SteveM

I think the seal says 永寿板 (Eijūban), using a stylized version of 寿/壽. Eijūban refers to the name of the publishing house, Eijūdō.

豊國画 Toyokuni ga The seal below is the mark and seal of the publisher, Nishimuraya Yohachi, but I can't make out the words in the seal. In other seals he uses stylized versions of 出版 or 出板 (shuppan - publish) and it looks like it could be a similar device here. But I can't say for sure.

The tsuba carries part of a saying from a Chinese historical figure, Jiang Ziya 天有時，地有財，能與人共之者、仁也；仁之所在，天下歸之。免人之死、解人之難、救人之患、濟人之急者，德也；德之所在，天下歸之 Heaven has its four seasons and the Earth, its resources. Being capable of sharing these with populace is truly benevolent. Whoever has true benevolence, all under Heaven will pledge allegiance to him. Sparing the people from death, eliminating hardships, relieving misfortunes, saving people from dangers, these are virtues. Whoever has true virtues, all under Heaven will pledge allegiance to him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiang_Ziya

Believe me, many is the time I have written off signatures as "too weird to be true", only to find out they are authentic. In fact, I suspected this one was bogus, too. The fittings, well, at least the tsuba, are laughable (apologies to the op). The name is one that seems unusual at first - different from naming conventions normally seen on swords - and so the whole package had an air of fraudulence about it. However the year of Ansei 5 seemed specific and a strange thing to copy, so it hinted that the thing might be legitimate. I'm not familiar with this smith, so thanks to the OP for posting this sword, which led me to Markus's site. (nb: To the original poster: As always, there is no guarantee the signature is authentic. It could be a forgery. The sword itself is the thing, and should be compared with known authenticated pieces. See below for a link to a sword by this smith.) https://www.e-sword.jp/katana/1610-1075.htm

荘柳齊　Sōryūsai The 柳 (ryū) used on the item is a variant, so it looks slightly different from the one used here on this post.

藤技英義太郎 Fujieda Teruyoshi Tarō　（name) 安政五午年 Ansei go uma nen　(1858, year of the horse) From Markus Sesko's excellent site: https://markussesko.com/2013/05/13/from-the-life-of-fujieda-taro-teruyoshi/

Navy officer sword is 後藤廣正 Gotō Hiromasa Other sword is old. Looks to be centuries old (and possibly repurposed for the war). 備州長船囗囗 Bishū Osafune ?? Bishū is the name of a province in old Japan, corresponding roughly with present-day Okayama prefecture. Osafune is the name of a famous sword-producing region in Bishū province. The two names (Bishū Osafune) are often found together on swords. Many well-regarded smiths come from this region. Some more close-ups of that area of the tang might help us make out the actual name of the smith. Pictures of the whole sword would probably tell us more. Forgeries are common, so there is no guarantee the name on your sword is genuine, however it does look like an old tang and old signature.

Yes, that's right.

Great job, Brian. Up and running like a champ, with hardly any down time. Let's hope the same for you and your surgery.

Looks as you surmised in your other thread 永正二年八月日　(some marks after that, but I am unsure if they are intended to be kanji or if they are just scratches) Eishō ninen hachigatsu-jitsu (Eishō 2, August) 正清作 Masakiyo saku

勘囗郎 It's a name, Kan?rō. I can't make out the middle kanji. There are several metalworkers who had names that might match what is on your box 勘兵郎　Kanpeirō 勘四郎 Kanshirō etc... Could plausibly be the name of the owner rather than the artist, which opens up other possibilities 勘五郎 勘正郎

Looks to me like 関住服部正廣作 Seki-jū Hattori Masahiro saku　　= Made by Masahiro Hattori of Seki (province) On the wooden tag it says 左舷　sagen (port, as in left side of ship...I'm not sure what this is doing on this tag) 佐々木平 SASAKI Taira (Japanese name) 一曹 Issō (petty officer)

Congratulations on a successful transition. So far so good!

Possible to post a bigger picture of the flag? Or, higher resolution?

Hello, not a mei, but a random and (probably) fraudulent name intending to make the sword look like a legitimate Japanese sword. 田中正夫　Tanaka Masao Every bit as common a name as, say, John Smith.

Putting as a spoiler for those who want to try

Andrew, thank you for posting that wonderful letter from a most historic moment in time. For me, the story of the sword's acquisition is a million times more fascinating and charming than the original tall tale, and much more precious because your grandfather documented it so eloquently. Coming from the Bay Area myself, I felt a connection hearing him describe the Imperial Palace grounds as being comparable to Golden Gate park. And how funny to hear him initially lament that other soldiers had shinier, newer-looking swords, and that his own looked like a dull "toad-stabber", when in reality the shiny stuff tends to be junk. Interesting also the time of the letter, just months after the end of the war. We get a sense of how close to starvation the country was, when your grandfather describes the scarcity of food in Tokyo. How fascinating it must have been to browse the black markets of Tokyo then. You have a true samurai sword, whose reputation is, in my opinion, enhanced by the letter.

Yes, its the same kanji, just old style and new style.

中山氏 Nakayama shi　　probably the name of the person for whom the tsuka was made (or re-wrapped) 一蚕堂　乗意 Issandō Jōi 伴入道風一作之 Hannyūdō Fūichi saku kore

From Darcy Brockbank's site https://blog.yuhindo.com/honami-origami-and-valuations/ The earliest Honami judge that we commonly encounter is Honami Kotoku who worked for Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was the 9th master of the Honami family and is held in very high regard. He did not leave many origami behind but he left gold inscriptions in the nakago of blades he judged.

松楽造　　　Shōraku zō 黒楽茶碗 　Kuro raku chawan 赤楽茶碗 　 Aka raku chawan 一対 　Ittsui 前大徳香林 Zendaitoku Kōrin Pair of black and red tea bowls made at Shōraku kiln Zendaitoku Kōrin

濃州住木村祐正作 Nōshū-jū Kimura Sukemasa saku Made by Sukemasa Kimura, of Nōshū province

Fixed an error, 南無妙法蓮華経

Inscription on the blade is 南無妙法蓮華経 namu myōhō renge kyō https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namu_My%C5%8Dh%C5%8D_Renge_Ky%C5%8D

江府住正之 Kōfu/Efu jū Masayuki