george trotter

Just a quick glance through the books...I could not find any Shinen. Under Iguchi I found two for Niigata (Echigo). 1. Uchiyama Chap II p.9 and Chap III p.6 says Iguchi (Sadaichi) Sadaaki was of the Amata Sadayoshi-Akitsugu school and was 25th student of Kurihara Akihide. 2. Ono 1971 p.297 lists for Niigata a smith called Iguchi Yoshio...but does not give a "go" name. I don't know if there is any link to your query. No other info...unless a member knows something? Hope this helps.

My brain has been farting a lot lately Oh well...

Yes, you are probably correct Piers and Moriyama san...this writing looks closer to "Hide" than my choice. Too bad...I can't find a smith by the name of Hirohide. Regards,

John is correct...Masanori. Date is Oct. 1944. Stamp on mune of nakago is probably "gi" in a sakura blosson (Gifu) and the small one on the tang proper is "Seki", the swordmaking centre in Gifu prefecture. His real name was Noro Kokichi and he was registered to make military swords on 28 Sept. 1939. It is oil tempered showato. Hope this helps,

Hi David, To me, from your pic, it looks like Hiroyoshi. The nakago looks recent (shinshinto). I can find only one smith of this name....in Hawley 1981 is Hiroyoshi as "Kishu Shin Hiroyoshi" of Kii, 1864 (HIR 160). Shin means "retainer". Also, Nihonto Meikan p.815 has this mei for him also dated Genji era (1864). He was a Han retainer. Kii...Kishu...is now Wakayama. Regards,

Yes we do need this gendaito compilation. There is a lot of interest in the west about gendaito smiths. I for one would put my name down for it. My particular interest is for Taisho-Showa period 1912-1945 (and those continuation lines into postwar), but many also include in their study Meiji 1868-1912 and shinsakuto 1954 to present....so there is a nice wide area here. I also hope Chris finishes his Oshiro soon and gets his work out (only Tokyo?). Looking forward to them, Regards,

There is not much known about him. Look on page 126 of Slough for Ichimura Heiryo Naohisa of Yamagata....he uses the same Ushu and Heiryo as your Naomasa. Uchiyama in "Nihon Gendaito Shoshi" Chap. VI p.8 says Komura Naotsugu, Yamagata, is also using the name Naomasa....(followed by a son Komura Naomatsu). It says that his family name is Komura, not Ichimura. The following works give different info about Naotsugu, Naohisa etc, so I won't confuse you. I'll just mention Naomasa. Nihonto Meikan p.660 gives Okuyama (Naoharu) Naomasa, Yamagata, Rikugun Jumei Tosho (star stamp). Shimizu in "Tosho Zenshu" p.636 also gives Naomasa as Okuyama (Naoharu) Naomasa of Yamagata, Rikugun Jumei Tosho. SO, I think your smith Naomasa is probably Okuyama (Naoharu) Naomasa of Yamagata. Maybe both Naohisa (slough) and Naomasa using the "go" of Heiryo means they studied/worked together, maybe even they are related? There are quite a number of Rikugun Jumei Tosho where little is known...I have one by Takashima Kunihide that is little known except he worked in Fushimi, Kyoto (I would like to think in the grounds of the Inari shrine). Hope this helps,

I once had a gunto by Ishido Teruhide of Tokyo. It had Type 98 fittings like yours, silver plated (or blackened?) not sure if it was tarnished silver plate or a blackened plating. Ito was a deep dark green and the Kabuto gane had a mon of two arrows with the "U" " arrowheads on them, in a circle. Saya was a deep reddish brown. I think Ohmura sensei shows some variations on these fittings . Regards,

Curtis san, I like the look of your sword. Good quality Horimono, nice shape, nice hamon and nakago. Just thinking out loud but looking at the overall blade and its length of 26 " or so and the chu kissaki, and the neat nakago with one original ana, I think the blade is ubu and call me a gunto-centric, but to me it has a look of probably a gunto made between late Meiji-early Showa sort of period. About the nakago, the nakago does not look to have much age to me and the presence of yaki-komi on one side of the blade (where the hamon jumps over the ha-machi), suggests it has never been shortened...it also is possible that the blade got too hot at the machi during yaki-ire (hence the yaki-komi) and maybe that is why he did not sign it? Even with that possible fault (it doesn't bother me), the work is overall good IMHO. Having said all that, just remember I am often wrong, so I think the advice you have received is good...it certainly looks worth it to take it to shinsa, we'd be interested to know who/when it turns out to be. Regards,

Hi Eric, Sorry I have been busy for a while and just saw the rest of the posts on your sword. His name is Kanesumi or Kanezumi...not Kaneari as the label says (see Kapp & Yoshihara "Modern Japanese Sords and Swordsmiths" page 212)..it is a good book and one you should have (in English). I see that your very small stamps are "Seki". I feel very certain that your sword (from your new pics) is definitely showato, as members have said. These 2 small seki stamps do appear on gendaito...I have seen them on date side, usually between "Sho" and "Wa", and also on the mune nearby....but these swords also had the star stamp. From the style of blade and the details of the blade and the nakago, mei etc, I would say gunto-showato. Do not waste money on polish...it is militaria, not hand made sword. Regards, George.

Well I found the Akabane-to Exhibition brochure of Heisei 22 nen...duuuhhh! It was in HiroshimaJo. (getting old, brain fading :? ). These were 36 swords in HiroshimaJo and on the same list were 40 in Fukuyama Ken (shared the same brochure). I didn't see the Fukuyama swords. The vast majority of all of them were Muromachi and next Edo period, with a few Nanbokucho and Azuchi-Momoyama. About 40% overall were mumei but most of Hiroshima's were signed and late Muromachi and the most represented group for Hiroshima was Bishu, and next Bingo. The most represented group was Mihara. There was a separate individual smith all (5) signed by Harima no Kami Fujiwara Teruhiro Saku. Sorry my brain broke on the place, maybe seeing all those Bishu mei I thought I was in Okayama :lol: The brochure (if I read it right) says that in 1947 there were 8 military districts that handed in 700-800,000 To. About 4500 were selected but did not see the light of day for 50 years. As far as I can tell there were 4569 swords in Akabane the process of restoration began...by 1999 3209 had been "zoyo ga saremashita" (presented/donated) to the prefectures (if I read it right). Total received by both Prefectures was 83 "for exhibition/preservation". Apart from Hiroshima Castle (which I saw) another Hiroshima ken recipient was the History Exhibition Hall and also some went to Fukushima Ken Prefectural History organisations. What I am not CERTAIN about is whether these are permanent returns of swords or temporary, and whether they will return to Tokyo? Hope this helps. Duuhhh again . i just re-read my previous post on Akabane restoration that Mick refers to...I find I am merely repeating myself...oh well, I meant well :D

I was in Japan in 2012 and saw an exhibition of the Akabane-to in a castle in (I think Karasu-jo?) Okayama. there were about 40 swords or so and most were associated with Okayama...that is, they were the part of the 4500 confiscated sword collection surrendered by the previous owners from Okayama. Not all were Bizen swords as they were in total just swords from pre-war Okayama collections. I remember they ran from koto up to showa jidai. These were part of the group that had been through the re-polish process by the NBTHK and were returned to their prefecture of origin (as were collections from other prefectures). i can't put my hand on the brochure just now, but it lists all the swords and I seem to remember that they were going into the prefectural care after the exhibition was over. Hope this helps.

Hi guys, Been busy a few days. Have just seen the responses to the gunto wakizashi...yes, quite rare. Thanks,

Hi Eric, If you take some better pictures of the blade and the nakago (tang) stamps we might be able to help you more. Clear pictures are most important. I would like to see those small (petite) stamps on your tang...if they are very small (trez petite estampement) seki stamps, then MAYBE your blade is gendaito (traditional blade - fabrique au traditionale). I have seen some seki blades with the petite stamps and they were true traditional blades (but) they had the star stamp also. Please look carefully (and take pics?) as Kanesumi also made traditional blades...so maybe we can help more. Regards, George. PS...there are books to help identify military swords John Slough "Modern Japanese Swordsmiths 1868-1945" (this is good for the various swordsmith names). Richard Fuller "Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks" Maybe the other members will give some more...?

Hi Eric, i'm not sure from the pics what the hamon is (it looks like "shadow" of hamon also - called utsuri). Use the "search" button - I am sure many have asked for advice on books before. Also, you can google "sato kanesumi". Hope this helps,

Chris, I have a few of these Type 3 mounts. The screw threads into an oblong block (threaded nut) set in a recess on the opposite side under the same. If it is frozen there is a danger that "force" could make it rotate and so damage the tsuka. Maybe best to give it a gentle probe, exactly where the end of the screw would come out (even if under an ito fold) and remove one nodule of same. Then you can drop some penetrating oil in on the head of a pin and let it free up the thread. Just a suggestion. Regards,

I agree , the middle kanji is Kuni (also Koku). Regards,

The printed ink kanji are (top right) Sho and (top left reading down) ju yon, or ten four. These are a date Showa 14 (1938). The circles etc are probably arsenal inspection marks. The punched mark on the leather I am not sure about. Hope this helps,

Hi Eric, I am glad to help. I cannot tell you if your Kanesumi sword is traditional tamahagane nihonto. You need to study swords, particularly the signs of a traditional making in the metal (hada) and in the temper signs of crystals in the hamon (nie). It is time to buy books and search on this site for information. The difference in size/shape at kissaki is not a sign, it could be just the quality of the polisher's skill. If there is any larger stamp mark on the nakago it is important (see the section here "arsenal stamps"). The star stamp is a good sign of traditional forging, but "sho" and large "Seki" are signs of Showato. The link you gave to Sato Kanesumi blade on ebay shows a "Seki" stamp above the signature, so the blade is showato...it has been mounted with civilian fittings for iaido. Regards,

Chris san, no wonder you haven't finished Bo-en-jo yet, you're on ebay all day :D About the sword... The hamon reminds me of 2 WWII Seki gendaito smiths' work: Mori Kunitoshi and Nakata Kanehide. Of the two, I would favour Kanehide as he seems to have favoured Bizen hamon over Mino hamon IMHO, (at least, I have seen more of them). There is a third smith lurking in my memory banks too, if I can remember his name I will get back to you. Regards,

Thank you Eric. The maker's name is KANE SUMI....this is a Seki smith of WWII. He is SATO Kohachi and used the art name of Kanesumi (the character sumi is also ju: residence). He was registered as a swordsmith in Seki town on 27th December 1939. His work is showato-gunto. I have not seen any work of his that is nihonto, but on page 66 of Slough there is information that he is a Rikugun Jumei Tosho which means he made gendaito (traditional swords) for the army. This information is from Nihonto Meikan page 147. I hope this helps,

Hi Eric, Your kaigunto is factory made of rust resistant steel (stainless? steel). It is not signed but has the small stamp of "anchor in a circle"....this signifies it was made at Toyokawa Naval Arsenal. Please look in the sectionin Military swords called Arsenal Stamps. Your Type 3 is better, but we need more photographs to be sure. You have shown the date only which is (reading with the tip of the blade pointing up): Sho wa Ju kyu nen go gatsu ....Showa (period 1926-1989), 10 9 year (19th year), 5 month (May) = 1944 May. I can see a very small stamp...maybe "seki" or "saka", which shows that it was inspected for the army at Seki town in Gifu Prefecture or Osaka city. You do not show the signature of the Type 3...I can only see "Ju" (resident of), so you need to take a picture of the makers name. Regards,

Bon jour Eric...comme ca va? Both your swords are WWII gunto (military swords) and both are mass produced showato...not hand made and not worth spending money on expensive polish and resoration. (in my opinion). The navy sword is from a naval arsenal factory (circle with anchor stamp). The Type 3 also is from an army arsenal and was inspected ar Osaka? (I think a "saka" stamp...hard to see, maybe Seki stamp). You do not show the maker's name, only the date May 1944. Hope this helps. I used to live in Canada....are they still pooshing that puk halong the hice? :lol: Love Canada eh! Regards from Australia,

Interesting militaria...would appeal to those collectors. Of interest to us all though is the length of the navy blade....am I imagining it or is it short? Maybe a wakizashi length gunto...if so, it is rare and doubly so if navy. How long is the blade (tip to notch)? Regards,

Hear, Hear, I second these congratulations. Great recognition of your talent and dedication Ford. I look forward to seeing pics of the prize work. Warmest Congrats...