This is a beautiful old osuriage wakazashi that dates back to the nambokucho era”1300’s”.  The sword received hozon papers attributing it to Hokke Den.  The sword is well made with fine bohi and sohi carvings that extend thru the nakago.  The kissaki is very robust for its age and the overall shape of the blade is elegant.  The cutting edge is very sharp. The hada is clear and shows ji nie in places.  The hamon is a midare suguba with many hataraki/activity.  The hamon is hard to photograph but in hand its even more beautiful and rich looking than in the picture. The blade also comes with very fine fittings that are all in a similar theme.  The fuchi and kashira are signed. Finely carved and inlayed flowers on the fuchi /kashira and menuki, Silver, copper and gold can be seen and as for the tsuba its also carved and is a tsukashi style tsuba.  The tsuba has small birds carved on a basket and the carvings are well done and clear.  The overall condition of this blade is very good.  The polish is older but still in good shape and the mounts are sound with some minor damage on the saya that is to be expected in such an old sword.  This is a very fine well mounted wakazashi with NBTHK hozon papers attesting to the maker and the quality of this samurai sword.

Hokke Swordsmith information:
Bishu Kaneyasu worked in the Oan 1368 era.  In fujishiro’s book is listed as a CHUJOSAKU level maker (wazamono).  The founder of the school was Sukekuni during the Kamakura era.  Kaneyasu was the pupil of Ichijo Kaneyuki. In Hawly’s book he is listed under (KAN2929) he gives this smith a 75 point rating.  He is from the Mihara group and is listed as HOKKE KANEYASU.

It should be noted that Hokke blade are rather hard to find, make this sword a more desirable blade for a collector.