Sayagaki Transliteration Help

[cju777]

Japanese Linguists of the NMB,

 

I am working on transliterating a sayagaki from the written cursive script to actual text and looking for some help. This comes from Tanobe Sensei, and while I've picked up some of his style, a lot still eludes me. I have a background in Chinese, which helps me pick up the kanji... although some guessing since I can't read the context and the use of simplified now in Mandarin means they don't always look familiar... and I usually mess up the katakana quite a bit. I know it is a loooong one, but would appreciate any help, even just a tipper here and there on a couple of my "x's" below. Just looking for the characters, I am going to try my hand at translating once I get it all together. A couple of the key words jump out to me... it's the connecting language I am getting lost on.

 

Also forgive me since I don't know where the natural clauses end... so one one long run on sentence below:

 

(Right column top to bottom)

生莑匂玎孔一個デx鑪ヲカケx字x有xxxミ么フ鎌倉末期レxx填ノ工ニx當スル者ナラソ夊高ク之先ノ幅差アンテ鎬幅狭フ踏張シキ小xxスタルxxヲxシx匂xカマリ

(left column top to bottom)

x不xxxx肌ヲx成ツ白氣映 ノ立ツ肌合x心xx付x直刃ヲ焼キ肌ニxミテxホツカル寸古坡平特色ヲxxスルxxxスキ優品也刃長さ弐尺七寸七分xx々珍々重々.

 

Did not include the date, signature, and Kao. I can work on that separate. 

 

I have transliterated and translated the top initial attribution, if that's needed I can drop here. And for everyone who likes blade pictures, I was going to post something once I get this all worked out... but those who help are welcome to a sneak peak!

 

Cheers,

Chris

 

Many thanks!

 

I had to break it up into four sections in the photos since keeping it full length made the kanji illegible.  (In photo it’s left frame to right, but starting on the right side of each) 

[Bugyotsuji]

So you are starting on the right of the left hand panel. One line at a time, Chris?

 

生なかご目釘孔一個で桧垣鑢をかけ四文字銘有

[cju777]

6 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

So you are starting on the right of the left hand panel. One line at a time, Chris?

 

生なかご目釘孔一個で桧垣鑢をかけ四文字銘有

Piers,

 

Great point, should have explained the photos. What I wrote is how I would have taken it off the saya- right column top to bottom and then left column. That was hard to get in a single photo so I broke it up but now it doesn’t make sense with the text. 
 

I will try and adjust that.

And thank you answering some!

[Nobody]

生茎目釘孔一個デ檜垣鑢ヲカケ四字銘有之銘鑑ニ伝フ鎌倉末期文保頃ノ工ニ該當スル者ナラン　腰反高ク元先ノ幅差アリテ鎬幅狭ク踏張ツキ小峰ノ凛々タル姿態ヲ呈シ板目柾ガゝリ処々不規則ナ綾杉肌ヲ形成シ白氣映ノ立ツ肌合ニ潤心ニ小沸付ク細直刃ヲ焼キ肌ニ絡ミテ打ノケホツレガカル等古波平ノ特色ヲ顕現スル滋味掬スベキ優品也　刃長貳尺七寸七分余有之珍々重々

[cju777]

And this is why the NMB is so amazing. Thank you so much @Nobody and @Bugyotsuji! 
 

Getting late here, but will send you some blade eye candy tomorrow. 
 

 

[Bazza]

Yes, but like the answer '42', what does it MEAN???

 

BaZZa!!!

[Bugyotsuji]

Barry, he says he wants to have a go at translating it! 

[mecox]

Seeing Moriyama san uploaded the Japanese, I couldn't resist trying a computer translation:   

"It has a single nail hole in the stem and a hinogaki file with a four-letter inscription. The name of the craftsman is known to be from the Bunpo period at the end of the Kamakura period."

Does that mean one mekugi ana and higaki yasurime ?

[Bugyotsuji]

Mal, sssshhhhh............... use the spoiler function 'eye' above! 

[mecox]

oops....was only the first bit

[Jussi Ekholm]

It is a wonderful sword and I am eager to see your post when you are ready.

[SteveM]

Must be a great sword. This is one of the most extensive Tanobe sayagaki I've seen. Generally speaking, the longer the sayagaki, the more impressed he is with the sword. One slight correction, and a question for Moriyama-san. 小峰 → 小鋒. 

And I wonder if 伝フ shouldn't be 云フ? 

 

 

 

[Nobody]

39 minutes ago, SteveM said:

.................., and a question for Moriyama-san. 小峰 → 小鋒. 

And I wonder if 伝フ shouldn't be 云フ? 

 

 

 

 

Yes you are right. They are my careless mistakes.

 

[Ooitame]

6 hours ago, Jussi Ekholm said:

It is a wonderful sword and I am eager to see your post when you are ready.

+1

[cju777]

19 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Mal, sssshhhhh............... use the spoiler function 'eye' above! 

Thanks Piers, my weekend project!

 

19 hours ago, mecox said:

Seeing Moriyama san uploaded the Japanese, I couldn't resist trying a computer translation:   

"It has a single nail hole in the stem and a hinogaki file with a four-letter inscription. The name of the craftsman is known to be from the Bunpo period at the end of the Kamakura period."

Does that mean one mekugi ana and higaki yasurime ?

That's pretty good for google translate, it really struggles with sword terms at times. I'll try and get something up by the end of the weekend.

[cju777]

Here is my progress over the weekend, katakana remains my struggle:

 

薩 摩國波平安綱

生茎 目釘孔一個 デ 檜垣鑢 ヲカケ四字銘 有之銘鑑 ニ云フ 鎌倉末期 文保頃ノ工ニ該當 スル者ナラン  腰反高ク元先ノ幅差アリテ鎬幅狭ク踏張ツキ小鋒ノ  凛々タル姿態ヲ呈シ板目柾ガゝリ処々不規則ナ綾杉肌ヲ形成シ  白氣映ノ  立ツ肌合ニ潤心ニ小沸付ク細直刃ヲ焼キ肌ニ絡ミテ打ノ ケホツレガカル等古波平ノ  特色ヲ顕現スル滋味掬スベキ優品也  刃長弐尺七寸七分余有之  珍々重々

 

 

 

 

Satsuma kuni Naminohira  Yasutsuna

ubu nakagô mekugiana ikko de higaki yasuri[me] wokake yong-ji mei )Ariyuki Meikan?) niunfu Kamakura makki, Bunpo goro no ???, koshizori kō ku moto-saki -no- haba zashi arite shinogi haba sema ku funbari tsuki ko-kissaki -no-rinrintaru shitai o tei shi itame masa[me] ga ri shosho fukisoku na ayasugi hada o keisei shi shirakeutsuri-no-no tatsu hada-ai ni jun kokoro ni ko nie-tsuki ku hoso suguha yaki ki hada ni X mite-uchi -no-kehotsuregakaru ko-Naminohira-no-Tokushoku o kengen suru jimi kiku subeki yuhin nari nagasa ni shaku shichi sun shichi bu yo koreari chin chin cho cho

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naminohira  Yasutsuna of Satsuma

Ubu nakago, one mekugiana, higaki yasuri, four character mei, ????, ??. Made in the late Kamakura, around the time of Bunpo, ???. Koshizori of full/high [healthy] moto and saki-haba Xxx shinogi, funbari, ko-kissaki. Presenting a dignified appearance of irregular itame and masame here and there to form ayasugi hada. Faint whitish or cloudy utsuri. (describes hada and nie) tatsu-hada [course hada] hoso sugha in ko-nie ???. (Showing?) ko-Naminohira (characteristics?). Its superior/well-made features should be appreciated, blade length 2 shaku 7 sun 7 bu, very rare very precious.

 

 

 

 

 

[SteveM]

Very impressive. See if the below doesn't make more sense and help you figure out the question marks.

 

Satsuma-no-kuni Naminohira Yasutsuna

Ubu nakago mekugiana ikko de higaki yasuri wo kake, yoji mei ari kore. Meikan ni iu Kamakura makki, Bunpo-koro no kō ni gaitōsuru mono naran. Koshizori takaku, moto saki no haba sa arite, shinogi haba semaku, funbari tsuki, ko-kissaki no rinrintaru shitai wo teishi, itame masame-gakari, tokorodokoro fukisoku na ayasugi hada wo keiseishi, shirakeutsuri no tatsu hada-ai ni urumigokoro ni konie-tsuku hoso suguha wo yaki hada ni karamite uchinoke hotsure-gakaru nado, Ko Naminohira no tokushoku wo kengen suru, jimikiku subeki yūhin nari. Nagasa: ni shaku, nana sun, nana bu amari ari kore. Chin-chin cho-cho

 

 

 

 

[Bazza]

CHIN CHIN CHO CHO - Tanobei sensei's mark of excellence... 

 

Steve, hat off, low, low bow.  This will help me with one of my Tanobe sensei sayagaki. Thanks also to Chris for his sterling effort at translation and for putting it up here.

 

BaZZa.

[Bugyotsuji]

Chris, fantastic job, as Steve says, very impressive. Well done! How many of us could have started out like that, against the odds?

 

As to katakana, compared to before WW2, they are not really used so often nowadays and give most people a headache. No shame if you have problems with them.

[cju777]

14 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Chris, fantastic job, as Steve says, very impressive. Well done! How many of us could have started out like that, against the odds?

 

As to katakana, compared to before WW2, they are not really used so often nowadays and give most people a headache. No shame if you have problems with them.

Piers, hat makes me feel a little better, thank you!

 

20 hours ago, SteveM said:

Very impressive. See if the below doesn't make more sense and help you figure out the question marks.

Steve - very helpful, recognized a few more of the steel  activity words. Much appreciated.

 

My last attempt before the work week pulls me away from nihonto for a couple days, not perfect but I think is close enough for my level of understanding. Thanks everyone for all the help!

 

Naminohira  Yasutsuna of Satsuma

Ubu nakago (full tang) with one mekugiana and higaki yasuri (pattern of lines crossing diagonally). There is a 4 character signature.  Inscription references the late Kamakura. Made around the time of Bunpo. High koshi-zori, moto and saki-haba is rustic. Narrow shinogi shows/ funbari/is apparent. Presents a dignified ko-kissaki (small tip), itame masa[me] are straight/mixed for an irregular pattern forming ayasugi hada. Corse (tatsu) hada of faint whitish utsuri, ko-nie, soso-suguha (straight temper) streaky, mixed with traces of hotsure (brushed-looking) and uchinoke (small new moon shape nie). Manifesting characteristics of Ko Naminohira. Its superior/well-made features should be appreciated. Nagasa: 2 shaku, 7 sun, 7 bu length (83.9cm/33in). Very rare very precious.

[SteveM]

①This is perhaps the smith referred to in the meikan (historical swordsmith indexes) as working in late Kamakura, circa Bunpo era. 
②Considerable difference in width between the base and the tip. (Note, it doesn't say "considerable", but that is the implication)
③ ～all present a dignified appearance. (this references all the elements mentioned previously, from the "high/deep koshizori" onward). 
④ steel grain is itame with tendency towards masame, and occasional irregular Ayasugi hada.

⑤So much of this depends on the translator and the person seeking the translation. If the client is OK with sword jargon and terminology, I wouldn't change many of the terms, but it can be a difficult judgment. You can end up with a sentence that is almost impenetrable to anybody but sword aficionados. Its like
"Hada with apparent shirakeutsuri, with suguha showing urumigokoro with konie with uchinoke mixed in, exhibiting hotsure, etc."

 

If the person seeking the translation (in this case, you) will be bewildered by the above, then it will take a bit of work to massage it into comprehensible English. 

[cju777]

17 hours ago, SteveM said:

 

Thank you Steve!

[Ken-Hawaii]

Even I had to look up "urumigokoro"! Yeah, we can get pretty darn obscure.