This wakizashi, though unsigned, is officially recognized by the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords as the work of Ominokami Kiyonobu. The blade is in exceptionally fine condition, uniformly polished throughout, with absolutely no flaws such as nicks, rust, or chips. It is truly a sound piece. The jigane exhibits a very well-packed itame grain. The hamon, with its uniformly spaced gunome, distinctly reflects the characteristic style of Seki. It features a bright, well-defined nioiguchi, and the hamon itself is nioideki. It also exhibits yakidashi, a feature commonly seen in works from the Shinto period. This piece is unsigned, but in December 2023, the Society for the Preservation of Japanese Art Swords issued a Hozon certificate, recognizing it as a work by Ominokami Kiyonobu and deeming it highly worthy of preservation for posterity. Kiyonobu is a renowned master swordsmith representing the Mino school, active in Seki, Mino Province (present-day Seki City, Gifu Prefecture) during the early Edo period, around the Genna era. His works are known for their bold, well-executed, and powerful style. His pieces are also recognized for their practical combat effectiveness. Belonging to the Tokunaga school, one of the seven schools existing in Seki, he served as the leader of Seki's swordsmiths, his skill being well-established. Blade length: 51.8 cm Curvature: 0.8 cm Number of Mekugi hole: 1 Sakihaba: 24.1 mm Sakikasane: 4.9 mm Motohaba: 33.0 mm Motokasane: 6.4 mm Signature: No signature Era: Shinto Structure: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune Jigane: Itame Hamon: Gunome Boshi: Midarekomi Weight: 540 g(blade only) Nakago: Ubu Koshirae: Shirasaya Original Registration No.: Aichi 61420 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.