has been old-polished throughout, but it is very beautiful and in excellent condition, with virtually no flaws. It features a dense koitame grain with jini-e, resulting in a konuka-hada texture. The hamon features a long ashi with a gunome pattern and a hakomidare-like flow, giving it a very dynamic appearance. The nakago is inscribed with “Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro.”

Speaking of Tadahiro, he was the son of the first Tadayoshi, the founder of the Hizen school. He received the title of Omi no Daijo in July of the 18th year of the Kan’ei era (1635) and, until his death at the age of 81 in the 6th year of the Genroku era (1693), had a career spanning over 60 years.

He was a master swordsmith who left behind the largest number of works among Hizen swordsmiths; however, it is presumed that this signature was engraved in later years.

The fittings are elegant and refined, featuring a sheath with a loose, textured pattern finished in black lacquer. The handle is wrapped in a tsumami-maki style and is also lacquered. It is fully equipped with a kotsuka, making it a complete set of wakizashi fittings.

We invite you to hold this wakizashi in your hands and enjoy appreciating its wonderful fittings, which evoke the atmosphere of the early Edo period.

- Blade length: 56.1 cm
- Curvature: 1.1 cm
- Number of Mekugi hole: 1
- Sakihaba: 22.4 mm
- Sakikasane: 4.8 mm
- Motohaba: 30.5 mm
- Motokasane: 7.4 mm
- Signature: Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro(front)
- Era: Shinto
- Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
- Jigane: Konuka-hada
- Hamon: Gunome
- Boshi: Midare Nakamaru ni Kaeru
- Weight: 560 g(blade only)/790 g(without Saya)
- Nakago: Ubu
- Koshirae: Black silk wrapped Tsuka with Kuro-kizami lacquered Saya/Shirasaya
- Original Registration No.: Niigata 073051