Is this a good idea?

[MaxT]

Hello everyone, 

I am once again asking for your highly appreciated opinions. I have been looking for a new sword for a while now, and happened to find my "dream sword" recently. 

 

https://shop.nihontou.jp/products/detail/29727

 

It pretty much ticks all of my boxes. It's a long and wide blade with extremely attractive sugata, long kissaki, and a naginata-hi (which I find to be irresistable). I also think the hamon is quite nice from what is visible in the pictures. 

However, it is unpapered and in quite rough shape. Fortunately the seller offers professional polishing at their shop and gave me two quotes by their togishi which are both very reasonable for a blade this size. 

My question now is:

Are there any obvious red flags that I don't see as a beginner?

Also the seller offered to send it to shinsa after my request. How do you see the chances of it passing Hozon designation considering it is mumei? Will it be worth it?

 

Thank you all for your help

Max

[eternal_newbie]

The site is either down, or inaccessible from my region. Nonetheless, being unpapered and in rough shape are more than enough red flags for a beginner, because a polish can often reveal flaws (even fatal flaws, such as hagire) that were not visible previously. Assuming there are no fatal flaws though, it's likely to pass Hozon as long as it's not a modern or Chinese blade; whether it gets an attribution that will make the cost of the polish + papers worthwhile is another matter.

[MaxT]

4 minutes ago, eternal_newbie said:

The site is either down, or inaccessible from my region. Nonetheless, being unpapered and in rough shape are more than enough red flags for a beginner, because a polish can often reveal flaws (even fatal flaws, such as hagire) that were not visible previously. Assuming there are no fatal flaws though, it's likely to pass Hozon as long as it's not a modern or Chinese blade; whether it gets an attribution that will make the cost of the polish + papers worthwhile is another matter.

Oh the site is indeed down. Bad timing... it worked fine just minutes ago.

[eternal_newbie]

Yeah, it worked for me earlier today too. I think they're just doing maintenance on their shopfront, since https://nihontou.jp seems fine.

[Nihonto student]

Dear Max,

the first question that comes to my mind is why they didn't polish and certify it directly with the possibility of having a greater profit?

The simplest answer is that it's not worth it and I'll try to explain why:
Sugata and hada seem Shinshinto to me. If you combine Shinshinto/suriage/mumei from a collecting point of view you will get a blade that has no appeal, they would have no profit in polishing and certifying it, they prefer that the buyer requests it and bears the costs and risks.

Remind that the costs of polishing and certification do not add up directly as a value... polishing makes the blade more attractive and sellable, certification increases attractiveness as it gives more certainty to the buyer and in some cases can increase value of the blade even considerably, therefore these evaluations are made individually on a case-by-case basis.

Regarding the conditions, I seem to see little machi considering the reference period, it makes me think that the blade has already seen several polishes.
The fundamental point however remains why you have to buy a blade... if you looking for a display blade it could be fine if you like it, if you intend to study nihonto more in depth I would honestly suggest to look at something else, in any case the asking price + polishing + certification seems high to me...for that price you can find some very nice wakizashi.

 

All the best

 

Giordy

[Rivkin]

Its a fun blade with fun sugata... there used to be an orikaeshi mei, probably to some koto Bizen, and it probably was so crazy they took it out with even papering the blade. Strangely enough it has distinctive grouping so it kind of goes as Oei Bizen style, not more popular ones like Kanemitsu. Yet, shinshinto probably. The quality of work itself appears to be decent, its easy to observe, so I personally kind of like it.

 

The only thing is the resale value like indicated above. This is kind of stuff which can be difficult to sell at a sword show... But if you buy for yourself, then it should be an enjoyable sword. Usually this is a bad advice often for the first time buyer, but its not a bad first time sword at all, and I would not mind owning something like that personally. The only thing I would advise is getting it papered. Even just one day NTHK NPO shinsa in Tokyo. It does not seem to be Yokoyama Bizen line. Might be someone following Chounsai Tsunatoshi.

[Lewis B]

I would also insist on it getting NBTHK papers before it leaves Japan. Submit as is. Will the dealer accept responsibility for getting it papered, at your expense. If it fails allowing you to walk away? 

[anguilla1980]

I too would shy away from this one for the reasons stated. 

[Sebuh]

I'd stay away from anything non-papered, the choice is yours at the end of the day. But might as well get a papered item.

Edited March 6 by Sebuh

[MaxT]

On 3/6/2026 at 3:06 PM, Lewis B said:

I would also insist on it getting NBTHK papers before it leaves Japan. Submit as is. Will the dealer accept responsibility for getting it papered, at your expense. If it fails allowing you to walk away? 

Do you think it will pass Hozon in it’s current State? That would of course be optimal 

[MaxT]

On 3/6/2026 at 2:29 PM, Nihonto student said:

Dear Max,

the first question that comes to my mind is why they didn't polish and certify it directly with the possibility of having a greater profit?

The simplest answer is that it's not worth it and I'll try to explain why:
Sugata and hada seem Shinshinto to me. If you combine Shinshinto/suriage/mumei from a collecting point of view you will get a blade that has no appeal, they would have no profit in polishing and certifying it, they prefer that the buyer requests it and bears the costs and risks.

Remind that the costs of polishing and certification do not add up directly as a value... polishing makes the blade more attractive and sellable, certification increases attractiveness as it gives more certainty to the buyer and in some cases can increase value of the blade even considerably, therefore these evaluations are made individually on a case-by-case basis.

Regarding the conditions, I seem to see little machi considering the reference period, it makes me think that the blade has already seen several polishes.
The fundamental point however remains why you have to buy a blade... if you looking for a display blade it could be fine if you like it, if you intend to study nihonto more in depth I would honestly suggest to look at something else, in any case the asking price + polishing + certification seems high to me...for that price you can find some very nice wakizashi.

 

All the best

 

Giordy

Hello Giordy, 

Thank you for your answer. You summarized pretty well what I already thought… shinshinto, suriage and mumei is truly Not an optimal combination and I also noticed the little hamachi. I am aware that I would need to pay above „market value“. As others have commented it would be a good idea to get it papered before I buy.

[Nihonto student]

1 hour ago, MaxT said:

As others have commented it would be a good idea to get it papered before I buy.

Hello Max,

If you intend to buy it I agree with others that it is certainly worth certifying, but as Lewis said it would be better to arrange with the seller first if the blade does not pass.

 

Giordy

 

 

 

 

[MaxT]

25 minutes ago, Nihonto student said:

Hello Max,

If you intend to buy it I agree with others that it is certainly worth certifying, but as Lewis said it would be better to arrange with the seller first if the blade does not pass.

 

Giordy

 

 

 

 

Do you think it will pass hozon in it’s current State? 

[Nihonto student]

14 minutes ago, MaxT said:

Do you think it will pass hozon in it’s current State? 

The fact that the seller suggests in the description to have it certified I see as a good sign that in their opinion it passes, otherwise they would be very unprofessional, I think that there are the requirements for  Hozon  (if a hagire does not come out during the polishing) but I do not know if the orikaeshi mei which appears at least questionable even if illegible can have any weight in the judgment, perhaps some other member can express his consideration on the matter.

 

Giordy

[Lewis B]

If there are any doubts on the authenticity of the Mei it will not get papers. At best Horyu, requiring additional supporting documentation. Site/link seems to be down today so can't double check. 

[MaxT]

12 hours ago, Lewis B said:

If there are any doubts on the authenticity of the Mei it will not get papers. At best Horyu, requiring additional supporting documentation. Site/link seems to be down today so can't double check. 

The mei seems to be (hopefully thoroughly) removed. 

[eternal_newbie]

I assumed as much, given the sword itself is listed as "mumei".

 

I have occasionally also seen papers given with 銘不明 (mei fumei - signature illegible/unclear) for swords where some trace of a mei remains. I'm not sure whether the "plausibility" of the traces of remaining signature has any bearing on mumei vs. mei fumei.