A Naginata For Discussion And Translation

[Tatyana]

Hello,

This is the second time I post here, being more on a "lurker" side - since I have a little knowledge about Nihonto.

I bought recently a Naginata - the price was a steal and I liked it. I would like to hear the Forum members opinion on this one and read the signature if possible.

41 cm Nagasa, a heavy and massive blade in shirasaya.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Tatyana,

 

It's this guy I believe (from Markus Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan), the larger part in the bold font is the signature on your naginata:

 

TERUKADO (照門), Manji (万治, 1658-1661), Mino – “Kanekado” (兼門), “Zenjō Fujiwara Kanekado” (善定藤原兼門), “Tanba no Daijō Fujiwara Terukado” (丹波大掾藤原照門), “Tanba no Kami Fujiwara Terukado” (丹波守藤原照門), “Tanba no Kami Terukado” (丹波守照門), “Nōshū Seki no jū Tanba no Kami Fujiwara Terukado saku” (濃州関之住濃州丹波守藤原照門作), “Nōshū Tanba no Kami Fujiwara Terukado” (濃州丹波守藤原照門), real name Mitsui Sō´emon (三井惣右衛門), he is also listed with the first name Sōkurō (宗九郎), Zenjō school, he signed first with Kanekado (兼門), after receiving the honorary title Tanba no Kami (丹波守) in the second year of Manji (1659) he changed his name to Terukado (照門), when the Ujifusa lineage (氏房) moved to Nagoya (名古屋) in Owari province, the local honorary title Seki-kaji-tōryō (関鍛冶頭領, lit. “master of all Seki smiths”) was transferred to the lineage of Kanekado, his successors did not continue the name Terukado but returned to Kanekado, dense ko-itame with fine ji-nie mixed with masame and masame along the shinogi-ji, suguha-hotsure or ō-gunome-midare mixed with angular hako-midare in nie-deki with a wide nioiguchi, interpretations in midare begin with a sugu-yakidashi, during his early years – i.e. around Manji – he applied thick and prominent sujikai-yasurime, they become finer over the years and appear as katte-sagari in his later years, first he applied a distinctive iriyamagata-jiri which becomes later a ha-agari kurijiri, he also worked in Ise´s Kuwana (桑名) and in Edo and also worked with nanban-tetsu, chūjō-saku.

 

Best,

John

[Gilles]

Nice naginata.

 

I agree with John about the swordsmith. It seems to be machi okuri that is to say slightly reduced in length. No visible kizu and a deep but shallow kaeri. Seems to be a stout blade.

 

congratulations.

[Geraint]

Dear Tatyana.

 

A very nice thing to own.  Does it come in shirasaya?  If not then that would be a good thing to do.  If you are not familiar with the care of swords then have a look at the FAQ link at the top toolbar.

 

For reference here is a papered sword, https://nihontoantiques.com/project/wakazashi-sword-fss-697/

 

Does your's have papers?  What ever you call a steal this is a nice piece.

 

Congratulations.

 

All the best.

[TheGermanBastard]

A nice Mino Naginata taht would have done great on the battlefield. A blade to keep! Congrats,.

 

As per the threa poster it has a Shirasaya.

 

So just keep it oiled and you are fine. I do not thnink it to be Gimei.

 

No need for paper imho. Just fine as it is

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Nice....  

[Tatyana]

Thank you very much for the "Kantei" and for the translation - the text from Markus Sesko's book describes the naginata perfectly! I am really happy that it turned out to be a good and legitimate blade! Nihonto collecting is a science in itself

The blade doesn't has papers, but it doesn't bother me that much - I am buying swords, not papers! Some of my swords have papers and some not, but it doesn't make me like papered ones more