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Wazamono is a classification of
Japanese swords A is one of several types of traditionally made swords from Japan. Bronze swords were made as early as the Yayoi period (1000 BC – 300 AD), though most people generally refer to the curved blades made from the Heian period (794 – 1185) to t ...
and swordsmiths used in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
to identify historic blades of exceptional quality. According to the first edition of ''Kaiho Kenjaku'' (懐宝剣尺) published in 1797, There are 163 ''Wazamono'' swords in total, grouped into four categories based on their quality. Twelve swords are classified as ''Saijō Ō Wazamono'' (Supreme Grade), twenty-one swords are classified as ''Ō Wazamono'' (Excellent), fifty swords are classified as ''Yoki (Ryō) Wazamono'' (Very Good), and eighty swords are classified as ''Wazamono'' (Good). This rating is based on a book compiled by Yamada Asaemon V (山田浅右衛門吉睦), an official sword cutting ability examiner and executioner of the
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
, and is an authoritative index of cutting ability of Japanese swords. The list of ratings concerning swordsmithing differs between ''Kaiho Kenjaku'' (懐宝剣尺) published in 1797 and the reprinted edition published in 1805, and the major revised edition of ''Kokon Kajibiko'' (古今鍛冶備考) published in 1830. Add up the number of sword smiths in each edition: ''Saijo Ō Wazamono'' 15, 'Ō Wazamono'' 21, ''Yoki Wazamono'' 58, ''Wazamono'' 93, lower 3 grade mixed 65.日本刀の業物.
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
The list of swordsmiths described below is the swordsmiths described in the first edition of ''Kaiho ''.


Twelve ''Saijō Ō Wazamono''

There are 12 blades that hold the rank of ''Saiju Ō Wazamono'' (Supreme Grade). This is the highest classification of ''Wazamono''. In the reprinted edition in 1805 and the major revised edition in 1830, 3 swordsmiths , , and were added to the list.最上大業物.
Nagoya Japanese Sword Museum Touken World.
* = ''Hidemitsu'' II * = ''Masaie'' IV * * = I * = ''Kotetsu II'' * = ''Kanemoto'' I * = ''Kanemoto'' II * * = ''Nagamichi'' I * * * ''Hizen Tadayoshi III'' =


Twenty-one ''Ō Wazamono''

There are 21 blades that hold the rank of ''Ō Wazamono'' (Excellent). This is the second highest classification of ''Wazamono''. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Fifty ''Yoki (Ryo) Wazamono''

There are 50 blades that hold the rank of ''Yoki Wazamono'' (Very Good). This is the third highest classification of ''Wazamono''. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * = * * * * * = * * * * * * = * * * * * * * * * * * * = * * * * = * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Eighty ''Wazamono''

There are 80 blades that hold the rank of ''Wazamono'' (Good). This is the lowest classification of ''Wazamono''. * =? * * * * * * * * , son of Kanekuni (added below) * = * * * * * * =? * =? * * * * * * * * * * of * * =?, successor of Sukehiro I (Soboro) above. * = * = = = * = * == * * = * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * = * * * * , disciple of above. * * * * =? * * == * * =? * = * * = * * * * * * = *


Mixed

Swordmakers that produced a mixture of quality, ōwazamono, ryōwazamono, or wazamono. 65 in this category. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


References

* * *, German and Ja names. * {{Refend Wazamono Wazamono Wazamono