A Fabulous and Finest Japanese ‘Shikome-zue’ Secret, Hidden Sword Stick, With a Signed 500 Year Old Koto Period 1500’s Chisa Katana Blade By Muneyuki of Ishu

Signed by Muneyuki of Ishu province. This is one of the nicest of it's type we have ever seen, with a beautiful chisa katana blade around 500 years old. Fine traditional smith made samurai blade of super quality in good polish and a fine silver habaki engraved with raindrops. Very finely carved wooden saya and tsuka lacquered and finished to imitate cherry bark.
In the 1870's the Meiji Emperor disbanded the fuedal samurai order and banned the wearing of the sword. This created much unrest between the samurai and the government and some samurai moved to carrying shikome-zue hidden sword. Therefore, via a circuitous route, they still remain armed, but with their katana hidden from view. But by that way they felt, least in part, their honour remained intact. With a long and most elegant blade. In ninjutsu shikomizue became quite popular, as it provided the night warriors with what they needed most – versatility, secrecy and mortality. The walking sticks were popular among all the classes and carrying it caused no suspicion. Combined with the impersonation skills, shikomizue was really a dangerous weapon attacking the enemy most suddenly. This is possibly one of the nicest of it's types we have ever seen. The blade is typical chisa katana with elegant and fine hamon. Very nice hamon in very fine and beautiful polish. The stick is fully and superbly hand carved to simulate cherry mark .

This piece absolutely reminds us of the world reknown fictional blind samurai Zatoichi. He does not carry a traditional katana, instead using a very well traditionally made shikomi-zue (cane sword) just as this sword is. Zatoichi's cane sword, his weapon was forged by a master bladesmith and is of superior quality, just like this rare, fine traditional ancient chisa katana bladed example. We show an 1817 Japanese print by Hokusai of his depiction of an all black clad warrior so called ninja climbing a rope, with what appears to be his shikomezue hidden sword stick.

Zatoichi (Japanese: 座頭市) is a fictional character created by Japanese novelist Kan Shimozawa. He is an itinerant blind masseur and swordsman of Japan's late Edo period (1830s and 1840s). He first appeared in the 1948 essay Zatoichi Monogatari (座頭市物語), part of Shimozawa's Futokoro Techō series that was serialized in the magazine Shōsetsu to Yomimono. Secretly, he is very highly skilled in swordsmanship, specifically Muraku-school kenjutsu and iaido along with the more general sword skills of Japan, as well as sumo wrestling and kyujutsu. He uses a well-made shikomi-zue (仕込み杖, "prepared cane" or cane sword)

Blade 23.65 inches long, 36.25 inches long overall.
Old repair to wooden handle portion of the cane.

Code: 25294