Ordering Number: 24679

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)
Signature: Chikushu Ju Sa Yukihide 筑州住左行秀
Kaei 5 nen 8 gatsu hi (August 1852) 嘉永五年八月日　

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijo saku, Jojo saku, Jo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Jo ranking.

Habaki : Shakudo and gold foiled double habaki for Shirasaya, and gold-foiled habaki for Koshirae
Blade length :　82.06 cm (32.30 in)
Sori : 0.9 cm (0.35 in)
Mekugi : 3
Width at the Hamachi : 3.04 cm (1.20in)
Width at the Kissaki : 0.87 cm (0.34in)
Kasane : 0.74 cm (0.29 in)
Era: the end of Edo period, 1852
Shape: Long and straight blade, with a long handle and a long kisaki, it is called kinou-tou, a shape that was popular in the end of Edo period.
Jigane: beautiful fine Ko-itame hada with Jinie.
Hamon : Nie-deki thick Notare with Ashi. There are many Kinsuji and Sunagashi in the hamon. Boshi is rounded.

Special feature:
Sa Yukihide, whose real name was Toyonaga Kyubei (later Kyuzaemon), was a swordsmith born in Chikuzen, and called himself as a descendant of Chikuzen Samonji.　He learned swordsmithing in Edo and then moved to Tosa in 1846. He became a Tosa domain's craftsman in 1856 and moved to the Tosa clan's residence in Edo in 1860. He made swords there and also involved in manufacture of guns. His works are so highly regarded that it is called “modern-style Masamune,”　and he received orders from Tosa clan members such as Yamauchi Yodo, the lord of Tosa, Itagaki Taisuke, and the otheres. A sword ordered by Sakamoto Naokata, the elder brother of Sakamoto Ryoma was transmitted as Ryoma's sword. His swords were popular among the Tosa clan's member, and he himself was also closely associated with them.
One day, however, Itagaki Taisuke told Yukihide that he was hiding some remnants of Tengu party, a militant group of royalist who were being hunted for rebellion, in the Tosa clan residence and that he was planning to raise an army with them. Yukihide, fearing that he himself would be incriminated, tipped off Yamauchi Yodo, the lord of Tosa clan.
Contrary to his expectation, Yodo did not punish Taisuke, and on the contrary, Yukihide was seen as an informer and lost the trust of influential members critical of the shogunate. He was forced to return to Tosa, and he changed his inscription to Toko, 東虎. Yukihide's sword was avoided because of his treachery to the royalist. After the Sword Abolishment Edict, his business was discontinued.

Koshirae :
Tsuba : iron tsuba, with carving of shell and grapes.
Menuki: a picture of dragons
Fuchi Kashira : Kojiri: a picture of grapes

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata

Price:2,500,000JPY

Related Items:

Dai Sho : Motohira(Dai Sho:NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)(Daisho Koshirae: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu) Katana：Bizen no Suke Fujiwara Munetsugu Saku Kore (not guarantee) Katana: Hizen Koku Ju Mutsu Kami Tadayoshi (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token) Katana： Naniwa ju Gassan Unryushi Sadakazu Kitae (Kokuin) (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token) (NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Token) Katana:Doi Shinryo(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token) Katana : Sassyu-ju Masayoshi/Anei 7 Dog years February