Wakizashi mei help

[pcfarrar]

Can anyone assist me with this wakizashi that belongs to a friend. Quite a tricky one for me anyway.

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

[John A Stuart]

The main part. I may have transcribed some kanji wrong, might help you. 仲谷鎌太邸仇刀 An inscription about what the sword is to be used against. Maybe???

[Markus]

Some small corrections:

 

十郎左衛門男・仲谷鎌太郎佩刀

 

Jurôzaemon-nan - Nakatani Kamatarô haitô

"worn by Nakatani (also read as Nakaya) Kamatarô, son of Jurôzaemon"

[k morita]

Markus,

Your the translation is perfect! :D

[pcfarrar]

Thanks for the information, I'm now the owner of this sword so I will try and put up some photos.

 

Is there any way to trace the original owner? I guess the Japanese must have an equivalent of ancestry.co.uk?

 

Also as the original owner had a surname presumably he must have been samurai? Would the inscription have been done by the swordsmith who made the sword or perhaps a later addition? Sword is ubu and appears to be shin-shinto.

[Jorgensen]

Shape of sword, in first glance, makes me think late koto... There is also more rust present in the lower part of nakago... Shortened wakizashi it might be?!

[cabowen]

Don't usually see kesho yasuri-me on koto or shortened blades.....I would bet shinshinto....

[pcfarrar]

Definitely Shin-Shinto, especially since its ubu. I think it was made in the style of a koto blade.