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Teruhira
Uchigatana

- Blade length: 75.3 cm
- Curvature: 2.4 cm
- Mekugi hole: 1
- Motohaba (Width near tang): 33.7 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: Teruhira
- Signature translation: Teruhira
- Era: Modern (2023)
- Construction: Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune
- Kitaehada (Grain pattern): Koitame
- Hamon (Temper line): Notare
- Bōshi (Hamon in the tip): Notare, turning back in a tight circle (komaru)
- Tang: Unshortened

This elegant uchigatana was forged by Kamiyama Yōzō (craft name: Teruhira), a swordsmith based in Akaiwa, Okayama Prefecture.

Kamiyama aspires to the work of Masamune, who some see as the greatest master of all time, and whose workmanship is typified by a wild, highly varied ‘notare’ temper line pattern intertwined with streaks of “kinsuji” (gold lines) and “sunagashi” (flowing sands). Like Masamune’s blades, Kamiyama's work gives off a commanding, yet elegant presence. Not simply copying, Kamiyama draws inspiration, while attempting to create his own unique style. His view of swordmaking is that “a beautiful, streamlined form, strong well-forged steel, and a finely polished, brilliant temper line – these three things come together to create a pure, perfect, beautiful blade”.

Apprenticing under Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira, immediately after going independent in 2016, Kamiyama won the top prize, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, at the 2017 edition of the Sword Craft Exhibition, going on to win it again in 2022. In addition, he has twice taken the first-place prize, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, at the yearly Amulet Sword Exhibition in the Blade Forging category. An established and highly accomplished artist, in 2025 he was awarded the rank of 'Meijin' (Master Craftsman) by the NBSK, equivalent to the rank of 'Mukansa' (Beyond Judgement) awarded by the NBTHK.

With a long point and even width reminiscent of swords of the Nanbokuchō Period, this uchigatana has a well-forged koitame (small woodgrain) grain pattern speckled with jinie (dark spots of coarse steel) and chikei (dark lines within the ji, the area above the hamon), while the hamon is a gently undulating notare (gentle wave pattern) in nie (coarse steel structure) with significant height variation across its length. With coarse nie clustered visibly along the nioiguchi (hamon border), within the hamon, crystals of nie gather in strands following the steel grain to create formations like sunagashi (multiple parallel lines) and kinsuji (single shining lines) in places. Bōhi grooves have been engraved on both faces of the blade.

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

The blade, scabbard, and habaki are all in exceptional condition, free from any flaws such as kitai defects, rust, or other damage.

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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.