Shugyosha

I'll take a punt at the kissaki again: it looks a lot more healthy in Aoi's oshigata when compared to that in the Juyo papers but for me the light/ dark photograph that highlights the nioi guchi isn't sufficiently clear in this area for me to tell if it's hadori or something more.

Order placed!! Well done Grev. Really looking forward to a good read - I'll give it a review on here once I get it.

Hi Erick, No harm done - welcome to the forum and to the weird and wacky world of Nihonto. Apologies to you - I didn't mean to sound harsh. I just saw your swords on the other thread and I hope that you enjoy them - you've done pretty well for starters IHMO. I certainly did far worse. Kind regards, John

Hi, I still don't know your name. I wasn't being "passive aggressive" or even aggressive, I did after all provide the information that you requested and some thanks would have been polite. How about re-posting your thread in the Izakaya as there are a number if Iai practitioners on the forum and you will perhaps get the information you want there.

Hi, Sorry to seem unwelcoming but: 1. We are interested in traditionally made Japanese swords on here rather than martial arts swords; and 2. we require a name as well as a handle. As regards your shinken, you have all the information already - the tang reads Noshu Kane Sada saku - made in the province of Mino by Kanesada. Best, John

Is Aoi still in Ginza? I thought I read that he was moving to a new property...

Hi Kubur, Marcus Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan lists three makers signing in this way so it may be one of them: MORITSUNE (盛常), Eishō (永正, 1504-1521), Kaga – “Moritsune” (盛常) MORITSUNE (盛常), Kyōroku (享禄, 1528-1532), Bungo – “Moritsune” (盛常), “Hōshū-jū Takada Moritsune saku” (豊州住高田盛常作), “Moritsune saku” (盛常作), Taira-Takada school MORITSUNE (盛常), Eiroku (永禄, 1558-1570), Bungo – “Hōshū Takada-jū Taira Moritsune” (豊州高田住平盛常), “Taira Moritsune” (平盛常), Taira-Takada school, itame mixed with masame and shirake, gunome-midare in ko-nie-deki with a compact nioiguchi. That said, my initial feeling was that the blade was later than this but if you want to post some better pictures of the blade itself including any activity in the edge and tip then you might get some better views than mine. Best, John

Suriage kanbun shinto??

Thanks Matt. Best, John

Brass tsuba: 鶴鳴 街 Tsuruga machi 改次 Masatsugu I think this is correct but I'd be grateful for any correction if I'm mistaken.

東都住貞恒 Toto Ju Sadatsune (I believe).

章孝 Aki taka + Kao There's only one in Haynes: "H00073.0. Died 1854; NTS: iron tsuba carved and inlaid with blooming lotus plants".

There's also a programme on immediately before it (9.00pm) called The Art of Japanese Life which explores connections between Japanese culture and the natural environment.

Isn't it a fairly common ploy to make a false statement (traditional, hand-forged), provide the information that contradicts it (Sho stamp) and then leave it to potential buyers to draw a conclusion? Those who know would assume that in most cases the armoury stamp would point to a gunto whereas the more naive will focus on the buyer's description, thinking that they are getting something better than is actually being sold. When a dissatisfied buyer cries fraud, the seller merely points to his disclosure of a material fact that ought to have put the buyer on notice. For me this is dishonesty but I'm not sure it amounts to fraud...I'd leave that to the more legally minded to decide.

Doesn't the "Sho" stamp imply that it is a Gunto and not a traditional hand-forged blade?

Hi John, I'd second what John and John are saying. Some measurements would be useful also, particularly length. Best, John

Hi Piers, I'm a bit late to this one but I remember that Darcy had a very nice example of a kama blade for sale a few years ago. I don't recall whether it was signed but I think it did have an attribution at least. You might want to drop him a line in case he can help with your research - unfortunately it's not up on his website now. Kind regards, John

Ichihara Kiyotada Saku KIYOTADA (清忠), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989). Gifu – “Kiyotada” (清忠), real name Ichihara Tomiharu (市原富治), born April 9th 1878, he worked as guntō smith and died May 14th 1961 Best, John

肥前国住遠江守藤原兼広 (兼広 一 代) 作 Hizen kuni ju Totomi Kami Fujiwara Kane Hiro (Kane Hiro ichi dai) saku 刃長一尺七寸六分 八厘 Hachō (length of cutting edge) one shaku seven sun six bu eight rin 時代 享保の頃 Jidai Kyōhō (1716 to 1736) no goro: around the Kyōhō period. Sorry some of the characters have come out with underlining which I can't remove. A couple of issues: the Totomi [no] kami title was given to the second generation of this line whose period of work is significantly earlier according to Markus Sesko: KANEHIRO (兼広), 2nd gen., Jōkyō (貞享, 1684-1688), Hizen – “Hizen no Kuni-jū Tōtomi no Kami Fujiwara Kanehiro” (肥前国住遠江守藤原兼広), he also signed with the supplement “hyōtan-tetsu o motte tsukuru” (以瓢箪鉄造, “made by using hyōtan-tetsu,” hyōtan-tetsu was another term for nanban-tetsu), real name Hashimoto Heijibei (橋本平次兵衛), he signed in early years with Kanewaka (兼若), son of the 1st gen. Kanehiro, his younger brother Hashimoto Sō´emon (橋本相右衛門) succeeded as 2nd gen. Hirosada (広貞), dense ko-itame which appears as konuka-hada, suguha, gunome-midare, notare, chūjō-saku There was an Omi (近江) [no] kami working in the period referenced on the sayagak but signing Echizen Kuni etc: KANEHIRO (兼広), Kyōhō (享保, 1716-1736), Echizen – “Echizen no Kuni Shimosaka Kanehiro” (越前国下坂兼広), after receiving the honorary title Ōmi no Kami, he changed the characters of his name Kanehiro to (包広), see also “KANEHIRO (包広)” Now it's possible that I've made an error but I would be taking the sayagaki (and the corresponding signature on the blade if there is one) with a pound or two of salt as it is not likely that the two would be confused by someone who knew what they were doing either in terms of language (confusing Echizen with Hizen and Omi with Totomi) or with regard to Nihonto.

Hi Piers, I believe the missing kanji is 剱- tsurugi/ sword. I had a look but, whilst I got some parts of the script I couldn't make it into a sensible whole. Best, John

What Patrick said. 東武 於 [ ] 鳥?? 藤原国住作之 Tobu oite [ ] tori?? Fujiwara Kuni sumi saku kore I've added a little more but I can't get one character and I'm not sure of another.

I understand that Aoi scan all their swords - they add on a standard miune with no detail. No idea what they use.

To add to Jussi's contribution, I have: F&K: 薄秋虫図 Japanese pampas grass and autumn insect theme. Kodzuka: 蘇東坡 A Google of these kanji came back with "Sun Dong Po" - apparently a Chinese poet and statesman. Not sure that this is correct but it seems a possibility given the tsuba theme.

My inclination would be to use English to define what is meant by the Japanese word and then use that. I think that most people would accept that not everything is capable of a direct translation that succinctly and accurately captures what is meant.

Thanks Steve, I had a look at this and made no progress, but thought that it was me. I'm feeling less discouraged now. Best, John