Please Help Us Translate

[Rab]

4 photos made. I ask everyone to help me in the translation. Thanks

[Shugyosha]

Hi Rab,

 

I'm fairly confident that, if it's genuine, it's this guy. I can't make out the kanji after the mekugi ana but in Markus Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan there is only one smith signing with the first five kanji (半右衛門尉), so I think that there's a good chance that it's him. 

 

HIROSHIGE (広重), Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Musashi – “Bushū-jū Fujiwara Hiroshige” (武州住藤原広重), “Bushū-jū Inoshishi Hiroshige” (武州住猪広重), “Inoshishi Hiroshige” (猪広重), “Enshū-jū Fujiwara Hiroshige” (遠州住藤原広重), “Han´emon no Jō Inoshishi Hiroshige” (半右衛門尉猪広重), “Inaba no Kami Tachibana Hiroshige sentan-manren saku” (因幡守橘広重千鍛万錬作, “made by Inaba no Kami Tachibana Hiroshige who unrelentingly strives for perfection”), “Inoshishi Inaba no Kami Hiroshige” (猪因幡守広重), real name Yamamoto Han´emon (山本半右衛門), nickname Inoshishi (猪, lit. “hog”), he lived in Yokoyama (横山) in Hachiōji(八王子) in Musashi province but also worked in Tōtōmi province and in Kyōto, it is said that in Kyōto, he supported the so-called Kyō go-kaji (京五鍛冶), the “Five Outstanding Kyōto Masters,” who were Iga no Kami Kinmichi (伊賀守金道), Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi (丹波守吉道), Ōmi no Kami Ikkanshi Tadatsuna (近江守一竿子忠綱), Shinano no Kami Minamoto Nobuyoshi (信濃守源信吉) and Ōmi no Kami Hisamichi (近江守久道), it is mentioned that he also worked for the Ogasawara family (小笠原).

 

Best,

John