Translation help with Kicho papered Shimosaka wakizashi

[Lexvdjagt]

Hello NMB,

 

I have recently acquired a wakizashi, the seller told me that the sword was from the Shimosaka smithline, but the kicho paper seems to give a more specific attribution to the piece. The paper is from 1960. 

 

Could someone help me translate the NBTHK attribution further?

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

Greetings,

Lex van der Jagt

[SteveM]

It says Shimosaka, but the "Shimo" character has been altered into a "Masa" character. 

 

So 下坂 → 正坂  

 

This was done (supposedly) because the connotations of the combination of 下＋坂 were thought to be unlucky, and potentially insulting to the rulers of the time. Shimosaka, when deconstructed, can be read as "going downhill" or even "the fall of Osaka". So the theory is that the owners would have the kanji character altered to a less objectionable character. 

 

The paper doesn't identify the specific maker any further than "Shimosaka".