Shugyosha

Hi James, Apologies, you're absolutely right. Here's an example of one of his blades - picture number 3. https://markussesko.com/2015/11/09/shogunal-support-program/ According to Markus Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan he was granted the right to use the mon shown in the picture in the same year as he received the Shume no kami title. I can't quite make out from the photo whether or not the mon is there but it would be suspicious if the title is included in the mei but not the mon. Best, John

Hi James, With regard to the mei, it might be read "tiara ason Yasuuji" which might give you a different answer. Sorry "taira" - I'm on my phone and can't correct it.

Hi Darius, The key to this is to keep chipping away at it. It's incredibly daunting at first but it is possible to make progress and in reality you don't need to know the kanji themselves, but how to look them up. One thing that really opened my eyes was a beginners' guide called "Let's Learn Kanji" which gets you into the idea of counting strokes for kanji and their radicals (most complex kanji are comprised of smaller elements which crop up repeatedly one of which dictates the broad meaning of the kanji). I found that knowing some nuts and bolts made life a lot easier, though now I'm determined to be able to read Japanese so it's taken me off on a tangent. If you haven't done so already, have a look at Markus Sesko's Nihonto Compendium in the research tab above which gives the kanji and cursive versions of them. Also a book like Shinto Bengi Oshigata is great for practice as the mei are clear and there are lots of different ones. Hope that helps: it's a big elephant but it can be eaten one bite at a time. Best, John

Hi Grev, I think it could pass for "haru" as in springtime. Sorry, I'm on my phone at the moment so I can't copy across the kanji. I'm away from my books so I've no idea if there was a tsubako signing with this single character, but it does seem unusual. Best regards, John

and there's no obligation to be polite or take you seriously when you've given no reason to do so.

Well Charlie, you made them so you'd better get munching.

Charlie, So Alex was right, you're either s con man or a troll. You're trying to sell a piece of junk that looks slightly like a famous Japanese sword. The way this works is that YOU prove it genuine not the other way around.

So you're saying you bought a sword in China that looks a bit like a sword that's still in Japan?

But it's not actually the National Treasure of Japan?

Darius, There is of course a third option: neither. I can pretty much guarantee that whatever you buy now you will look differently on 6-12 months down the line as your own knowledge increases and your taste develops. Wait a little and you'll know more, have more money in the bank and be able to choose something better. Best, John

Hi Warwick, Mizuno Masanori saku? - not sure of the last character but it's this guy from Markus Sesko's book: MASANORI (正範), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Ōsaka – “Zōtairan Mizuno Masanori kore o saku” (贈台覧水野 正範作之), “Sakaiura-jū Mizuno Masanori saku” (堺浦住水野正範作), “Masanori” (正範), real name Mizuno Teizaburō (水野貞三郎), born February 4th 1902, student of Sakurai Masayuki (桜井正幸) and Morita Masamichi (森田正道), gō Zōtairan (贈台覧), rikugun-jumei-tōshō, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Fourth Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941) So it possibly is a gendaito but could also be a shinsakuto... The hamon does look a little unusual but it might be the light or the condition of the polish. It looks like there are some areas of light rust and others that might be obscured by repeated contact with the saya. Here's another example with a bit more info: http://www.ryujinswords.com/mizunomasanori.htm

Hi Thibault, I can't help you with the koshirae. The problem with the signature is that it isn't particularly clear in the picture and it looks like it has been filed over when the tang was adjusted for the koshirae so it's difficult to get a view on whether or not the signature is genuine. The first generation is is who the seller says made the blade, but the second signed the same way and worked similarly: MASANORI (正則), 1st gen., Keichō (慶長, 1596-1615), Echizen – “Yamato no Daijō Fujiwara Masanori” (大和大掾藤原正則), “Yamato no Daijō Fujiwara Masanori” (大和大掾藤原正法), Yamada family (山田), he signed his name in early years with the characters (正法), he came originally from Miyatsu (宮津) in Tango province and was a late smith of the lineage of Sanjō Yoshinori (吉則), via a stopover in Yamashiro, he moved to Fukui (福井) to Echizen province where he became a student of Kanenori (兼法), therefore his workmanship is strongly influenced by the Seki style of his master, the jigane is an itame mixed with masame and ji-nie, the hamon is mostly a notare mixed with gunome but he also hardened a suguha that reminds of Hizen Tadahiro (忠広), we also know interpretations in gunome-midare with sunagashi and hakikake which on the other hand remind of works of the Horikawa school (堀川), some gunome variants are rather roundish and are mixed with yahazu elements, we know date signatures from the 13th year of Keichō (1608) to the fourth year of Keian (慶安, 1651), ryō-wazamono, jō-saku MASANORI (正則), 2nd gen., Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Echizen – “Yamato no Daijō Fujiwara Masanori” (大和大掾藤原正則), “Yamato no Daijō Masanori” (大和大掾正則), “Echizen no Daijō Fujiwara Masanori” (越前大掾藤原正則), he continues the style of his father but moved later to Edo, there exist joint works with Higo no Daijō Masakatsu (肥後大掾正勝), wazamono, chūjō-saku For me the choji hamon looks quite well done and fits in with the description of his work style above though it's hard to make out the detail in the boshi. It seems to have a lot of mekugi ana for a shinto blade and has obviously been shortened which are detractors. I'm also put off by the use of the word "minty", which the blade isn't if it has been shortened, and is one of those trigger words that make me disregard an item and make me want to punch the seller. Kind regards, John

Hi Howard, I think these are the kanji: 美子 and that it is read Yoshiko. Best, John

Hi Ben, It tends to be more of a period than a school thing: nanbokucho period, around Keicho (early 1600s) and then shin shinto for o kissaki (but with most rules there will be exceptions). I think I can see kesho yasurimei so I think shin shinto for yours but don't have any idea about a possible school.

There are close-up pictures of the boshi and mei if you scroll down the page. The boshi looks intact to me but the lighting isn't great and I'd ask for more pictures before doing anything. The signature on the papers is by Kobayashi Yukinobu who the seller says is on the NBTHK shinsa panel, which kind of begs the question why go to this guy and not the NBTHK themselves? Afterall, the sword is in Japan... That said, it does look like a well forged blade (subject to the boshi holding up) and could look really good with a touch up polish. If you google the body that issued the papers there are a few examples that come up including blades sold by Juwelier Strebel. http://www.juwelier-strebel.de/asien-kunst/Japan/verkaufte-artikelsold-items.html

Hi Ben, The Soushin one is papered. It's Tokubetsu Hozon. 特別保存刀剣 Best, John

Shobu zukuri blades aren't significantly different weight wise than other blade styles unless their dimensions make them so. They are slightly quicker to make than shinogi zukuri blades as there is no need to add s yokote.

One more for shinto and ubu. Could the marks have been put there by the smith as an indicator of where to put the mekugi ana? Don't know why you would need four of them but...

Hi Tim, That's a really nice sword to start this hobby with. Masame in the shinogi ji is thought of as a pointer towards shinto blades but was used in other schools especially Mino in the koto period. My understanding is that it's usually an indicator that the sword is kobuse forged and what you are seeing is the difference in the forging patterns of the core and outer steel. Best, John

Sorry - I'm on my phone and the pictures are quite dark..

Hizen Kuni Ju Nin Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro. Not sure about the other side.

Hi Lukas, He's been discussed on NMB a couple of times. If you put "Bamen" into the search facility at the top of the page you'll find some threads about him.

...and always remember that it's far easier to beg forgiveness than to get permission...

Hi Kam, I think that you are doing a good thing but the dangers are the ones you know about: that the polishing process reveals some ugly flaw in the blade not evident before or potentially even writes it off by revealing (or creating) a hagire. I've only done this once and probably won't do so again - not that it was a bad result but I'd just rather that someone else took the risk. Here's a before and after and the credit for a great polish is due to Kunitaro san and Etoo Koichi Sensei.