mecox

Shawn, you got some good info above, your sword: 関住兼松一則作 - Seki-jū Kanematsu Kazunori saku Here is a bit more: KAZUNORI (一則), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kazunori” (一則), real name Kanematsu Kazuichi (兼松一市), born June 10th 1894, he worked as guntō smith. He registered as a Seki swordsmith in Showa 14 (1939) October 26, which was early on, and he was age about 45. He died early in December 9th 1944 (age 50), posthumous Buddhist name Zendō Myōtoku (善導妙徳) Another example: bottom stamp is about being made by kobuse method with core steel.

Russ, some background to Asano Kanezane

So presumably they have mounted at least 11 swords this way??

John, fairly sure the 2nd character is a number: 四 (using simplified form) 　 shi (4) 　and 　十一　 ju ichi (11). "Sara" has longer bottom stroke 皿　　　Basically they are assembly numbers.

Looks like: MIA (宮) NUMBER (4, 11) YO (ヨ) Maybe "Mia" is location / name of shrine / shop ?

Ryan, could be the following, however your mei and cutting is quite different. However he could have had a student in Kokura Arsenal?: TADATAKA (忠孝), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Saga – “Hizen no Kuni Tadataka” (肥前国 忠孝), “Hizen no Kuni Hakuryūshi Tadataka” (肥前国白龍子忠孝), real name Inoue Yoshiaki (井上慶昭), born November 2nd 1904, he studied from 1935 under his father Inoue Kanzaburō Kunikane (井上勘三郎国包) and in 1941 also under Taguchi Masatsugu (田口正次) from the school of Horii Toshihide (堀井俊秀), gō Hakuryūshi (白龍子), from 1943 he worked as rikugun jumei-tōshō for the Kokura Arsenal (小倉陸軍工廠). But the fittings on yours look a bit suspicious, especially tsuba. There is more on Hizen Tadataka here:

Thank you Dr Richard Stein for a long term commitment to Nihonto and associated. An intelligent, generous teacher and gentleman. Appreciated and remembered.

James and thanks Moriyama san. Here is a bit more on him. YOSHICHIKA (義近), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Yoshichika” (義近), real name Hatakeyama Kōichi (畠山弘一), he was a Seki-based guntō smith. He was born Taisho 8 (1919) August 21, and registered as a Seki tosho in Showa 15 (1940) June 25 at age 20. He was living at Seki Nagasumi-cho.

That is really difficult to read !

@Bruce Pennington oh boy I got that wrong in my Toki paper p. 36. That is the Noshu ju Sukenobu 濃州住助信 you were looking for. I included it in the Toki family 濃州住亮信 by error. Thanks for finding (probably working at midnight!). However, I still could not find 助信 and not in Seki tosho regn.

As Ray noted Noshu ju Sukenobu saku zore with Sho stamp. He is not in Seki registration lists. There is another Sukenobu with family name Toki, but has different "suke".

Appears to be 大豪 Daigō with a variation of a Seki stamp? and a rather late date of 昭和十九年秋 1944 aki (autumn) which puts it Sept-Nov 1944. He is not in the Seki registration lists, and I cant find other info. Does this suggest he works in an arsenal or commercial workshop? I note the tsuba is a variation of the typical pattern.

Russ, Uwe got it, probably this one: KIKUHIDE (菊秀), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kikuhide” (菊秀), real name Murayama Kikuo (村山菊雄), born September 21st 1905 (Meiji 38), he worked as guntō smith and died April 8th 1952. He was from Seki and registered as a Seki smith on Showa 18 (1943) February 2. Very little info on him. Looks to be a small partial stamp above hole?

Bruce, this guy I think KANETATSU (兼達), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanetatsu” (兼達), real name Kanemura Tatsuo (兼村達雄), born February 23rd 1913, he worked as a guntō smith

Mei is Seki Ju Kanetomo date is Showa 20 (1945) February and he is RJT with star. Maybe is he this one: but not 100% sure KANETOMO (兼友), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Miwa Kanetomo saku” (三輪兼友作), “Kanetomo” (兼友), real name Miwa Shizuo (三輪静夫), born March 31st 1916, student of Kojima Kanemichi (小島兼道), he worked as guntō smith and died July 27th 1994, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Second Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

Being picky I guess, but sword looks to be missing one of large seppa and the retaining clip. Do any souvenir swords have the clip (and tsuba/seppa with holes)? And yes the tsuba does look buffed. Also does it have a Sho/Seki stamp?

Looks like this one: YOSHIOKI (嘉興), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Yoshioki” (嘉興), real name Ueno Yakichi (上野弥吉). Unusual "yoshi" Not much info, but looks to be born Meiji 17 (1884) Oct 1. registered as a Seki smith Showa 18 (1943) March 2 (age about 60) and was living in Bugi-gun, (probably read as) Kamifuchi-mura

I was referring to the cross strokes on "yoshi". The top one should be the longest.

Brian whose time zone are you using in the plot. I find I can post freely when North America is asleep.

Hi Lennon well there is a KANEYOSHI (兼吉), Gifu, real name Yoshida Ushinosuke (吉田丑之助), he worked as guntō smith, Fifth Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941) Below is an example. But note on your sword the "yoshi" is incorrectly cut (like by a non Japanese?). Not sure what this means. Best you show more of the sword and fittings. Added another example from F&G, hard to read but shows Seki stamp and correct "yoshi"

This looks a very well made stainless steel sword with well cut fine mei. Also fairly early 1941. I wonder if it could have been made by Kawamura Fujiwara Kanenaga, a brilliant metalwork artist. The date is in his unusual style, especially "Showa"

Emm, as Christian says described as "Shinshinto Kaifu" by NBTHK kanteisho dated Heisei 26 (2014) Jan 31. For background and examples of Kaifu:

More info:

These look OK to me

Thanks Tim. BTW where did you buy the sword from, as its unusual to have original torokusho (yours dated 2011). I note Johns comment re tsuka. It does look a bit odd, wrapping is not tight, rear knot odd, and the same skin not a good fit and is white. Nearly all kaigunto have black lacquer same. In the full length pic of the sword the tsuba is siting at an angle, as if loose. That caught my eye. Thanks for extra pics. From them I wonder if the dai-seppa are cast repros. Also the aluminium seppa are not original. Apologies Tim, not trying to dump on your sword, but these aspects are always of interest. And John I see you had a nice Munenaga kaigunto and sold it on NMB in April, 2019.