Taking Pictures For This Section

[Grey Doffin]

If you want to have the mei (signatures) of your sword or tsuba translated, you'll have to post pictures. See below for 2 pictures of a sword mei and 2 of a tsuba mei. All 4 pictures were taken at the same time, with the same camera, in the same light, in the same orientation and, other than cropping the pictures to reduce their size, I have not altered them. The only difference is the color of the background. Ask yourself, if you could read the characters, which background would make the task easier? Please take your pictures of mei on a dark background.

Also, the pictures are oriented properly to be read. The top of a mei on a sword is closest to the start of the cutting edge and on a tsuba, as it would sit if the edge of the sword were facing up.

BTW, pictures on a white background are good for showing the true color of the nakago (tang of sword)  or tsuba; they don't work well for translation.

Grey

[Mercator]

Hello everyone! Please help me with the translation and identification of wakidzashi. Thank you!

[Bugyotsuji]

Arthur, the Mei on the Nakago of your wakizashi says 則光 (Norimitsu)

[Mercator]

Thank you very much!

[Mercator]

On 6/7/2025 at 3:18 PM, Bugyotsuji said:

Arthur, the Mei on the Nakago of your wakizashi says 則光 (Norimitsu)

Thanks! Can you help me translate signature on the tsuba? 

[Bugyotsuji]

Yes, these have come up many times on this NMB site.

Check out ‘Soten’ (Sōten) school tsuba.