Kantei

NH-0430 Rank 103

Rai Kinmichi

Shintō katana by Rai Kinmichi (Yamashiro, c. 1648), signed “Daihōshi Hokkyō Rai Kinmichi”, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate and a koshirae with brown inrō-kizami saya.

Shintō (1596-1780)Around the Keian era (1648–1652)YamashiroNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Katana signed “Daihōshi Hokkyō Rai Kinmichi”, a work of the Rai Kinmichi house of Yamashiro, one of the “five smiths of Kyoto” (Kyō-gokaji) in the Mishina tradition. According to the original seller, the blade is by the second Rai Kinmichi (Rai Eisen), younger brother of the first Iga no Kami Kinmichi, and dates from early Edo, around the Keian era (1648). Nagasa 60.6 cm and sori 1.6 cm, with bo-hi and soe-hi on both sides ending in maru-dome and a slightly extended chū-kissaki. The seller describes an itame jigane tending to masame with abundant ji-nie, chikei and faint utsuri, and a hamon with a very bright nioiguchi: suguha yakidashi turning into gunome mixed with notare, with sunagashi; bōshi in suguha with a rounded turnback. The tang, with a single mekugi-ana, appears intact in the photographs. It comes with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate (2025) and also retains an old Tokubetsu Kichō Tōken certificate from 1976. Uchigatana mounting with a brown-lacquered saya carved in inrō-kizami, tsuka with unohana-coloured ito, iron tsuba with a dragon among clouds and a kashira with a carp in gold; copper habaki, shirasaya and tsunagi included.

Strong points

  • Full signature “Daihōshi Hokkyō Rai Kinmichi” on an intact tang with a single mekugi-ana
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken certificate (2025), plus a Tokubetsu Kichō Tōken from 1976
  • Bright nioiguchi hamon with gunome and notare, sunagashi and suguha bōshi, according to the original seller
  • Complete koshirae: brown inrō-kizami lacquered saya, iron tsuba with dragon and kashira with carp in gold
  • Bo-hi with soe-hi on both sides, ending in maru-dome
  • Shirasaya and tsunagi included

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller declares light surface rust in some areas; the photographs show staining near the machi and at the tip
  • The mounting is described but not dated; no papers or signatures declared on the fittings
  • The original seller notes some play in the tsuba (tsuba-nari), although the tsuka is firm
  • The 1976 certificate belongs to the NBTHK’s discontinued system; the current one is the 2025 Tokubetsu Hozon

Score breakdown

53.9/100

The score shares out 100 points: Signature and date 18 · Tang 22 · Mounting 18 · Declared condition 20 · Blade 8 · Shirasaya 4 · Price 10. It is computed from the record, not from an opinion. The mounting starts from what is known of its period, adds what vouches for it (its own NBTHK paper, a signed fitting, a crest) and subtracts what has been restored (saya, ito, same, habaki or sageo).

  1. Signature and date 10 of 18 Signed, with no engraved date
  2. Tang 20 of 22 Tang intact according to the photographs
  3. Mounting 1 of 18 Mounting described piece by piece by the seller at origin
  4. Declared condition 13 of 20 Minor flaws declared
  5. Blade 4 of 8 60.6 cm: outside the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 0 of 4 No shirasaya: one will have to be made
  7. Price 5.9 of 10 Rank 58 of 139 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest