Sold via Online Consultation — A 2.7-Shaku Katana from the Late Edo Era

This katana was sold through an online consultation.

This katana is a magnificent long blade, measuring 83.7 cm (about 2 shaku 7 sun). Its elegant yet powerful form gives it an undeniable presence.

Forged in the late Edo period (shin-shintō era), this sword was not created for large-scale warfare like those of the Muromachi or Momoyama periods. By that time, Japan had entered a turbulent age marked by street uprisings, duels among sonnō jōi revolutionaries, and later the Boshin War. As opportunities for real combat began to reappear, swordsmiths once again crafted blades meant to be drawn in earnest.

This katana reflects that spirit perfectly.

Its curvature is shallow, its kissaki (tip) slightly extended, and the overall balance invites swift, decisive movement. The hamon — a lively gunome-midare — flows like waves that surge and retreat, embodying the rhythm of the late Edo unrest. Sometimes fierce, sometimes calm, it captures the temperament of that turbulent era itself.

The smith who forged this blade likely made it not for a high-ranking samurai or a retainer of the shogunate, but for a provincial warrior or a passionate idealist who carried his convictions on his hip. For such men, a katana was more than a symbol — it was a companion they could entrust their lives to.

Blades exceeding 80 cm with this kind of robust construction are exceptionally rare. They combine historical depth with practical strength, making them highly valued among those who train in budo or appreciate the living spirit of the samurai age.

Without its original koshirae, this katana now awaits new fittings — a chance to create a one-of-a-kind mounting that will bring its full character back to life.