Naginata "Shitahara Hiroshige"
Blade length 38.5cm, thickness at the base 7mm, width 2.7cm, width at the upper part 3.3cm
This is a Naginata blade made by Hiroshige of Shitahara school. Naginata is a kind of blades used with a long pole. (=> Naginata)
Shitahara is a smith school what worked in Hachioji city of Tokyo today. They worked from 16th century to 19th century. They are one of the descendants of Masamune of Sagami (Soshu). Their unique point is the steel what has visible wood grain layer pattern including some burl patterns. This blade also shows such steel layer.
Steel has a visible wood grain layer pattern with some burl patterns.
Hamon is made of large particles. It is rather bright. Its pattern is active, shallow wave and Gunome pattern. Sadly the hamon at the tip is worn out.
Polishing is Hadori style (the modern style). It is not honest, since it makes hadori at the tip as if it had hamon there. We are angry at the dealer or polisher who made such a dishonest polishing on it. It was done to trick beginners' eye. Those wrong dealers and craftsmen destroy the culture of samurai. Honesty is necessary.
In total, this naginata blade shows typical style of Shitahara school. There are several smiths in Hiroshige lineage, but we don't know which smith this Hiroshige is.
Tang
Signature is clear " Bushu Shitahara ju Hiroshige"
Habaki is made of copper. Someone painted gold on it. It's a kind of horrible joke.
Mount and bag
The scabbard is original from Edo period, while the handle is newly made.
