Linda

[Linda]

Hello, my great uncle brought back this Japanese sword from WWII. Is there anyone who can assist with translating it for me? Thanks so much

 

[Ray Singer]

Noshu junin Kaneshige kore o kitaeru

[Bruce Pennington]

Google translate says this means "Wild Sake Acceptance Kinshige This is a training " (not kidding!)

[Bruce Pennington]

But it's saying that a swordsmith named Kaneshige, who lives in Noshu, made this.

[Brian]

As posted on Reddit, it means that Kaneshige, resident of Noshu (Mino Province) made this.
He's a wartime smith. Not sure, but may be this smith:
 

Quote

Kaneshige (兼重), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – „Nōshū-jūnin Morita Kaneshige kinsaku“ (濃州住人森田兼重謹作), civilian name
„Morita Isamu“ (森田勇, the first name can also be read as „Isao“, „Takeshi“ or „Yū“), born in November 1900, student of a certain „
„Mizuta Seijirō Kunishige“ (水田清次郎国重), he signed first with „Kanemasa“ (兼正) but changed his name in 1936 to „Kaneshige“, he
worked later as rikugun-jumei-tōshō and lived in Gifu´s Kamo (加茂)

 

[Curran]

5 hours ago, Brian said:

As posted on Reddit, it means that Kaneshige, resident of Noshu (Mino Province) made this.
He's a wartime smith. Not sure, but may be this smith:

 

To add:  During WW2,  The Gifu area in Mino Province was the largest center of WW2 sword production.

Many smiths there signed Kane+the second character of their name.

 

[Ray Singer]

I don't know which specific Kaneshige is yours (there were Morita, Murayama and perhaps others) but this looks like the same hand:
 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Would love to see a photo or 2 of the whole gunto (sword and fittings).

[Linda]

Sorry for the delay in replying! Here's some more photos. So far, it was narrowed down to Morita or Murayama, but now possibly thinking it's neither. 

 

Very appreciative of everyone's hard work looking into this for me too 

 

https://m.imgur.com/a/NyvQwCt

 

[Linda]

Also, sorry for the double up of info on all the different platforms I have posted this to. It appears everyone helping is connected here, on fb and/or reddit and I haven't realised I was speaking to the same handful of people!

[Bruce Pennington]

That's a good lookin' Type 98 Linda!

 

[Linda]

Thanks Bruce! So I learnt the other day my Dad as a 5yo boy (now 77yo) use to take it out and swing at the wooden railing outside his house with all of his might 😱. It was too heavy for him to hold so he'd lay it on the floor to slide out the blade. It's treated with much more respect these days. 

[ChrisW]

Yikes! Good thing its in your hands now!