Kurihara Akihide(栗原昭秀) | Katanahanbai.com

Kurihara Hikosaburō Akihide Zenkiroku Shosai
Shōwa Kensei de Kenjutsu no Kamisama Nakayama Hakudō Sensei Shizan
Katana Tanshin Hōkoku Tekka Dōjin Akihide Saku
Shōwa Jūroku-nen Hachi-gatsu Kichijitsu
Hami Jōjō Dōnen Kugatsu Kichijitsu
Nakayama Hakudō Kore o Tamesu Monjin Akitada Kin Koku
栗原彦三郎昭秀全記録所載
昭和剣聖で剣術の神様中山博道先生試斬
刀丹心報国銕火道人昭秀作
昭和十六年八月吉日
刃味上々同年九月吉日
中山博道試之門人昭忠謹刻

Item NO.	No,K00258	Price	Price:Please feel free to contact us.
Paper	NBTHK Tokubetsu hozon Paper
Country	Tochigi
Period	Showa 16th(1941)
Blade Length	67.0cm(2尺2寸1分強)
Curve(Sori)	1.8cm
Top Width (Sakihaba)	2.6cm
Bottom Width (Motohaba)	3.4cm
Bottom Thickness (Motokasane)	0.75cm
Top Thickness (Sakikasane)	0.55cm
Keijo	Shinogi-zukuri, iorimune, mihaba hiroku, jūkōku, motosaki no habasa hotondo medatazu, sori takaku tsuki, chūkissaki.
Kitae	Itame, moku majiri, ha-yori tokoro-dokoro masagakari, hada tachigokoro ni, ji-nie atsuku tsuku.
Hamon	Chu-suguha kichō ni ko-gunome majie, ko-nie tsuku.
Boushi	Sugu ni komaru ni kaeru.
Hori	Omote: Tamaoi Ryū Ura: Tenryū ni Ama-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto
Nakago	Ubu, sakiba-agari kurijiri, yasurime keshō-yasuri ni ō-sujichigai, Hole1.
Accessories	Tomobako (Ningen Kokuho Amata Akitsugu Hakogaki)
Details	Kurihara Hikosaburō Akihide was born in Kanma Village, Aso District, Tochigi Prefecture (present-day Sano City) and was formerly a member of the House of Representatives. From an early age, he showed a deep interest in Japanese swords, particularly in the art of forging, and studied under the second-generation smith Masayoshi. He established the Nihontō Denshūjo (Japanese Sword Training Institute) in the garden of his home in Akasaka Hikawa-chō, inviting prominent craftsmen such as Kasama Shigetsugu to serve as instructors, thereby creating a system to train students. Among his many disciples were notable smiths including Miyairi Akihira (later Living National Treasure Miyairi Yukihira) and Amata Akitsugu (Living National Treasure). In 1935 (Shōwa 10), he organized the Japanese Sword Exhibition, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and hosted by the Nihontō Denshūjo. He continued to hold these exhibitions annually and also published journals such as Nihontō and Nihon Shumi to promote the sword arts. Through these efforts, Kurihara greatly contributed to the revival and advancement of swordsmiths, polishers, and scabbard makers. Nakayama Hakudō, Kurihara’s closest collaborator, was a legendary swordsman often referred to as “The Sword Saint of the Shōwa Era” and “The Last Master of the Martial Arts.” In 1957 (Shōwa 32), the All Japan Kendo Federation offered him the title of 10th-dan in Kendo, but he declined, opposing the dan ranking system. He was the first person ever to receive the title of Hanshi in the three martial arts of Ken (sword), Iai (drawing), and Jō (staff) from the Dai Nippon Butokukai, a prewar national organization for the promotion of martial arts. During World War II, he performed test cuttings (tameshigiri) for both the Army and Navy, reportedly testing over 500 military swords in a single day. Although he once possessed about 200 swords, he gifted most of them to his disciples who went off to war, leaving few in his possession after the conflict. The present sword represents Kurihara Akihide’s finest work, featuring magnificent carvings by Abe Akitada. It was test-cut by Nakayama Hakudō, who highly praised its superior sharpness. The accompanying tomobako (original box) bears an inscription by the late Living National Treasure Amata Akitsugu, and the sword is recorded in Kurihara Hikosaburō Akihide’s Complete Record.