Hizen Kunihiro, real name Hashimoto Rokurozaemon.  Kunihiro was the eldest son of the Shodai Hirosada.  Hirosada, who later signed Yoshiie, was a student of Shodai Hizen Tadayoshi. Kunihiro worked in the style of his father forging dense ko-itame hada and a high quality midareba with nie, such as suguha, notare or as in this example gunome-midare.

Kunihiro was an excellent smith and was rated Wazamono for sharpness and cutting ability in the Kokin Kaji Bikosen, by Yamada Asauemon Yoshichika.  He was also rated Chujo Saku for quality of workmanship by Fujishiro. Additionally, Hawley’s rated him at 50 pts., and the Toko Taikan valued his works at 2.5 Million Yen.

This yari is the most massive yari I have ever seen. The blade is in excellent condition with no flaws whatsoever. The polish is sufficient to see most of the hataraki but is a bit subdued due to oxidation. In fresh polish it would be a knockout. The blade is heavy, wide and thick, even the nakago is huge. The ubu nakago is almost 1” (2.54cm) wide and approximately 0.75” (1.905cm) thick. Nakago is ubu with one mekugi ana and signed Hizen Ju Kunihiro.

The koshirae is very simple black lacquered pole. I can’t say with 100% certainty, but the pole looks to have been cut down opposed to having been made this way.  The saya is also covered with black lacquer and has a few cracks in the lacquer/wood.

The yari comes with the older NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho papers from 1972.  I understand that a large number of collectors today frown on these older papers or consider them obsolete.  Your opinion of them is irrelevant, as I am merely providing all of the information given to me.  If you don’t like the papers, feel free to toss them in the trash after you purchase the yari.

$4200 plus s/h

If you are interested in owning this fine yari, contact me through the website or directly at yakiba.com@gmail.com