Rawa

Fresh Chinese. Bohi, mekugi ana, writing. Fresh batch of laito. It isn't sharp I suppose.

So star stamp predates RJT program? Ok 1942 officially with testing before. As star is material indicator [army tamahagane] looks like Emura was creating his own steel.

They were running blades only for 3 years? Emura was appointed there in 1940 so it didn't started immediately as inmates had to be trained.

I know but it's proof that there was connection with IJA. Wonder if those blades were sold [prisoners made them afterall]. There is plenty of them. He was warden in 1940-1943 in this period was strict reglamentory of resources? Maybe someone saw star stamp on any Emura? What is your earliest star stamp? 1943?

Where Emura got his tamahagane? He build his own tatara? He wasn't RJT, so why so many in gunto koshirae? Nagamitsu happens in cyvil very often.

"During wartime, Shigetaro Emura, the warden of Okayama Prison, aimed to rehabilitate well-behaved prisoners by having them craft swords" I'm quoting from aoi Japan this year's description. Mei type "E" - I posted 3 examples [Emura saku] have variations so even this sanji mei was done by different hands. Reposting 4th one from older thread.

@Bruce Pennington and rest of collective looks like full IJA wakase but which type? Double haikan with offset chuso + sarute barell connected. https://www.aoijapan.com/katana-izumo-daijo-fujiwara-yoshitakenbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-token/

Kevin I'm going to post here whatever I find. I don't have those items etc. https://daimyou-armor.com/nagamakinaoshi-katana-sword-w-nbthk-hozon-judgement-paper-w-koshirae-a5-573/

I already posted it Sept 04. But thanks easy to miss. Here we go with Mr Ray's example [I hope he don't mind] https://swordsofjapan.com/product/emura-katana-in-shirasaya/

@Eric_P yahoo Japan please. Just maybe pm someone for opinion before you bid. I won't propose them here. And you are USA resident, sometimes I can get the feeling that more gunto is in states then in Japan currently.

For sarute your choice http://ohmura-study.net/906.html

Dunno if you want to restore it by yourself. Guess not. As you commited to put more money go a little bit more. Nice idea would be set of menuki with one having mon. And one mon is enough.

One in Kyu-gunto mounts.

Another example. Looking on 2 mekugi ana it's remounted from T3. https://www.Japanese-sword-katana.jp/未分類/1910-1122.htm Next with new koshirae. https://www.Japanese-sword-katana.jp/katana/2310-1025.htm

Blade is now sold I suppose.

Thank you! Share any info you came across. Akihide from self taught smith over couple of years turn out to have many teachers way before establishing Nipponto Tanren Denshu Jo. With Emura having so many different types of mei in multiple examples we have a lot to unravel.

Third example with same nakago jiri. Mine 4th niji mei is different here which is disturbing [yasurime mached at least] and here comes Nagamitsu... "During wartime, Shigetaro Emura, the warden of Okayama Prison, aimed to rehabilitate well-behaved prisoners by having them craft swords. He invited Ichiryushi Nagamitsu, a swordsmith from Okayama, to supervise and teach the inmates. Nagamitsu, known for being a Rikugun Jumei Tosho (army-appointed swordsmith), guided the prisoners, leading to variability in the craftsmanship and sometimes rough finishes. However, well-polished examples reveal high-quality jigane. Nagamitsu's signature can vary, including "Nagamitsu," "Ichiryushi Saku," "Ichiryushi Nagamitsu," and "Bizen Kuni Oju Ichiryushi Nagamitsu Saku."

Mei have 8 kanji and is consistant with 6 kanji mei carved at nbthk papered example. So maybe we could find there 6 accordingly. Those blades with longer mei could be signed by different person.

Thank you. If you have nakago jiri picture please share. What's nice here is some lines looks like writing brush. I had theory that only 2 kanji mei or with dedications [slough/example F] are made as tachi but no longer viable.

Niji mei [tachi] nakago jiri different then samuraimonkey video example.

Another aoi

Another sanji mei [katana mei] aoi Japan 2015 https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-emura-saku-4/

Emura tokyo nihonto 2024 with bad polish https://tokyo-nihonto.com/products/antique-Japanese-sword-katana-signed-chounsai-emura-hozon

Old thread with many great examples. And example from aoi Japan from around 2014. Tachi mei 3 kanji. So sanji mei exists as both katana and tachi mei types. https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-emura-saku/

You must be really deeply disturbed one. I'm posting many different swords. So I want them all?