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A Minatogawa Shrine KATANA by Masanao
w/ORIGINAL Navy mounts
NTHK Certificate
Swordsmith:Minatogawa Masanao (??????)
Location:Hyôgo Prefecture
Type:Katana
Period:WW II
Approx measurements:Nagasa (cutting edge length): 66.5 cm Sori (curvature): 2.3 cm
Shape:Shinogi-zukuri
Boshi:ko-maru-kaeri
Kitae:Itame
with nagare
Hamon:Gunome-Choji
(sugu-chôji-midare)
Mune:iori-mune
Nakago:Kikusui mon, one mekugiana, Ubu
Yasurimei:Kiri
Habaki:Copper with Kikusui mon
Signature:Minatogawa-jinja Masanao” (??????) and dated with “a day in the ninth month Showa 17 [1942]” (????????).
Certificate:N.T.H.K Kanteisho (Important work) 75 pts, 1997 New York NY NTHK shinsa, See shinsa work sheet further below.
Condition:This
is an excellent blade overall!
Included:Original Navy mounts on a new tsunagi, Shirasaya, carry bags
Note:Family name was Okada (??), he studied with master Moriwaki Masamori. His given name was Okada Yoshiaki, born 1917.
MINATOGAWA SHRINE SWORDS
The Minatogawa Shrine or Minatogawa Jinja was established in 1941 by the Japanese Navy to produce swords for distribution through the Japanese Naval Academy. The head swordsmith was Kasame Moriwaka (Masataka) . Masataka first signed his swords as either Michimasa or Morimitsu, but adopted the name Masataka and the kikusui mon upon the establishment of the Shrine. The Minatogawa Jinja smiths produced true gendaito. The swords of the Minatogawa Jinja are normally designated with a kiku-sui mon (chrysanthemum on water) above the swordsmith’s signature. One unusual early sword of this group is signed: Oite Minatogawa Jinja Michimasa , dated 1941, and lacks the kikusui mon. That blade has received a Hozon origami from the NBTHK. It is believed that all smiths of this group used Masa as the first character of their name. The signature (mei) normally reads “Minatogawa Jinja Masa—-“ . Some of the smiths working at the Minatogawa Jinja were Moriwaka Masataka ( oshigata at right courtesy of Ron Polansky ), Masahide , Ito Masakiyo , Masuda Masaaki , Murakami Michimasa Masatada , Fujiwara Masayoshi , Okada Masanao , Masamitsu (Fujita Masami) and Unshu Norimasa (Bando Norimasa). Minatogawa swords are very well made and much sought after by collectors; there being very few of them made.
There are several blades known made by Noshu Seki 23rd Generation Kanefusa which have the kiku-sui mon carved as a horimono on the blade (not on the nakago). These blades were not made at the Minatogawa Jinja Tanrensho and have no known connection with it. These swords probably were a special order from a group of Naval officers or a Naval officer’s association.
Herman Wallinga’s article Gendaito Made at the Minatogawa Shrine , published in the Japanese Sword Society of the United States Journal (volume 33, number 3, 2001) is the definitive English language reference for blades of the Minatogawa Shrine.
Courtesy of: The Japanese sword index
Pages from- Herman Wallinga’s article Gendaito Made at the Minatogawa Shrine
kantei-sho ( ??? ) – Appraisal
Minatogawa-jinja Masanao ( ?????? )
shôshin ( ?? ) – Authentic
nagasa 2 shaku 2 sun 0 bu han kore ari ( ?????????? ) – Blade length ~ 66.8 cm
Heisei 9 nen 10 gatsu 12 nichi ( ????????? ) – October 12, 1997
Nihon Tôken Hozon Kai ( ??????? ) – NTHK
No 14103
meibun ( ?? ) – Signature: [ kikusui-mon ] Minatogawa-jinja Masanao ( ?????? )
Shôwa jûnananen kugatsu hi ( ???????? , “a day in
September 1942″)
kitae ( ? ) – Forging: itame-nagare
hamon ( ?? ) – Hardening: sugu-chôji-midare
bôshi ( ?? ) – Hardening in tip: ko-maru
chôkoku ( ?? ) – Engravings:
nakago ( ?? ) – Tang: mekugi-ana ( ??? ) 1, yasurime ( ? ): kiri
bikô ( ?? ) – Remarks: Hyôgo Prefecture, gendai
shinsa’in natsu’in ( ????? ) – Seals of Judges: 2 seals
This Sword is not available for purchase.
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