george trotter

Michael, You are correct...Your Yamaji Masahisa is not listed or illustrated in Slough. The Masahisa in the reference list at the back of Slough, when you look those two references up, are both to a maker named Ikeda Masahisa. There are a number of knowledgeable people who made swordsmith ranking lists and some vary in their appreciation of a man's work so the list rankings don't always agree. The list I quoted from can be found on Rich Stein's Japanese Sword Index site. It has 7 rankings Saijo saku which we westerners tend to call something like Superior Upper Make Jojo Saku..........Upper Upper Make Jo Saku ...........Upper Make Chujo Saku .......Middle Upper Make Chu Saku .........Middle Make Chuge Saku......Middle Lower Make Ge Saku...........Lower Make Before you think wow...my guy is right down the list, just remember that most swords don't rate being on the list at all...this list only names a few hundred makers out of those making swords in that time and earlier. Regards, George

Hi Michael, Your sword looks good...appears to be above average from what I can see in the photos. There is some confusion in the references given in Slough however. The references in the back of Slough for Masahisa are TK572 (Toko Taikan) and Mas 231 (Hawley Revised)...both of these references are to a swordsmith of Osaka called Ikeda Masahisa. Your blade is signed by Yamachi (Yamaji) Masahisa. In addition, your Masahisa seems to sign from a location that looks like Hyuga (first two characters...can Moriyama san confirm?). I have been unable to find him in any detail with a quick skim across my references, but will have a proper look soon. All I have found is that he appears on the WWII Swordsmith Ranking lists (Tosho Banzuke by Kurihara Hikosaburo) of 1942 supplied by Dr Jinsoo Kim. He is listed as Chu Saku (middle quality) under the name that appears on your sword Yamaji Masahisa. So, while Slough refers to a different Masahisa...your sword is still good...it will just need a bit more research. Don't despair...I have a very good WWII gendaito blade signed Shigekuni and can find NOTHING on him....you at least have Masahis'a family name and ranking. Welcome to swords and research. Regards, George Trotter

Hi Katsumoto. I agree with Moriyama san...it looks like the date Showa 18th year 9th month (Sept. 1943)...suppose we'll have to wait for better pics. About the yellow same...I think it may be yellow because it is celluloid (an early plastic). I have seen this occasionally, usually on good quality WWII gunto blades, including star stamped (gendaito) blades. I think it is quite rare possibly because it was probably more expensive? than real same, but was expected to be water resistant and less likely to damage. It tends to turn yellow with age. Regards, George Trotter

Hi Stephen, Wow, you have come up with a hard one here. It is difficult to know how to read this...Fujifusa or Tobo. I think probably Fujifusa...but who is he you ask? Well, you don't show the blade , date or fittings here, but I would say that because of the two stamps you mention, this is likely a Type 3 gunto koshirae. If so, this would fit with a Seki Tosho named Yoshida Fujikazu. This smith started as tosho on 30 April 1944 so it is likely his blades would turn up in Type 3 mounts (1943). He is listed in the Seki Tosho list supplied by Jinsoo Kim sensei, and while the list clearly shows the same kanji as your sword, his name is given Katsufusa...but the first kanji on your sword and the Seki list is definitely Fuji. So...to answer your question, Fujifusa is a late war Seki tosho...I would be interested in some feedback from you...his mei is nicely cut...what is the blade like...gendaito? and date? Hope this helps...or am I completely wrong...? Regards, George.

Hi all, Just a bit of info for any members who may own a gendaito ot Showato by Kuwayama Kanetaka 1 mil yen, page 67 in John Slough . I saw a sword by him today with Sho stamp (sorry, I couldn't get pics). Signature (appears shoshinmei), nakago shape and yasurimei also are the same as illustrated, with the following differences: signed without Kuwayama name , simply "Seki Ju Kanetaka Saku". Also, the aki radical at the botton of Kane are not four "chips", but one "chip" and a long single curved line (commonly used for this radical). Blade very light, slender and a bit shorter than average, closer to c.62 cm. Nothing distinctive about hamon (typical "showa gunto" hamon) and no visible kitae...just a typical sho stamped blade with the usual leather covered gunto koshirae (but with civilian menuki of dragons). Just thought I'd report it for those who own Kuwayama Kanetaka swords of either type. Interesting that he rose so high in his craft...a tribute to his teacher Watanabe Kanenaga of Seki. Regards, George Trotter

Hi all, not to keep this ka-mon thing going too long, but it really is impossible to work out the gunto owner's family name from the mon on the hilt. In my memory bank is a vague remembrance that in 1913 (or was it 1911?), the Japanese authorities permitted anyone to adopt any ka-mon they wanted (excepting Imperial and some associated mon). It may have been at this time also (or earlier?) that peasants were permitted to adopt a family name (probably why there are so many Tanakas in Japan; means middle of the fields). So, many family names and ka-mon only became associated in fairly recent times and won't appear in any book. Many descendants of these "newly named" citizens were soldiers in the Imperial forces and took "their" mon to war with them. It is always interesting to try to pin the mon down to the most important of the original owners, but it won't identify the present gunto owner.... Regards, George Trotter

Your swordmaker, Tanigawa Isshin was a Seki Tosho (sworsmith of Seki town ) in WWII. He began as a Seki swordsmith on 12th Sept 1941. His family and personal name is Tanigawa Hiroharu. The two photo examples of his work provided by the kindness of Moriyama san and Franco show a "sho" stamp and a "seki" stamp, indicating a military contract filled by the Seki sword company. One source described the blade as traditionally made and water quenched...with this stamp, it is more likely to be western steel and oil quenched. However, you don't say whether your sword has a little stamp or not. I have seen a blade by this smith and it is what we call showato, a military sword not traditionally made with native Japanese iron and water quenching. This is probably what yours is, but some swordsmiths did make private orders without the military stamp, and some of these show evidence of traditional craftsmanship. Regards George Trotter

I know what you're saying Guido...I know there are "equivalent" ranks across the Army and Navy, but it is different in the case above. The "equivalent" US and Australian ranks are Army Capt = Navy Lieut., but the word (captain/lieutenant) for each is different, while in the discussion above, the kanji (Tai'i/Dai'i) is the same. In Japanese kanji the characters Tai'i mean Captain in the army but Lieutenant in the navy. The Imperial army also has kanji Chu'i which means Lieutenant, so there is Chu'i for Lieutenant in the Army, while the kaji for Lieutenant in the navy is Tai'i (Dai'i). Of course, since the tag was on a navy sword I should have known it was Lieutenant rank that was meant. Regards, George Trotter

Thank you for that information. I had not known that the same kanji have different seniority value in the Imperial Army and Navy. Very interesting. We members here are lucky to have your knowledge. George trotter

Hi again, if I may comment again...Moriyama Sama is no doubt correct on his reading of the tag (handwriting too rough for me I'm afraid), but I have a question on the military rank Tai'i (pronounced Dai'i)...Moriyama Sama, is this rank Captain in the Army, but Lieutenant in the Navy? Also, Steve, yes Fukumoto Kanemune does appear everywhere...he must have been very busy as a mei writer. He and his father Fukumoto Amahide and Ido Hidetoshi were senior smiths at their Seki sword works. I have owned and seen a number of swords by all three and all were signed by Kanemune. The Hidetoshi was full temper from the monouchi to the kissaki....very nice to look at...I can't comment on the quality of the work, but they seem to have been in a different category to the usual Seki stamp blade (no seki stamp on the ones I saw). I suppose they were all of western steel. Regards, George Trotter..

Hi Mick, I had a little look at the surrender tag, but still can't get it, other than that he was a Captain in the 14th something. The family and personal name of the swordsmith Yoshishige is Komiyama Ryozo. I would go so far as to say that the signature was carved by Fukumoto Kanemune, the son of Fukumoto Amahide, leading swordsmith of the sword factory, as it seems to be his style of writing. This signing by another person was very common. Hope this helps. George Trotter.

Hi Jon, I have never seen an inscription that is just the date, with no mei above it or on the other side of the tang. I have seen inscriptions where there is a two character mei, followed immediately by the smith's age: eg (I'm making this name up) "Masazane roku jyu sai" which would translate as "Masazane 60 years of age". Such an inscription, with heavy age/rust, could conceiveably be confused with a nengo and year. Otherwise, I would have to say that I have never seen a date, but no signature. It would suggest that the mei has been removed? Regards, George Trotter

sorry, meant to type 1942 for the year of his starting as a swordsmith. Geo.

Hi, your friend's sword is a WWII navy gunto made in Seki town in (it looks like) 1943. It has the little Seki quality stamp on it. The maker is Yoshishige. He started work there on 10th Nov 1943, so this must have been one of his earliest works. It is unlikely to be true handmade blade, being most likely of western steel. The surrender tag I find hard to read, other than his rank "Tai-i". The sword is in nice clean condition. Regards, George Trotter.

Hi Steve, I saw another sword this morning, tassel on the ashi ring again. This sword was given to a witness at the Tokyo War Crimes trials in 1946. It must have been like this at that time also. As for your kokuin, I will keep an eye open for it...it does look familiar, but then, we have all seen a fair few kokuin with ken shaped stamps.... Regards, George.

I remembered two pics...see plate 67 in Fuller & Gregory "Military Swords of Japan" and page 49 of Fuller & Gregory "Military and Civil swords of Japan". These both show swords surrendered with the tassel attached to the scabbard. I have seen other pics, but can't remember where. Hope this helps, George Trotter.

As Jean says, what are you asking? Do you know already what/who it is? Are you asking for a kantei or checking what your papers say? Without pictures it is almost impossible to comment beyond the signature....and to me, it also looks like it could be Yoshikane. Let us know what you want, Regards, george Trotter.

Yes, combat use sounds most logical, it would not get in the way on the scabbard. I also remember that in the photos I saw of the tassel on the scabbard, the soldier was in field uniform, with binoculars, and various pieces of equipment visible. I never saw the tassel there in "formal" photos. I suppose it is not really important, but next time I come across a tassel on the scabbard, I think I'll leave it there instead of moving it to the hilt. If I remember where I saw the photos I'll post the source. Regards, George Trotter

The gunto tassel (icho) is of interest to collectors. Usually they hang from the sarute or a wire loop or cord loop from the kabuto gane of the hilt, but I have seen a number placed differently. On the other side of this site (Nihonto), there is a post by seanh dated July 18, which shows a pic of a tassel wrapped around the leather covered civilian scabbard, apparently suspended from the scabbard loop (which on a gunto koshirae would be the ashi ring). A contributor to the thread notes this tassel as indicating WWII use, but notes "...the tassel is not where it is supposed to be", meaning I think that it should be hanging from the hilt loop. He is correct of course, but I would just like to comment that I have seen a number of gunto that have their tassel hanging from the ashi ring on the scabbard. These swords were obtained that way directly from the soldier who brought them back from WWII. I naturally thought they were wrong (tied on incorrectly by the allied soldier himself) but, I have also seen them tied this way in a number of WWII photos of Japanese soldiers, taken in the field. I speculate , but it seems that some officers moved the tassel to the scabbard when in combat, and these appear on a few swords captured there (rather than those surrendered formally at official surrender ceremonies where things returned to formal procedures). So, I think those swords that have their tassel on the scabbard may well be battlefield captures and are thus "battlefield correct". What does the forum think? Regards, George Trotter

Hi, speaking of the mark on the tang of the Ishido Teruhide, it is the Japanese numeral for "4". The sword looks nice. I also have owned one by him, it was in gunto mounts of the rare type shown on Ohmura's site, Blackened tsuba, fuch-kashira, ashi, ishidzuki and seme. Deep red/maroon scabbard colour and green binding. Spectacular. I have also seen work by him which was of lesser quality, probably of western steel, but do not recall ever seeing any type of military acceptance stamp. He worked in Tokyo I think so would not have a "seki" stamp on his work. As Richard said, a nice find! Regards, George Trotter.

Oop...correction again (I must be catching Rich Stein's advancing senility)...Kasama Shigetsugu had one "Teru" student...1.1.2.18. Teruhide. It was Teruhide who had a slew of "Teru" students ... his younger brother Teruyoshi, also Terukatsu, Yoshiteru and Terumitsu. The younger brother Teruyoshi is the one who taught Teruiye, the subject of this original query....whew, I think that's it, correct at last. Regards, "old geezer" George Trotter Refer to Chris Bowen's "Tokyo Kindai Tosho" list on Rich Stein's site.

Hi Joe, Sorry, Fujimoto Akira (Hidemitsu) and Hirata Hidemitsu are not the same man. The two pics you give of Hirata Hidemitsu signatures are the same...Your Hidemitsu was a Seki Tosho in WWII. He began working on 3rd March 1943. Most of his work would have a Seki stamp on it but he may also have done private work without the stamp (yours may be one of these). Such work may have elements of handcrafting, but most likely using western steel. I'm not sure of the reading of the kanji but his real name appears to be Hirata Hideo. Hope this helps, George Trotter

Can't find a Teruiye This comment by Jon is correct for Kasama Shigetsugu...the site he gives listed one of Kasama Sensei's "Teru" students as 1.1.2.18. Teruhide who had a student (his younger brother) 1.1.2.18.1. Teruyoshi who had a student 1.1.2.18.1.2. Teruiye. So Teruiye was taught by a student of Kasama Shigetsugu...but it is probable that all these smiths knew and worked with each other at Denshujo. Regards George Trotter

I just noticed the comment suggesting Muromachi period. It is possible from the shape that the blade is even earlier. Your point that the blade is an even thickness for its entire length is common on a blade that has lost its nakago entirely... this is reinforced by the overall shape which has virtually no reduction between ha-machi and the tip...this would also mean the bo-hi were added after the blade was shortened. The rust also suggests the tang is not likely to be a shinshinto tang which has been shoryened later and then re-rusted. Just an observation. George Trotter

Your comment on the mekugi ana being the same as the "second" one (i presume this to be the lower of the two upper holes) seems to confirm Franco's comment that the nakago probably had two holes when made and was then shortened. This also suggests you were right about the bo hi being original. It seems then that you will have to study blade shape and and kitae to narrow down the schools. I have also owned Yasutsugu blades including Yasutsugu Echizen sandai and (I think) Musashi seventh, and they did not conform to this work either (IMHO). So....study, study. Regards George Trotter.