Surrender tag

[shakudo]

Hi, Im cleaning my drawers and have found this surrender tag and well -curiosity kills the cat- can any one translate please. Only one side seems fresh, the two character side seems messy-  smudged characters so not  sure if related to other side. Any info greatly appreciated. Katana is civilian mounted, no leather cover and a large edo tsuba. Saya is split and ranky but the koji is an iron dragon with touches of gold on 'whiskers'. I have been able to find a perfectly matching tsuba so am in process of developing a full koshirae.

I've had tsuka retied with jinbara and dragon menuki. Sorry I digress!

Translation please. Cheers 

[Bugyotsuji]

This one is very clear and of low level of difficulty if anyone wants to have a go, Mike. I do not want to spoil a fun exercise.

 

One on side it says the name of the owner, 'Kato'. On the other is the full name and address of same said Kato.

[george trotter]

Just thinking out loud...since this is a "samurai" mounted sword (is it signed/dated?) with a name and address without any military ID markings, could it be one of the thousands of civilian owned swords the allies forced to be handed in to local police stations starting in 1946...and became one of those picked out by an allied occupation soldier from the pile at the local police station...I.e. not a "surrendered" war sword? Probably the Kato family still talk about how the family sword was stolen by the allies.

 

[shakudo]

Hi George, yes signed but not dated. 

Tadayoshi- whats the saying- 11 out out of 10 are gimei?  Purchased from USA 15 years ago so no idea on provenance.

Thanks all very interesting experience!

Cheers