Brian

I agree, unfortunately this has a very "made yesterday" feel to it, especially those surgically precision punched marks around the nakago ana. If it's non magnetic, I would guess a modern cast display piece. You always want at least some signs of use on something like this, but it looks like it was made yesterday and it lacks fine detail.

The whole "The Japanese govt will keep it and won't allow it to leave" thing is an old urban myth. Doesn't happen, won't happen. Agree that you'd probably get more for it in the West. Half the time stuff like that will be resold to a Western collector and be shipped out again. They don't care all that much about the WW2 significance, at least not as much as overseas collectors do generally speaking.

Can't believe that thing is already on almost $1000. What are people thinking??!!

https://www.jauce.com/auction/q1223551604

Agree with the above. You need to Google as many high-up contact emails as you can. CC everyone, from the CEO down. Point out that this items is historically significant and the loss is being spread widely across the Japanese art world on social media. Be angry and be persistent. Don't give up, and keep emailing. Become a PITA. Chances are suddenly it will turn up.

As far as finding good sushi or any other food in Tokyo, leave your hotel, turn any direction, and walk a few 100m. It's that simple. If you stay way from the busy tourist areas, you'll find amazing and cheap sushi almost anywhere, no planning necessary. Haneda travel...as the above members suggested. Going back to Narita, the Express is for me is the fastest and most convenient. Hotels...just choose your budget and area, and use Booking.com or even AirBnB. You'll find a ton of places within any budget. Area is more important, and if you are only there for a short time, personally I'd look at near Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa or Ueno. Try to avoid Golden Week. Tokyo is amazing, and anywhere you go, you'll find tons to do.

Those fittings are definitely Meiji period export type mounts.

Not the first time we have seen this sort of sleeve. Have personally seen it pressed out of thin sheet metal. In this case, it was carved to look like ito. Rare, but not unknown. Just an experiment I guess...or some sort of "because I can" thing.

Have to wonder though. If the kissaki takes damage, and you lose the boshi, it's considered a fatal flaw. The sword cannot perform as designed, right? But Katana and tachi are cutting weapons. How often where they used to stab? Surely most of the work is done in the monouchi area? Which may well be completely intact. 98% of what the sword would required to do, can still be done. Even if a katana is shortened from the front to wakizashi size, you wouldn't use the kissaki in most cases. Cutting edge remains. I think this is more about the art aspect and completeness than actual functionality.

To me looks like a Paul Chen or other modern sword.

It's VERY fake. Sorry. So the inscription is pointless. Made in China to deceive.

As mentioned, what the writing says isn't important, as it isn't what led to the call of fake. The item is 100% fake, so the writing is pointless. There is nothing here really looking real at all. It's an easy call.

TBH, the second you see that flag on the habaki, you know it's a fake. That's a dead giveaway, there are NO examples of real ones with this common engraving on the habaki.

The info in there currently is truly amazing, sometimes even I forget to browse there and see how much info we have. Thanks for your considerable efforts Mal.

In my review, that still stands, I regard this as one of the mostly beautifully done, and most impressive books on the subject anywhere out there. I have nothing but huge praise for the author and his publication. If you have the means, you definitely need this.

Not sure why the lack of importance given to titles suddenly means we think less of the smiths. Why have you attached the title to the importance of the swordsmith? We appreciate and study the swords by these swordsmiths regardless of their titles. Just because we don't regard the titles as adding to their reputation, doesn't mean we don't regard the swords highly. You seem to imply if we don't appreciate the title then we consider the smith himself and his swords as not historically important? That would be very wrong. We prove we respect and preserve them just by being here. Focusing on the title is actually doing the opposite of what you are implying. Are you saying the ones without titles are worthy of less respect?

Very lovely textbook example!

Wish you luck in getting it back. Stuff like this is a niche market and very identifiable, so hoping someone spots it. Don't want more stickies right now, but maybe will look at adding a separate page just for stolen items, let me see what I can do.

Maybe doesn't even represent a specific bird, maybe just birds without a species. Never know...

Actually, I really love that depiction of birds..likely geese. It is so "modern" that the depiction that way can only come from a nation that sees images depicted in bonji. A very futuristic depiction of a bird seen through an artist's eyes :-)

Take the current status of "Lord" in the UK for an example. I am not sure exactly how you gain it, but I think by owning an estate or something similar. Does anyone really care that Mt Fontleroy can call himself Lord Fontleroy? Not really. Historically, it's of little importance. Same with these titles. It didn't change the status of their blades...or if it did, then by very little. The swords are judged on their own merits, and I don't know of anyone that values a sword higher because it is signed with an honorific title. But the swords are evaluated on their own for quality and historical significance. The title really is of little concern. This seem to bother you a bit, and I am not sure why.

Yeah, just in case that was an AI post to promote the link that was included, I have removed the url. Wonder if AI is doing semi relevant posts now to promote links. Hmmm. Luckily we have a decent membership that looks out for stuff like that and reports it. So anyone who hides promo stuff in posts isn't getting the promo they expect for more than a few minutes.

Good to see you again Jon. Hope things are well.

An occasional stutter is to be expected, could have been a server reboot or maintenance. Let me know if it persists or happens often.

Looks like someone started a polish and then abandoned it. More than a window it seems. I wonder if they found a hagire or other fatal flaw?