Hitatsura Hamon Wakizashi attributed to Tsunahiro

[CNS_44]

Greetings all,

I finally pulled the trigger and purchased my second nihonto for my collection. It’s a hirazukuri wakizashi with very nice hitatsura hamon and has been attributed to Tsunahiro by Shibata Mitsuo. Thanks to another member here on the forum and Ray Singer for helping me translate what was written on the kanteisho it reads “Sagami no Kuni Ju (mumei) Tsunahiro and Jidai Momoyama”. The generation of Tsunahiro was not specified on the paper so I will have to do some research of my own. So far I have read that the ealier generations of Tsunahiro were famous for using hitatsura hamon and also producing hirazukuri sunnobi tanto and ko wakizashi which I think this wakizashi would fit into with a nagasa length of 39.7cm and a total length of 57.0cm. Given that Shibata’s opinion on the time period was Momoyama era I think that it could possibly be maybe either Nidai or Sandai Tsunahiro. If you guys are able to give me any more info to assist me on identifying possibly which generation of Tsunahiro it could be I would really appreciate it and do you think this one would be worth sending to Japan for modern Hozon papers? The blade measurements are Nagasa : 39.7cm

Sori : 0.7cm

Total length : 57.0cm 
Motohaba : 27.6mm 
Sakihaba : 18.5mm 
Motokasane : 5.4mm 
Sakikasane : 3.4mm 
Blade Weight : 225g

 

Best regards,

Chance

[Rivkin]

I see... stormy night. Someone is.... looking at yahoo Japan... I see... package... its in white carton box... there is some writing on it...

 

Tsunahiro attribution depends on who attributed it. NTHK might use it as a synonym for better class sue-Soshu, but generally its considered quite a good attribution for mumei blade... Could this blade be by Tsunahiro? Yes. Its probably from 1560-1580. That would be what, sandai?

Nevertheless if you submit it to NBTHK its very likely will not be Tsunahiro.

His best works have quite good jigane and also stayed rather true to nie when many were trying to do Soshu in ko nie or even nioi - and his nie execution is rather refined, whether its first second or third generation, at least compared to others.

Here jigane is tired, though it was not bad it was not first rate, and the work why very shiny is not the first tier and hitatsura does not cover entire blade and its coarse in a way. 

You'll probably get like Shimada as attribution.

 

[eternal_newbie]

11 minutes ago, Rivkin said:

You'll probably get like Shimada as attribution.

 

Good pick. Fuyuhiro is also a possibility.

[CNS_44]

Appreciate you guys taking a look and giving your thoughts on possibly what today’s Shinsa would attribute it to. Would you guys call this a sunnobi tanto or a Ko wakizashi based off the measurements? Also how often do you guys see kanteisho by Shibata?

Edited March 15 by CNS_44

[eternal_newbie]

42 minutes ago, CNS_44 said:

Would you guys call this a sunnobi tanto or a Ko wakizashi based off the measurements?

 

Definitely wakizashi, not only is it far too long for a sunnobi tanto but the sugata doesn't match either.

[ROKUJURO]

On 3/15/2026 at 5:32 AM, CNS_44 said:

.....Would you guys call this a sunnobi tanto or a Ko wakizashi based on the measurements?....

A SUNNOBI TANTO is basically up to a SUN (30,3 mm) longer than a TANTO (303 mm). In former times, measurements were probably less precise in Japan (than in the West), so there might have been variations and different interpretations.

[O koumori]

On 3/15/2026 at 12:32 AM, CNS_44 said:

how often do you guys see kanteisho by Shibata

I have a daisho that has papers for each by Karabu Kantei organization, a group headed by Shibata. 

 

Although printed in Japanese, Shibata was a prolific author of books on nihonto and tsuba.

 

Also see 

 

[Laters]

Wild blade pattern.