DTM72

I have a business trip to the Philippines in late April and was able to arrange 4 days in Tokyo afterwards. I most humbly ask for some help from those who have been there. Wife and I arrive at Hanada airport on Saturday May 9th, in the early afternoon. 1st question, where to stay. Wife and I just need a place to put luggage, sleep, and shower. Just want a clean place, no extras required. Seen some crazy prices, but understand this is Tokyo. 2nd question, best way to travel from airport to hotel? 3rd question, want some great sushi and seafood, have a few drinks, sing some karaoke. Where to go? Would love to hang with some fellow Nihonto enthusiasts or dealers there. Last question , we fly out of Narita airport. Is Narita express train the best option? Of course I plan to visit some sword shops. I’ve already arranged with Aoi, and with Ginsa Seiyudo. Tips, pointers, guidance are all appreciated. Thanks in advance!

For those of us that are forced to work our normal jobs to pay bills and taxes, please take and post lots of pics or videos of the show. As this old man grumbles about having to work while you guys have all the fun, at least I can feel like I was there with you. Wishing you all a great show!

The tables for this show were sold out by June of last year. Due to the bad weather in surrounding areas, a few people had to cancel their tables. I was able to get a last minute table, and lay my stuff out for sale. I sold 5 swords on Friday afternoon. Excellent show to attend.

I had a table at the OVMS “Show of Shows” this past weekend. Had a table right by Matt Brice of St. Croix blades, and also near Matt Jerrel of Sohei Swords. Had a great show and sold 5 swords. One customer asked about flying with swords and guns. I told him to use an Apple AirTag or something like it. <~~cursed myself. When flying home, I had a direct flight with no layover. I used the tag on the fight there since I had a layover. All was fine. I did not use it on the return flight since it was direct. Sure enough, some freaking how, they never put the case on the plane. I get to my home airport and wait for it to come out with the other bags…it never showed! I went straight to the ticket counter and raised holy hell! They interviewed the ground crew here in Charleston and they never saw the case on the plane. The next call was to Kentucky. The airline talked to the ground crew there and they quickly found it…still there! Lucky for me, the case is airtight and waterproof. They arranged for it to be returned to today, and all is finally well. LESSON TO ALL! If I had the AirTag I would have seen the case was not on the plane, and could have saved myself a near heart attack! It is a cheap insurance policy to protect our valuable items. I had two matchlocks, 12 swords and two 50 year old shotguns my father gave to me that morning. This could easily have gone very bad. I trusted the airline to get it right and it went very wrong. US D.O.T. law limits an airlines liability to $4200 for lost luggage. I had more than that in the case! D.O.T. Law also orders airlines to refund your luggage fees if your luggage arrives more than 24 hours late. Additionally the airline must reimburse you for replacement clothes, toiletries, etc., that you have to purchase while waiting for your bags to arrive. Hope this never happens to anyone else. Let my close call be a lesson for you as we go into sword show season. Dan

I have a 4th generation Tsuguhira. Only 3 generations away from what you are looking for! lol

Any updates on the show? Would love to see some pics/stories of how the show went.

1868 is year 1 of Meiji, like @Shugyosha mentioned so 1868 + 20 -1 =1887 Thanks for everything guys!

Last part Kuni Yama ?? Can’t guess the last one. Plus, this part doesn’t make sense to me. Thanks for everything!

Second of three parts, need a double check please. Mei ji ni ju nen ku gastu September of 1887

Some of these I get, some I cannot find. Thanks in advance! Shi ju roku ? hachi ju ichi ? So 46 ? 81 ?

Also, this single character on the outside of the lock; 武 Take?

I see: Tem po Ju Ni ? Nen ? Just for fun I included the pics of the four parts with Ju Kyu (19). The stock has a painted 19 inside but hard to get a good picture of it.

I cannot make it to this one. I will be set-up at the Show of Shows, by the same group OVMS, in February.

I was 24. A single father of 2 boys that was lucky to have 2 pennies to rub together on good days. (their mom left us and dissappeared for years...party girl) I saw a gunto saya on a shelf at an antique mall. I grabbed it and out fell a broken piece of a Showato katana. Signed Noshu Seki Jyu Fujiwara Kanefusa. The seller wanted $75 for both, but would sell me the broken katana for $30. I didn't have enough money for both, so I got the broken katana. To me, at that time, I felt like I hit the lottery! Over a period of 6 months, the same guy sold me a decent Showa period civilian tsuka for $25. It only needed minor filing on the inside to fit. I later found a matching civilian tsuba that matched the fittings on the tsuka for $35. Working as an apprentice machinist, I was able to carefully grind a new kissaki onto the broken blade. End product looked decent. I took the newly re-fitted katana, now a wakizashi, to the Show of Shows in Lousiville, Kentucky in February of 1995 and quicky found a cheap $25 saya for it. Altogether I had $115 into it. A guy offered me $400 for it and I thought I hit the lottery again! Good times!

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