What does this say please?

[bobtail44]

I want to know if ill buy it. Its a ww2 sword that someone decided to rust remove because rust is bad... -.-

 

Thanks

 

T Spencer

[Mark]

masamitsu saku kore showa 16 8th month

[bobtail44]

masamitsu saku kore showa 16 8th month

 

Thank you much appreciated, I know masa mitsu but I couldn't read the date or much else haha

 

T Spencer

[Jean]

T,

 

You should know by now the kanji "saku". Concerning the date, you comments show that you don't know how they are inscribed.

 

FYI, read this links which I have already posted: time for you to learn a little :D as the kanji ate easily readable.

 

http://japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/nengo.htm

http://japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/kanji1.htm

http://japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/prov.htm

 

 

http://www.jssus.org/nkp/shinto_to_modern_nengo.html

 

 

BTW, the translation given by Mark is uncomplete. With the help of the first link posted above, translate for us the last two kanji of the mei

 

It is a very good way to learn and you will remember these kanji for the rest of your life

[bobtail44]

T,

 

You should know by now the kanji "saku". Concerning the date, you comments show that you don't know how they are inscribed.

 

FYI, read this links which I have already posted: time for you to learn a little :D as the kanji ate easily readable.

 

http://japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/nengo.htm

http://japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/kanji1.htm

http://japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/prov.htm

 

 

http://www.jssus.org/nkp/shinto_to_modern_nengo.html

 

 

BTW, the translation given by Mark is uncomplete. With the help of the first link posted above, translate for us the last two kanji of the mei

 

It is a very good way to learn and you will remember these kanji for the rest of your life

 

Thanks, ill have a look when I get home.

[bobtail44]

Ive read through your links and this is really hard to learn

 

T Spencer

[hxv]

Dear T Spencer,

 

It really isn't hard to learn, but just requires lots of practice. One way to practice is to go through the posts in the "Translation" section and try reading the mei for yourself and then compare to the answer given. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Memorization without practice won't get one too far. I hope this tip will help you.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Jean]

T,

 

A blade nengo (date) is incribed as follows (from top to bottom):

 

First two kanji : the nengo (date/era) here it is easy as you know it is recently made. Try to find Showa in the links provided and compare to the first two kanji of the tang

 

Third and sometimes fourth kanji are figure (you must be able to count to ten :D )

 

Then the kanji meaning "year"

 

Then a kanji which is a number, generally followed by two kanji, either month and day or 3 kanji, month, lucky, day.

 

Try to match the kanji with this info

[bobtail44]

T,

 

A blade nengo (date) is incribed as follows (from top to bottom):

 

First two kanji : the nengo (date/era) here it is easy as you know it is recently made. Try to find Showa in the links provided and compare to the first two kanji of the tang

 

Third and sometimes fourth kanji are figure (you must be able to count to ten :D )

 

Then the kanji meaning "year"

 

Then a kanji which is a number, generally followed by two kanji, either month and day or 3 kanji, month, lucky, day.

 

Try to match the kanji with this info

 

So it goes in kanji symbol order:

 

First half of showa

Second half of showa

Jyu 10

roku 6

Nen Year

hachi 8

Next symbol im going to say month because day doesn't have the long bits at the bottom but it is really badly drawn.

kichi lucky

day

 

I think thats right. So 16th year of 8th month showa period on a lucky day? Even though this is scribble cmpared to the actual symbols the bit that worries me in trying to match kanji on some of my swords that are 2, 3 ,400 years old xD I mean this is reasonably modern. Its good though ive found another way to enjoy the hobby, like code breaking

 

Trent Spencer

[Jean]

Congrats Trent :D

[Stephen]

PM sent

[Gabriel L]

…the bit that worries me in trying to match kanji on some of my swords that are 2, 3 ,400 years old xD I mean this is reasonably modern.

 

Guntō nakarishimei are often very sloppy and chippy like this, many older mei are actually easier than these b/c they were inscribed with more care. Of course, some are harder because they're more "script" and sometimes more archaic, but my point is simply that it would be fallacious to assume "modern = clearer."

 

With practice you also quickly learn to anticipate / recognize commonalities. So it becomes much easier. For example, you look for things like 州, 國, 住, 作, etc. and that helps frame your translation; you don't have to compare every kanji one at a time. Eventually you recognize standard name kanji like 兼, 光, 元, 久, 義, 吉, etc.

 

Make an exercise out of attempting every mei that is posted here. Even if you only try the "easiest" stuff you will quickly pick up on enough to progress.

[bobtail44]

Thanks very much for your help everyone

 

Trent Spencer