tokashikibob

Thanks Chris for the info! On the other side of the nakago was this series of Kanji. Thanks for your help in advance.

Semper Fi,

Bob

Fellas,

Thanks again for shareing your knowledge and helping the uninformed. A Recon Marine Staff Sergeant brought his Grandfathers sword into the training area for some pics, in the hope you can share your expertise on just what his Grandpa picked up.

Semper Fi,

Bob

P.S. I produced the following page with this site's members assistance. Thank you!

http://okinawarelics.com/SamuraiSword.aspx

Jello-

If it's kanji study, then many sword books will only give you a "survey" of the most commonly used characters. For some this is all that is needed. However if you truly want to make sense of it all you have to put in some time studying the language. Start with Hiragana and Katakana and then onto first grade kanji and off you go. The initial investment in study time is often a turn-off for new students of this subject but listen to the old farts for they can tell you that little investment pays off in big ways later, usually by helping you avoid serious buying mistakes.

"A friend of the devil is a friend of mine..."

-t

A Japanese girlfriend or wife will work best for kanji, and comes with additional benefits, a good penpal will due in a pinch!

氏房 高山刀鍛錬所作 – (Ujifusa, Takayama-To Tanrensho saku) – Made by Ujifusa at Takayama-Sword Forge

 

AFAIK, Takayama-To are swords developed by the Japanese navy under direction of Col. Takayama.

Ref. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4523&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=takayama&start=30

Ref. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4523&p=34771&hilit=takayama#p34771

Fellas,

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my inquiry for information. I've read the links provided and should be able to come up with a decent information card for display. This piece will probably be offered to the USMC Museum in Quantico or sent back to Camp Kinser Okinawa when I get the info board finalized and some USMC personal gouge collected.

Does anyone have a bit more info on Col Takayama's forge I can include? Was he a martial arts specialist? Are his pieces usually in Naval fittings? Was his special stainless weapons highly sought after? How did the troops get his works open purchase or issued?

Again, thanks and Semper Fi - Bob

The guy who sold it said his dad was with the guy on Sugar Loaf and they were two of the few able bodied Marines of thier company to get off unharmed. I'll never be able to tell where this Jarhead picked it up but you can wonder. The sword belonged to a J. Chaison who was on the History Channels "Shootout" show about Okinawa.

Fellas,

First, I really am thankful for this site and any assistance rendered. I'm not a expert in this hobby but recently picked up a sharp looking WW2 sword for my collection of Okinawa specific war relics. This relic may have been picked up off Sugar Loaf hill the most famous battle on the Campain. I sent the pics to a friend in Japan and this is what was sent back

syasin no kanji ha

①「氏房 高山刀 ？？？作」

氏房 = ujifusa → a person's name

高山刀 = kouzantou (probably) → a hunting knife

作 = saku → e.g. It was made by.

②「細川幽斉古今傳授？造之」

細川幽斉 = hosokawa yuusai → a person's name

sengoku jidai(about 1600) no busyou de ari kajin(tanka poet)

古今傳授 = kokindenjyu (now it's 古今伝授) → 古今和歌集(kokinwakasyuu)

an old Japanese book of poems

造之 = "kore wo tukuru" to yummi masu

The tip of the sword is completely covered in rust, However the rest is still combat razor sharp and still has places in polish where I can see my face.

Any information on any historical aspects and rust negation would be most helpful.

Semper Fi - Bob http://www.okinawarelics.com