RockyRaccoon

Thanks for the reply and the references, really helpful. I’m actually not fixed on Ōmiya specifically. What really caught my eye with that blade was the lively hamon and the overall feeling of it. At the same time I completely see your point about the more “stereotypical” Nanbokuchō shapes and I’m trying to look at more examples before making any decision.

Yeah, thanks, awesome site. I‘m not fixated on this sword, but it does tick quite a lot of my boxes (Nanbokucho period, lively hamon, interesting school and history, toku hozon and a nice understated koshirae), just a good overall package.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that and for sharing you example, really helpful.

As a silent reader of this site, I bookmarked your site the moment you posted it. Great work.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, that’s very helpful. I understand that this may not represent the stronger end of Omiya work, but would you still consider it a solid and enjoyable example overall, especially for someone looking for a first Nanbokucho-period blade rather than a top-tier piece? Appreciate your perspective.

Hi everyone, I’m new to the board and currently looking for my first serious Nihonto, ideally a Koto blade from the Nanbokucho period or earlier. I found this katana at Aoi Art a while ago and somehow keep coming back to it: https://www.aoijapan.com/katana：-mumei-unsigned-attributed-to-omiya-nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-token/ I really like the lively hamon and the overall feeling of the blade. The Omiya attribution together with Tokubetsu Hozon papers also makes it seem like an interesting entry into older Koto swords. What makes me hesitate is that the sword appears to have been listed for quite a long time, while many blades in a similar price range seem to sell fairly quickly. Since I’m still learning, I’m wondering if there might be aspects more experienced collectors notice right away that I might be missing? Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!