Help translating on samurai sword tang

[Arielle]

I recently bought this sword and don't know much about it at all. It was a garage sale find so I'm unaware of who it belonged to or how it was acquired. I managed to get the tang off but am at a loss when it comes to translating it. If anyone has any inkling on what it says, what Era it's from or any other info on the sword I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much. 

[Ray Singer]

WWII blade by Mino Kanehisa 

[Arielle]

Thank you, does it by chance give a location or anything else to help better identify It? I tried looking that name up, is it a whole school that signs under this one blacksmiths name?

[Ray Singer]

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28373-first-Japanese-sword-ww2-officers-any-info-anyone-can-provide/

[ROKUJURO]

Hi Arielle,

welcome on board the NMB and congratulaions to your sword!

To give you a little information, this is not a SAMURAI sword, but a WWII military blade. The signature and the little stamp up on the NAKAGO tell us that it was very probably not traditionally handmade but in an industrial process.

Usually there is a date on the other side of the NAKAGO (= tang). If you want to post a photo of this please have it oriented always tip-upwards so we can read the characters. Fullsize photos of the naked blade (without HABAKI) and sharp close-ups of the KISSAKI (= tip) will probably allow us to say more on your blade.  

[Bruce Pennington]

"Mino" was a Japanese prefecture, part of southern Gifu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mino_Province

 

He was Ozawa Kanehisa: "KANEHISA (兼久), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanehisa” (兼久), real name Ōsawa Kan´ichi (大沢勘一), born January 2nd 1915, student of Kojima Kanemichi (小島兼道), he worked as a guntō smith and died July 7th 1945, ryōkō no retsu (Akihide)" [from Marcus Sesko's book]

 

The large Seki stamp at the top is an inspection stamp of the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Assoc., who inspected blades to weed out poor quality showato.  Generally speaking, the blades I've seen with the stamp are really nice quality blades.

[mecox]

Arielle,  here is a summary of Ozawa Kanehisa.  He was a very capable swordsmith but died at age 30 almost at the end of the war, so limited examples.  He was from Seki in Gifu Prefecture and became a fully trained independent smith at age 20.   Your sword looks in good condition.  Any more pics?