Japanese Sword 74.6cm Kobizen Tomonari 古備前友成 1100s Heian period Certificate

Japanese Sword 74.6cm Kobizen Tomonari 古備前友成 1100s Heian period Certificate

Blade Length 74.6cm Sori 1.4cm Motohaba 32.1mm Motokasane 7.2mm Sakihaba 21.8mm Sakikasane 5.4mm  Weight 820g

Kobizen Tomonari was a master swordsmith active in Bizen Province (Okayama Prefecture) from the mid- to late Heian period (around the 10th to 11th centuries), and is considered one of the most representative figures of the earliest period in the history of the Japanese sword.

He is counted among the “Three Great Masters of Japan” who perfected the form of the Japanese sword. An elegant form with a pronounced “kosori” curve: Characterized by a “kosori” curve—where the blade curves sharply near the hilt and gradually flattens toward the tip—it combines elegance with power.

The jigane (base metal) features a fine, dense itame grain with jinie (fine grain patterns), resulting in a refined finish with a faint “e” (reflection).　

A sword passed down through the Kuroda family of the Fukuoka Domain This is a masterpiece said to have been bestowed upon Kuroda Josui—who served as a military strategist to Toyotomi Hideyoshi—by Hideyoshi himself.

His son, Kuroda Nagamasa, received a substantial increase in his fief for his military achievements at the Battle of Sekigahara, leading to the establishment of the Fukuoka Domain, which endured until the Meiji era.

The gold-plated habaki features a Sanskrit character, which is the origin of the sword’s name, “Fudō.” It bears an origami by Hon’ami Mitsutada.

Mitsutada’s origami were revered as “old origami” due to their high precision and were valued so highly that even unmarked ones were considered equivalent to those bearing a signature.

The scabbard inscription and attached label appear to be ancient documents from the Kuroda family’s record keepers (such as the storekeeper or scribe). It is inscribed as “Fudō Tomonari,” a treasured heirloom received from the Taikō (Toyotomi Hideyoshi) and said to be a memento of Kuroda Josui.

On the reverse side is a scabbard inscription by Sato Kanzan, stating that it was passed down from the Chikuzen Kuroda family and bears the name “Fudō.” It comes with an appraisal certificate from the Bijiraku Club.

The issuer, Shimizu Fuzoku, is known as a sword researcher and is considered one of the leading connoisseurs of the Showa period.

A masterpiece of the ancient Bizen Tomonari school bearing the “Fudo” mon, this sword was passed down through the Kuroda family—a family of great daimyo— and was a gift from Toyotomi Hideyoshi, himself a renowned sword enthusiast. It is one of the finest swords of its kind.