Shugyosha

In the cartouche, Tenzan then kao. I’m struggling for a clear view of the next bit but it looks like Bushi Kawagoe, Higo Motoyasu. No doubt Piers will be on in a while and give the definitive view.

That’s what it says. Still don’t know if it’s shoshin...

I’m not completely certain as I can’t rotate the picture but the signature may read Goto Hokyo Ichijo plus Kao. A big name if correct and genuine...

Hi Adam, I’ve had a look through my Mino books and haven’t turned anything up. I think I’d stick with late koto or as an outside maybe early Shinto Mino. The patina on the tang says koto to me. The yasurimei are In line with Mino, the hamon with the togariba; gunome/ crab claw elements don’t necessarily rule out Mino as Bizen influences crept into some smiths’ work. I can’t make out much of the Hada: it looks like itame but I might be seeing some oil as well. I’d expect to see some mokume with masame above the shinogi for classic Mino. My guess would be that it’s not necessarily gimei but not one of the big name Kanemoto. Sorry, doesn’t tell you much more than you already know but thanks for posting an interesting blade.

Hi Adam, I think you did well with this one at that price. Nothing not to like there for what you paid and the blade looks like it has something about it - well worth further research and maybe a polish and shinsa. Any chance of some close-ups of Boshi, hamon and Hada?

...also, if you haven’t seen it, Darcy has a papered example on his web site.

I’ve seen that tsuba recently but can’t remember where...was there a description on the web page?

What JP said. Also it might just be from a tight saya scuffing that area as the sword is drawn out and put back in the scabbard. It might get more of that if it's used as an iato.

I think it's the first generation. A translation of the whole piece is a bit beyond me, but in the first line it has 船田一琴 (義長) 筆頭 Funada Ikkin (Yoshinaga) fudegashira, referring to Yoshinaga as head of the family/ first in line, and I can't see any reference in the piece to Yoshimori his son, the nidai, but no doubt you'll get some better information soon.

Credit to Steve. I lucked on to something I read recently.

Hi Jiri, As per Steve's translation apart from the bit about the two body cut which reads "Ryou kuruma dodan barai" (these characters: 両車土壇払). The "two wheels" cut (through the body at the hips) and entering the earth mound (below). This drawing illustrates the test cut (number 10):

Hi Piers, Apologies if this is a silly question, but is there not a detailed write-up in the papers that might suggest its origin? You did say it had Tokubetsu Juyo papers...

On a historical or anatomical note, it's also the most difficult test cut as the blade has to pass through both hip bones and the base of the spine. So the blade is an excellent cutter.

Hi Steve, Sorry to be picky but isn't that the ryou kuruma cut - so a single body cut through the hips and then dotan barai - into the earth mound below.

Hi Rodriguez, Yes you’re right looks like Kanemoto to me.

Houki Kuni Yoshiyuki. Next one is Tanba kami Yoshimichi.

Tanba ju Inoue Katsukiyo.

It’s in the article entitled Tokubetsu Juyo results 2020. It shows the concentration of Juyo swords by age. sorry can’t link it as I’m on my phone.

Nah, I’ve got a shed full of them. Had to move them out of the house to make room for all the Honjo Masamunes. 😄 Seriously though, Darcy is probably the person to ask as he has a breakdown of Juyo swords by age. In fact it might be on his blog at Yuhindo.

Dunno, I’ll leave that to the gunto guys but I wouldn’t buy in that condition (even if a genuine WWII blade).

Good spot Chris - I only looked at the tang.

Yes you’re right - it’s a wartime blade at best. I can see a stamp of remains of one and it has the usual chippy signature associated with Gunto.

Hi Vittorio, A day in November, Showa 19th year = 1944. Showa began in 1926 and the first year isn't counted so 25 + 19 to get 1944.

Sorry Paul, I wasn't disagreeing with you but, even without Covid, I struggle to get out and see swords for a number of reasons including my tendency to follow the path of least resistance and simply look at pictures on line.

I certainly do and it is what has always held back my appreciation of this subject.