Katana in Shirasaya, with Koshirae (NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Paper)

Signature: Mumei (Unsigned) (Den - Naoe Shizu)

The blade was polished.
Blade length : 63.0 cm or 24.80 inches.
Sori : 1.0 cm or 0.39 inches.
Mekugi: 4
Width at the hamachi :2.88 cm or 1.13 inches.
Width at the Kissaki : 1.87 cm or 0.73 inches.
Kasane : 0.58 cm or 0.22 inches.
Era : Nanbokucho period.
Shape : The blade is Nagamaki nawoshi style cut shortened (suriage Machiokuri).Rather slender small sori.
Jitetsu : Itame hada well grained with jinie attach and chikei work.
Hamon : Niedeki suguha and gunome midare with rather thick nioikuchi.
Boshi : round shaped hakikae style.

Special feature : Naoe shies was started by Kaneuji who was a 10 sword makers under the Masamune.
He educated Kanetomo, Kanetsugu and Kaneshige,Kanenobu and others.
Some students moved to Naoe and Yamato.
The group of Naoe is called Naoe shizu. and other group who went Yamato is called yamato shizu.
Yamato shizu is mixed with Yamato influence which is thick nioikuchi like Taima.
Naoe shiz was influence sosyu blade which is wavy noter temper line.
This blade was judged as Naoe Shizu which is wavy temper line with sunagashi and Kinsuji.
I have seen Masamune before and the blade is very similar.

Koshirae :
Tsuba : On the round shaped iron Tsuba, some design are inlayed by shakudo plate.
Fuchikashira : On the shakudo nanako plate, kylin is engraved with gold color.
Saya : Red color ishimeji saya.
Menuki : Brass plate.

NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Paper
Aoi Art estimation paper : whole Oshigata.