george trotter

Hi again, I have another name pronunciation question... Here is a clip from a Tsukamoto family lineage chart I have. Right column is (Tsukamoto) Shinhachi Okimasa...used the smith name Okimasa 1917-1960 who was an RJT smith who after WWII later restarted in swords using the same name - an excellent smith Left column is his brother (Tsukamoto) Jujiro Masazumi 1917-1977 ...who was an RJT smith and after WWII restarted in swords ...and later used the new name --?--masa Can I ask if anyone knows the pronunciation Masazumi used in his new name?.. the first kanji has many pronunciations and I can't find any sources that give a definite pronunciation. I ask because Okimasa had 3 brothers in swords and I have a sword by the eldest, (Tsukamoto) Shinshiro Masakazu who did not continue after the war. Just need the info for my files. Any help/suggestions welcome. Regards,

Thank you guys, So, Sumiya Masamitsu...great, I'll pass it on. He told me it is in Type 98 mounts and there is a Seki stamp above the signature, so, a Seki WWII showato....although I could not find him on any lists. Thank you all. Sorry for my "shamefuru dispray" as they say in Japan. Regards...

Well, after 14 years on NMB I now have to ask for members' assistance to translate a mei. This belongs to a friend of a friend who sent this cropped pic...no info...don't know if it has any stamps. Date side is blank except for kanji numbers in yellow paint 1124. I am simply not able to find a translation to these kanji. It is a WWII showato but who I don't know. All I can find in my books is 1. ? 2. OKU? 3. ? (masa? toshi?) 4. MITSU Can anyone help please.

Interesting indeed. Thanks Trystan.

Just saw this Trystan...nice photo. Is this the same polishing shop as the previous photo? Was there any caption describing the location/circumstances etc? There sure seem to have been a lot of women polishing swords in WWII. The woman at the back seems to be polishing a blade and the two at the front are 'finishing' the polish. There is no I.D. info in those writings, just seems to be patriotic statements...I think.

Yes, that is correct, its date is Koki 2602 (I think - hard to see). I had one by him. These often have small stamps on the tang mune 'sho' (or ko?) and 'ho'. Mine was also tachi mei and was dated same KOKI way 1943/2 (see F & G #140).

That's nice Bruce. Definitely 'ta' 1244 , 18/7, RJT star, "squared" tang tip, 2 screws, RS mounts, and he uses his second 'toshi' character. Nice find. I have another listed on my sheet as same Munetoshi, RJT star, 'ta' 2353, dated 19/3, 1 screw, mounts RS, and same "squared off' tang tip. Good stuff.

Very interesting. Congrats to Ian Brooks on his find and on his thoughtful and generous gesture. Regards, George.

Don't want to be boring, but in case some members are wondering, the banner behind these women says "Shimane Token Kabushiki Kaisha" (Shimane Sword Company Pty Ltd.). Looks like this group were employees of a military connected sword company. Shimane is on north coast above Hiroshima. Regards,

Stephen, I found women polishing again...on Fred Lohman site titled "WWII Photo Gallery" (he doesn't source it)....or on his site referenced on-line as "Japanese Sword Restoration Parts - WWII photos" . Regards,

Stephen, I got that pic on-line somewhere (can't remember), but a slightly cropped copy is shown in "Mod. Japanese Swords and S/smiths" by Kapp & Yoshihara p.68....sadly, they cut of some of the numbered tangs. Be great if a NMB member turned out to have one of these very swords. Regards,

Hi Robert, Okimasa is the most famous of the brothers, in fact, had he not died prematurely in 1960 he would likely have become a Living National Treasure. My Masakazu only worked from c. 1940-1945 then went back to edges tools/blades etc. Very few Japanese sources have much on him other than "brother of Okimasa". Still, a good sword is a good sword. Regards,

Ok, I'll stick to RS and Rinji Seishiki Gunto. I "used to be" a Type 3 guy Stephen but enough info has come out in a correct historic research way to prove that it was "snuck' into the sword production system as a sort of non-classified variant of the Type 98...called on paper the "Rinji Seishiki Gunto - Contingency Standard Type Army Sword" so from my point of view Rinji Seshiki (Contingency Standard Type) is the most appropriate name...also just RS. So, being a history accuracy buff, I had to drop "Type 3". Regards,

Thanks to Nick...he really is an asset to we RJT buffs...so are you Thomas. Edit to add: FYI Thomas, I notice in your post to Nick you say "Jimusho" is part of the title of the "union"...it is not (Nick doesn't answer this) but in fact it is the last word in the caption of the Sword Assoc. building above...the word simply means "Office" as in 'Blade Assoc. Office'. Robert, Yes, my Fukushima Masakazu is the elder brother of Tsukamoto Okimasa. In fact, Chris Bowen and I think my sword, one of Masakazu's early ones (3/17) was signed daimei by Okimasa. The Tsukamoto family were edged-tool maker family from Koriyama in Fukushima. Four brothers became swordsmiths. Okimasa went to Tokyo c. 1934 to become apprenticed to Kasama Shigetsugu (mar. his daughter). When he became independent he set up a forge in Setagaya Tokyo and his brothers Masakazu, Kiyokazu and Masazumi all became his apprentices. Masakazu and Kiyokazu (who had taken the name Kasama) had both set up forges back in Koriyama by Dec 1941 -Mar 1942. A very interesting family...that's why I was asking questions about the sword industry in Fukushima. Lots of fun to research a smith you have a blade by. Regards to all...

OK, thanks for that update on the "Type 100"...I remember reading some of those docs...but must have missed going back and reading the later added ones. I thought the RS was never 'proclaimed' by Imperial Edict so was not a Type SO...if RS is called by the Army a Type 100 (1940 in the Koki calendar 2600). What is the consensus on NMB...RS?...Type 100?...and reason? Sorry to be a pest.

Hi guys, I think I must have missed something....what is a Type 100? I can't remember hearing of this 'Type' before - I ask because a sword I own by Masakazu of Koriyama Fukushima dated 17/4 has the number 1129 stamped into the date side tip of the tanf. I thought I had an RS mounted sword with a polishing shop contract number...but apparently it is "an army number". Can someone tell me what's what please?...sorry to be a dopey old geezer who must have "missed a discussions" on NMB. Thanks...

UPDATE ON FUKUSHIMA TANG, FITTINGS NUMBERS on Tsukumasa Masakazu RS sword of 4/17 (no star). He was one of about 11 RJT smiths/15 polishers etc working in Koriyama City, Fukushima. They had a GUNTO KUMIAI (association) there, but I don't know if star/non star works were treated differently by the scheme or the mounters/polishers. Bruce I finally remembered to take pics of ALL the parts on this sword that are numbered (I think I promised you). Pretty amazing that they numbered every part. Tang is numbered 1129 - can't tell if it had a 'code' letter 'ni' in front as there is a patch of rust/pitting there (dang!)***. Every part is numbered 'ni' 1129 , even the wood, but can't really read this properly. Maybe 'ni' will turn up again and show it is a location code? Anyway, here for your files...hope it helps. ***PS I just gently cleaned the rust spot on the tang and it definitely looks like there is no "ni" mark before the number 1129....so, just on fittings.

Yes that's it, very helpful book if you have a blade by one of the Fukushima WWII smiths. That bit iwa translated from the book and published on Warrelics. I sometimes have trouble understanding exactly what the translated word actually means... Typical.

Thank you again Moriyama san, Ok so 2nd generation means "next" or "second" Director. This was where 11 RJT members and 15 polishers who were members of the Riki Kumiai formed their own Gunto Kumiai Association in March 1944 and at some time in 1944-1945 Masakazu became 2nd Director. The book (if you can find a copy) is "Gunto Kumiai Shimatsu" (Rikugun Jumei Tosho no Shuen) about Fukushima swordmaking in WWII - published by AIZU BUNKAZAI CHOSA KENKYUKAI. 1994. Morita san sent me this book many years ago...good book. I like it because my sword is made by Tsukamoto Masakazu of Koriyama, Fukushima. While I understand most of what I read, I sometimes cannot be sure of the translation meaning of a few words...that is why I asked here. Thank you again, So, after our discussion, I think it will be OK to use the words "2nd Director" and "Association". Regards,

Thank you both guys. Michael, you were on the right lines...I got very similar outcome but thought he might be 2nd Chairman and as for the 'RIKI' thing..., I can see from Moriyama san that I was (and you) were in the right area...so thanks. Moriyama san, thank you. (here are my translations - with mistakes): I had "nidai genjicho" which I thought might be "2nd generation chairman" . And for the next one I had "Riki Kumiai Jimujo" which I thought to mean "Blade Assoc. Office". As for the word Genzon suru...this refers to the fact the building was still existing in 1993 when that photo was taken for the book. My kanji books are not too clear on one or two of these kanji/meanings. So Moriyama san....can you say what they mean by 2nd generation? And is it chief-director or chairman? And would you say Guild rather than Association?...or maybe Union? ...it is hard to know these translations exactly Thanks,

Hi all, I've been reading a book in Japanese which includes info on the smith Tsukamoto Masakazu who made a sword I have. I am having trouble getting the precise translation/meaning of these two picture captions. First is the job title? on the picture of him. Next is the precise name/meaning of the sword society office? in the other picture. I might have got them but some is missing in my sources...Can anyone tell me the correct pronunciation and meaning please? Thanks,

Keith, it looks like (reading downwards from the stamp) IKE DA KANE TSUNA SAKU This is Ikeda Kanetsuna made (this) There is a Seki smith listed as Ikeda Kanetsuna. His real name is Ikeda Tsutomu? He started at Seki on 26 Oct. 1939. Regards, Dang, that Bruce beat me to it again...

Interesting Trystan...yes, my damage seems to have been to hilt area...it still has its original scabbard and hilt metal parts, but the wooden hilt is re-used from another sword. As I said mine has had its original fuchi-kashira re-used and a new hole drilled in the wood hilt (not the tang) and a re-used tsuba put on with 4 pressed/thin/brass seppa. I am presuming that the original 6-8 thick seppa and tsuba were either damaged and replaced, or the "new" hilt was a bit longer than the original and to make it fit tight, the 6-8 thick seppa and tuba had to be replaced by fewer, thinner seppa and tsuba. BUT, after fitting and drilling a new peg hole in the hilt wood, it is a very strong tight fit...typical IMHO of upper class field unit work.I am just lucky that mine is 'age patinated' so I can be sure the parts have all been together for 70+ years, it hasn't been cobbled together in recent years by a collector/dealer....a lot harder to tell if all parts are in good clean condition. So, if everything fits well with Mark's hilt, there is a good chance it is field repaired. Stephen san, yes, a good picture of a field repair unit (with the guy who established them)...it is in Kapp & Yoshihara, Mod. Japanese Swords & S/smiths...page 57. They say that Akihide's team repaired 1000 swords for the Marines and 1600 for the army in their 6 month session in Shanghai...amazing...wonder why we don't see them more often?...or have we been unthikingly not recognising a repaired sword as history, but just as a 'dodgy' parts - mix sword that WE have to IMPROVE! Regards, PS...just adding these two pics to show Mark how old/patinated/untouched my sword is...hasn't been touched for 70 years.

Mark, I have a very good RJT blade that has undergone a field repair. It is mixed new and re-used hilt/tsuba/seppa and has a new peg hole etc and all a perfect fit. I think the field repair units were all professional smiths, polishers, mounters and binders etc...these were set up in 1936 by Kurihara Hikosaburo Akihide. They consisted of 20 professionals and served "on the spot" for 6 month sessions and I think probably yours, and mine, are products of field repair. In my case, although the parts are "mismatched" they have been together so long (since 1944-45) that they all share a darkened age patina and when I dis-assemble the parts I can see that they have been together since the war...not a modern post-war mix of parts. I strongly feel mine is a field repair example...maybe yours IS too? PS, mine was a 'non-clip' locking sword so the fuchi and saya-guchi have no clip holes, but the wooden hilt does and so does the tsuba, but they don't line up with each other, so hilt and tsuba are from a recycle bin. 4 seppa are new replacements (very thin pressed types) and one seppa with clip hole was added to get the assembly tight - probably the original had 6/8 thicker decorated edge seppa and maybe a thicker tsuba, but the different length replacement hilt (longer) meant they had to "thin down" the tsuba/seppa stack to make the new hilt 'snug' on the tang. All replacement parts lock in very well. Whoever replaced the original damaged tsuba/seppa and hilt re-used the original fuchi/kashira as they match those on the saya....very good work. .I presume the original owner would have intended to get his sword properly re-mounted when he got home on leave (but never did). Worth keeping with the blade as an example of field repair history IMHO. Regards, The photo shows a field repair unit in Shanghai c. 1937. That is Akihide standing at rear 3rd from right. . So...

That is a hard one Dan. I can only give you my opinion on this. Personally, based on a lifetime study of WWII swords, I really feel that the domestic Japan military showa sword industry did manage to struggle through and kept producing up until August 1945...yes the NCO sword patterns did get more 'economical' in their manufacture as the war progressed, but they seem to have carried on. In the case of Type 98 however, there was no real evidence of 'cutting corners' on parts quality etc and other than the intro of the RS 'optional choice" (still classed as a Type 98) in 1941 the Type 98 stayed generally common and good quality...the dates on the tangs should give evidence that that Type 98 and RS went through til Aug? 1945 (maybe members with 1945 tangs could comment and/or post? - or maybe already on Bruce's lists?). While some other 2 or 3 posts (Trystan) show a mumei RS sword, what is shown here is not a RS...just the use of some RS hilt fittings . Where/how/by whom yours blade was made is unknown...I don't 'feel' it was overseas. Blade production in Japan was going OK to 1945 I think. I say this as I have a RS study book that gives the monthly RJT sword output of a RJT smith I have between 14/8/1944 - 26/2/1945 (about 10/month, as per the RJT rules). Another comment has smiths still doing their payment account paperwork up to 8/1945...so the RJT scheme lasted to the very end of the war it seems. So, I think it wise to assume that the Japanese WWII sword industry overall operated OK in Japan from 1930s-1945. Of course some 'oddities' came in from occupied areas (hobby swords as in Fuller & Gregory?) and the well-known Manchurian industrial setup...but I don't see any evidence for a 'back-up' industry overseas. I can't explain the one you ask about here, but I think it was made local in Japan. Just a point of interest...it is only in the last 6 months that I have seen evidence on NMB of unsigned, rough tang, 1 hole tangs on RS swords...after 50+ years!...I don't think 2 or 3 swords of this type after 50 odd years is evidence of an overseas back-up system....just don't know what it is evidence of...maybe just the 'never say never/ never say always' of Nihonto collecting.. Not much help I know, but don't forget "Okum's Razor" (the simplest answer is usually the right one)... in this case, simply an 'odd' WWII sword in 'cobbled together mix' of fittings...nothing more? Regards,