Sayagaki Translation

[waljamada]

First off thank you for any help I receive with this translation!  Preemptive apology because it's not a short one...its also not the longest though!

 

This is the basics I know about the blade and might help with translation:

 

Naomune, 1812, 32.8" nagasa, tachi mei with naginata-hi

 

Other than that I would love to know what they thought was worth documenting in the sayagaki and the pics below are in order from top to bottom of the saya.

 

Also just in case I also posted the aoi appraisal for additional documented info.

 

 

[WulinRuilong]

Not sure how to translate word for word.

This sword is a gift from Numata Naomune, the chief retainer and official swordsmith of Kumamoto Domain（received a fief yielding 6,000 koku of rice）, to his lord Hosokawa Narimori, the 11th gen lord of Kumamoto Domain(also the 10th gen lord of Uto Domain).

 

It seems that you get a sword once belonged to a daimyo！

 

[Shugyosha]

Here’s my translation of the sayagaki. I’m struggling to bring the parts together into a meaningful whole but:

 

“Whilst holding the position of Chief Retainer of the Hosokawa clan with a feoff worth 6,000 koku the swordsmith Numata Naomume was respectfully invited by Prince Hosokawa Narimori, equally tenth generation lord of the Uta clan and 11^th generation lord of the Kumamoto clan, to forge to order a celebratory presentation sword”.

 

First photo:

謹祝献上刀 - Tsutsuji shuku kenjō tō - Respectfully offered celebratory presentation sword.

 

Second photo, from right to left:

等十代  等十一代 - Hitoshii jû dai Hitoshii jû ichi dai – equally tenth and 11^th generation

肥後宇土藩主 - Higo Uto Hanshu – Lord of the Uto clan in Higo

肥後 熊本藩主 - Higo Kumamoto Hanshu – Lord of the Kumamoto clan in Higo

細川斉護公 - Hosokawa Narimori ōyake – Prince Hosokawa Narimori

 

Third photo:

細川藩家老 – Hosokawa Karō – Chief retainer of the Hosokawa

聘六千石抱刀工鍛令 Tō rokusengoku tōkō Kitarei Whose feoff was 6,000 koku was invited as a swordsmith to forge to order

Signature and date of blade:

沼田直宗 – Numata Naomune

文化九八月 – August, 9th year of Bunka (1812)

 

Fourth photo:

刃長 : 貮尺七寸五分有之 – Hachō (length) there is (or approximately) futatsu (2)shaku 7sun 5bu.

 

Fifth photo : I think this is the signature of the guy who wrote the sayagaki but I’m out of time to work on this.

[WulinRuilong]

31 minutes ago, Shugyosha said:

Second photo, from right to left:

等十代  等十一代 - Hitoshii jû dai Hitoshii jû ichi dai – equally tenth and 11^th generation

肥後宇土藩主 - Higo Uto Hanshu – Lord of the Uto clan in Higo

肥後 熊本藩主 - Higo Kumamoto Hanshu – Lord of the Kumamoto clan in Higo

細川斉護公 - Hosokawa Narimori ōyake – Prince Hosokawa Narimori

 

Third photo:

細川藩家老 – Hosokawa Karō – Chief retainer of the Hosokawa

聘六千石抱刀工鍛令 Tō rokusengoku tōkō Kitarei Whose feoff was 6,000 koku was invited as a swordsmith to forge to order

Signature and date of blade:

沼田直宗 – Numata Naomune

文化九八月 – August, 9th year of Bunka (1812)

This part it incorrect.

第十代 肥後宇土藩主-10^th generation Lord of the Uto Domain in Higo

第十一代 肥後 熊本藩主-11^th generation Lord of the Kumamoto Domain in Higo

細川斉護公– Lord Hosokawa Narimori

Hosokawa Narimori was 10^th generation Lord of the Uto Domain before 1826. After 1826, he inherited his uncle's domain and became the 11^th generation Lord of the Kumamoto Domain.

細川藩家老 賜六千石 抱刀工鍛冶 - Chief retainer of the Hosokawa， received a fief yielding 6,000 koku of rice， official swordsmith

Numata Naomune was chief retainer and official swordsmith of the Kumamoto Domain(in fact, swordsmith is his "part-time job", he is first and foremost a politician)

There's no mention of anyone being invited or anything being ordered.

 

And Fifth photo：古鞘破損書写 This is written because the old saya is broken

[waljamada]

Wow, thank you gentleman so much, I'll put together a write up of the translations and print it off to keep with the sword.  It just arrived yesturday and is really quite a blade in hand.  It's in general just bigger than i thought and I actually kinda struggled or had an awkward moment taking it out of the shirasaya the first time because of its length.  I got it down now though.

 

Today I clean it, re-oil and then enjoy.