Kanji Meaning/translation, Please

[Bruce Pennington]

Could anyone give me some insight to the meaning of the bottom kanji. The top is obviously the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal inspection stamp. I've been told the bottom one is litterally "That One", but I doubt that's the meaning or reason for it. I've been finding some stamps that are the first syllable of a city name where the sword was made. Any chance of this?

[DRDave]

Bruce,  I'm no good at puzzles, much less Japanese; but if the character is 伊, I found that it's the first character of 伊勢神宮 Grand Shrine at Ise.  On the other hand, if it's some form of 海, it could mean navy. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Dave! The “navy” version looks like a fit to me. That’s going into my Stamps document.

[BANGBANGSAN]

Bruce

This 伊 is for the first character of the name of sword smith 伊奈波兼吉( Inaba Kaneyoshi），he was a 海軍受命刀工(Kaigun Jumei Toko）。

I've saw a few his Kaigunto before.

[BANGBANGSAN]

But.the person who told you 伊 means "That one" is also right when it company with "人”person.

So ,伊人=那人（That person），this word can also means lover(愛人）。

But ,not the 伊 on theis sword.

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Trystan! Seems odd for a smith to use a kanji of his name like an inspector stamp. The many variations of individualization seem to have no limit.

 

Thanks for clearing that up.