Ken-Hawaii

Very nice blade, Ofek. Good photos, too. Wish all sellers would show the nioiguchi!

Ian's right, Bob, & now is the time to start looking for bargains, as people panic & sell things off. Good show.

As a long-time sword swinger, it's easy to feel the difference in balance between tsuba, & I've changed out several of them over the years.

Without proper hasuji, you can bend anything in tameshigiri. No need to test that - I've done all of that testing for you! Yes, a hira-zukuri katana, Tony. Nothing unusual.

Mike, that site is really quite basic, & I suggest that you spend more time here on NMB, along with studying some good reference books.

Nope, not in my collection.

The leather battle-wrap is interesting, but isn't in as good shape as the first one.

There isn't anything, at least not on any of my blades. The habaki's fit in the koiguchi, & the stiffness of the well-made shirasaya, orients the blade so that nothing touches. You can make it 'clack" by shaking the shirasaya, but not otherwise. Yes, definitely an art.

I think it will be awhile before we see many pilgrimages, unless they're lemmings.Yeah, I know that's a myth, too, but the disease isn't.

Welcome to NMB. Please sign all of your posts with your first name so we know how to address you. That's easiest to do in your Profile Signature. I've seen Kanji in that same nakago location, but it wasn't a mei (signature). I don't recall just why they wrote anything there.

It seems to be quite extensive, but I wonder why the English portion turns to Japanese when I click on a sword?

This will help some newbies in my sword club. Saved as a PDF, thanks!

Yes, but not pinholes alone - there was other damage.

Nice blade.

That's quite strange, as menuki are there to help position the hands, not just for decoration.

Agreed. Nice to see common sense, these days.

Mike, if you have the budget for this blade, I'm wondering how much you've spent on books, so you understand what you're buying? As others have stated, the blade is in decent polish, but its lack of distinctive jihada, & with a rather blah hamon, it just doesn't appeal to me.

Welcome to NMB. Please sign all of your posts with your first name, per Brian's rules, so we know how to address you. In your Profile, you can do that just once. We look forward to hearing more about your interests, & to seeing your blades.

Sugata indicates Shinto, but you knew that.

I can't even find it in a Web search, Barrie. Must be pretty specialized.

Here's a little article I wrote, way back when: Sword Length Prohibitions The early regulations relating to the length of blades have been mentioned, several attempts were made at reducing the number of sword wearers, as will now be seen: In the second year of Kencho (1250), Hojo Tokiyori prohibited ordinary people from carrying long swords. This regulation was enforced by Akashi Kanetsuna, since then, common people and all priests carried long Kogatana called Wakizashi no Tachi. In Tensho XVI (1588), Hideyoshi made a proclamation to obtain from common people the surrender of their swords. Being a cunning man, he announced that it was his intention to build a Daibutsu Temple in Kyoto, and that he required thousands of nails, and he wished people to hand over their swords so that they might acquire merit towards a future life by stopping their earthly fights and contributing towards a religious cause. But people were less interested in a problematic paradise than in actually protecting themselves, and they did not rise to his bait. In Genna VIII, the Shogun Tokugawa Iyetada prohibited common people from wearing swords to avoid brawls; the Tachi was called then O Wakizashi. In Kwanyei XVII (1640), Tokugawa Iyemitsu prohibited the attendants of Bujin from carrying tachi. In Kwambun X (1670), Tokugawa Iyetsuna issued a regulation making the length of tachi 2'8"-9", and o-wakizashi 1'8", and anyone carrying a longer sword was liable to punishment. In Tenna III (1683), Tokugawa Tsunayoshi reiterated the prohibition to common people to wear the long sword, but allowed them to carry a tanto; musicians and painters, even when of the Samurai class, were debarred from carrying a big sword. In Kwansei X (1798), it was decided that any sword exceeding 1'8" should be termed Naga Wakizashi, and anyone carrying such a sword was liable to punishment. Later, the length was reduced to 1'5". Finally, in Meiji IX (1877), the Haitorei was issued prohibiting the wearing of swords, except the one sword belonging to soldiers and police when in uniform.

There almost had to be some cross-pollination in the ancient world. Too many similar art patterns, otherwise.

There were a LOT of Sukesada smiths!

Not sure if it's bent, as much as off-axis.

There is the answer, from NMB's Residnt Expert.