Kantei

NH-0452 Rank 78

Ōmi no Kami Tadayoshi, 5th generation

肥前国近守忠吉

Shintō katana from Hizen signed by the fifth Tadayoshi, with bō-hi and suguha, NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, full koshirae and shirasaya.

Shintō (1596-1780)Mid-Edo period, c. 1750–1775NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon

Silhouette of the blade to scale, aligned at the machi

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A blade of the Hizen Tadayoshi school by the fifth generation (1696–1775), who, according to the original seller, received the title Ōmi no Kami in 1750 and thereafter signed “Hizen no Kuni Ōmi no Kami Tadayoshi”, the signature found on this tang. Iori-mune, restrained sori and a broad sugata, with a motohaba of 3.1 cm, a sakihaba of 2.2 cm and a kasane of 0.8 cm; the bō-hi on both sides, visible in the photographs, lightens the blade. The original seller describes a fine, tightly forged konuka-hada jigane and a chū-suguha hamon that widens towards the kissaki. The photographs show an intact tang with a rounded tip, continuous yasurime and two mekugi-ana. It comes with a complete koshirae: a round iron tsuba carved with a dragon among clouds heightened in gold, fuchi and kashira with waves, a tsuka wrapped in yellow ito over white same, and a black lacquered saya with a granular texture. A shirasaya and a silver-foiled habaki are also included. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper, no. 1025558, issued in Reiwa 7 (2025).

Strong points

  • Full signature with the Ōmi no Kami title of the fifth Hizen Tadayoshi
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōken paper, issued in 2025
  • Broad, thick blade lightened by a bō-hi on both sides
  • Tang intact in the photographs
  • Complete koshirae and shirasaya

Points to bear in mind

  • The original seller neither dates the mounting nor describes its parts: it is documented only by the photographs.
  • The ito, sageo and same of the tsuka look clean and recent, probably redone or restored.
  • The tang has two mekugi-ana; the original seller does not expressly state that it is ubu.
  • No recent polish is declared, and the very dark detail photographs do not allow a full reading of the hamon.

Score breakdown

58.5/100

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 18 of 22 Tang intact according to the photographs, with 2 mekugi-ana
  3. Mounting -5 of 18 Mounting documented only in the photographs · restored: rewrapped ito, washed same and new sageo
  4. Declared condition 17 of 20 Sound condition according to the seller at origin
  5. Blade 6 of 8 68.7 cm: close to the usable range
  6. Shirasaya 4 of 4 With a storage shirasaya
  7. Price 8.5 of 10 Rank 22 of 140 by price, from the most affordable to the dearest