Some help Needed to Translate

[Prewar70]

Thank you , Respectfully, James

[Brian]

Some are too easy. At least have a bit of a go James!
http://www.jssus.org/nkp/kanji_for_mei.html

[Shugyosha]

Hi James,

In the info section under research you’ll find Markus Sesko’s Nihonto Compendium. It has a list of sword smiths and their titles. Your guy is in there, see if you can pick him out. 
 

 

[Prewar70]

Is the last character 7 strokes, Saku?  And are there 16 strokes in the next kanji up?  Not sure if the 2nd from the bottom is 1 kanji or combo of 2.  Ugh

[Shugyosha]

Yes it is. The first two are the name of a province and the third is his title. If you can work those out the rest will fall in to place by referencing Sesko’s compendium. 

[Prewar70]

Is his title Kami?

[Mark]

yes, so easiest to look at the first 2 kanji, there are only a limited number of provinces, the when you find the right one look and see who had the title XXXX (no) Kami and pick your guy

[Brian]

Provinces: http://www.jssus.org/nkp/kanji_for_provinces.html

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

great info in here for n00bs like me!

[Prewar70]

The 2nd kanji is a mess but the first looks better except for the ana.   I am truly guessing but keep coming back to Harima, Echizen or Bingo based on the first kanji.

[Mark]

Harima (no) Kami xxxxxx  saku

[Prewar70]

Harim no kami Teruhiro saku.  My head hurts.  Thank you for nudging me along.

[Shugyosha]

Yay!!  

[Shugyosha]

...but now you’re playing the Generation Game. 

[Prewar70]

Any thoughts on generation?

[Shugyosha]

Example of the second generation’s signature here. Don’t think it’s him so that’s one down. 
 

 

[Shugyosha]

This looks like it might be a match without comparing them side by side. Aoi say he was working around kanbun, so maybe the 5th generation. The compendium skips this generation and I’m away from my books so I’ll have a dig tomorrow if no one else chimes in. 
 

https://www.aoijapan.net/tanto-harima-no-kami-teruhiro-saku/

[Shugyosha]

Hi James,

These examples are from a book called "Higo kami Teruhiro and his students" and the smiths signing Harima Kami Teruhiro are from this line. I've tried to put yours with the second, third and 4th generations (from left to right and top to bottom).

 

 

[Shugyosha]

Looking at these side by side and in the fresh light of day, it's hard to find a match.

 

I've exceeded my upload limit so I can't post examples of the 5th and 6th generations, but if you PM me an email address I'll mail them over.

 

I should add the caveat that it's the work that confirms the signature so without seeing the blade itself this is a bit of an academic exercise, if you have some pictures of the blade that might help point in a certain direction.