Buddhist Shrine Ken translation please

[Chishiki]

Hi. This rather large shrine ken measures 71cm overall with the blade being 51cm. It is extensively signed and your help would be appreciated. The other side also has a mei which is hard to make out. I will try to get better photos. What is the histroy and purpose of these?

Thanks in advance.

Mark

Ps. sorry, I cannot rotate one of the images.

[vajo]

I have no idea about the inscription. My eye catches one of the tsuba... 

[ROKUJURO]

....and I like the YAJIRI!

The KEN looks like a simple votive offering and not so much like a weapon.

[Stephen]

Your display Mark?

Really nice.

[Chishiki]

Your display Mark?

Really nice.

Thanks Stephen. The butsudan (shrine) has a great old world charm, I love it. Mark

[uwe]

Have some parts together like "Tenma Tenjingû..?.. (Hoso Ganshu?) Sakushû Tsuyama Jû..." and "Shôtoku Ni Nen..." etc, but not the whole, till yet...

[uwe]

I can be wrong, but looks like:

 

“天満天神宮(泰?)細願主作(州 another spelling)津山住.....” and “正徳弐年....”

 

Now I’m too ???? to go on!

[Chishiki]

I can be wrong, but looks like:

“天満天神宮(泰?)細願主作(州 another spelling)津山住.....” and “正徳弐年....”

Now I’m too to go on!

Thanks for trying Uwe. I think on right edge there is a date 1704. Hopefully we can get it sorted. Mark

[Chishiki]

....and I like the YAJIRI!

The KEN looks like a simple votive offering and not so much like a weapon.

Hi. You are right, probably a prayer but I suspect other information, maybe the name of the shrine etc. This has probably come out of a shrine that has closed down. I think it is early and has the date 1704. An interesting artifact and I think not common to have in private hands. Yes, not a weapon. I have seen Jpanese statues of Budo myo holding them etc.

 

I hope Piers or someone else here can tell me about them.

 

Mark

 

PS. The Yajiri are a matched set if 12, 2x unusual shaped, sukashi and 10x regular, all signed my Hoki Masayuki, circa late 18th I think. I haven’t done any real study into them as yet.

[SteveM]

天満天神宮奉納願主作州津山住鍛冶囗大囗

正徳弐年辰八月十三（？）

 

Tenman Tenshin-gu hōnō ganshū Sakushū Tsuyama-jū kaji

Shōtoku 2 tatsu 8 gatsu 13 

 

reverse side 

 

久米

Kume (illegible)

 

This is a votive offering (奉納), to one of the many Tenman shrines in Japan. The one that comes to mind is the Tenman-gū shrine in Osaka, dedicated to the ancient scholar Sugawara Michizane (aka Tenjin). Sakushū Tsuyama is a place name in Okayama prefecture. It would have been in Mimasaka-no-kuni in the old days, which is abbreviated here as Sakushū. Shōtoku 2 (tatsu = year of dragon) is 1712. I can't quite pick out the month and date, but it looks like August 13th. A closer shot would remove any doubt. I can't read the part at the bottom, so I'm not sure if it is a name or more location information. It has what kind of looks like a kaō at the end, but I think the name of the smith is on the other side. 

 

On the other side is what looks like 久米 (Kume, which is a location name, and by extension a family name) associated with Tsuyama. But I can't figure out the bits after that. This part looks like it would be the name, but I can't be sure. 

[Chishiki]

Thanks Steve, much appreciated and great information. Mark

[k morita]

Hi,  Steve,

 

His name is  Uuemon ( 宇右衛門 ).
天満天神宮奉納願主作州津山住鍛冶宇右衛門

And other side says:
久米北条郡戸脇村　(Kumehojo-gun,Towaki-mura)
Kumehojo county,Towaki village.

[Chishiki]

Hi,  Steve,

 

His name is  Uuemon ( 宇右衛門 ).

天満天神宮奉納願主作州津山住鍛冶宇右衛門

 

And other side says:

久米北条郡戸脇村　(Kumehojo-gun,Towaki-mura)

Kumehojo county,Towaki village.

Thanks you Mr. Morita and Steve.