New Release: Nobuie — 4 Key Insights Every Tosogu Enthusiast Should Know

We visited Sannichi Printing in Yamanashi, where our long-awaited publication has finally taken shape!

Nearly 38 years ago, my father, Ito Mitsuru, first encountered a tsuba signed Nobuie. From that moment, he became fascinated—what he called “captivated by Nobuie.” It marked the beginning of his lifelong path of collecting and research.

Now, after decades of his study, gallery youyou are pleased to announce the publication of the new book “Nobuie.” This book brings together the fruits of many years of research and is certain to become an indispensable reference for understanding and appraising Nobuie tsuba.

In this blog, we would like to highlight four essential points to know about this new release.

He wanted to hand-number each of the 500 copies himself, putting his heart into every single one!

1. What is a Nobuie Tsuba?

In the world of Japanese tsuba artisan, Nobuie holds a position of extraordinary significance—ranked among the “Sansaku” (Three Masters) alongside Kaneie and Umetada Myōju. Active from the Momoyama through the early Edo period, Nobuie’s tsuba embody a striking presence: the sense of iron as a solid mass, expressive textures, and above all, a bold aesthetic that reflects samurai aesthetic. Nobuie’s powerful signatures are especially renowned, often classified as hanare-mei (separated signatures) and futoji-mei (thick-character signatures). This book presents the full range of works, while also addressing deeper questions:

• When did these categories—hanare-mei and futoji-mei—first emerge?

• At what point did artisans begin to inscribe their signatures on tsuba?

• How many individual artisans might the name “Nobuie” represent?

  
  

Earlier research is re-examined and contextualized to shed new light on these enduring questions.

2. Rich Visuals and Key Points for Appreciation

The book features high-resolution photographs of Nobuie tsuba, enabling readers to observe appraisal points, stylistic changes, and variations in signature across different periods.The quality is sufficient to examine iron textures, chisel marks, and forms from the mimi to the seppadai. This makes the volume not only a treasure for enthusiasts, but also an invaluable academic resource for researchers.

3. A New Standard in Nobuie Studies

Building upon Ito Mitsuru’s decades of scholarship, the book presents both well-known and newly identified Nobuie works in a clear, structured way. Set against the dynamic cultural background of the late Momoyama and early Edo periods, it explains the characteristics of the hanare-mei and futoji-mei works, traces how these signatures evolved, and explores the aesthetics behind them—offering a fresh perspective on Nobuie studies.

From the Author,

“Among the most famous references is the Nakamura Kakudayu Nobuie Tsubashu published in 1926 with annotations by Akiyama Kyusaku Ou. However, Nobuie had already been recognized as a master artisan in Edo-period works such as the Toban Shokan Koketsu (Toban Zulu). Later, the series of articles titled A New Study of Nobuie by Katsuya Shunichi, published in issues 52 through 59 of Token Bijutsu (1958–59), represented a decisive contribution to Nobuie scholarship, one that continues to underpin current understanding.

More recently, a tsuba bearing the signature Sanshu Nobuie (三州信家) was discovered. Until then, only works inscribed San Nobuie (三 信家) were known, and I had interpreted “San” to mean “Third-generation Nobuie” (三代目信家). The new discovery revealed, however, that “San” (三) referred instead to “Mikawa” (三河). Through subsequent investigation of the relationship between Mikawa and Owari during the late Momoyama and early Edo periods, the larger historical context has come into clearer focus.

The Nakamura Kakudayu Nobuie Tsubashu presents 144 Nobuie oshigata; excluding five duplicates or verso–recto entries, 139 works are introduced. To surpass this standard, I believed it necessary to provide not only more illustrations, but also new perspectives in interpretation.

Thank you to the generous cooperation of many collectors, institutions, and sword dealers, we have now been able to photograph and present 173 tsuba, resulting in what I believe to be a substantially enriched and comprehensive volume.

4. For Collectors and Enthusiasts

It is our hope that this publication will share the enduring allure of Nobuie with readers across generations. As a gesture of appreciating tosogu and sword minded friends, the author has made the book available at a special price of ¥26,000 (regular price ¥27,500) during the launch period, from October 1 to December 31, 2025. We are also pleased to announce that the full English translation and commentary of “Nobuie” will be released in November 2025.

Book Information

Title: Nobuie・信家

Author: Ito Mitsuru

Publisher: gallery youyou

Release Date: October 1, 2025

Price: ¥27,500 → Special price ¥26,000 (until December 31, 2025)

To Purchase

👉 inquiries→  [here]

Closing Thoughts

Nobuie was not merely a craftsman, but a master artisan who gave shape to the very spirit of the samurai. We are honored to present this new book, and we hope it will become a cornerstone in the study and appreciation of sword fittings. Our next article will feature “Jidai goshirae”. Until next time, stay tosogu-minded : )