Translation Assistance Please

[Jon D]

Hi Everyone,

I really appreciate your help with this. I recently purchased a Katana with a signed tang on both sides. This is my very first purchase. It has a very odd handle with a metal scabbard. Any assistance is appreciated. 

Jon D

[Joseph P.]

Hello Jon,

Welcome to the forum. I believe the sword is dated "August, 1943". The shorter signature with only two characters should be the name of the smith.

 

Please wait for this to be confirmed and for further translation, as I am still learning.

[Bugyotsuji]

Maybe
勝正 Katsumasa

正和十八年八月 August of Showa 18

 

 

[Rawa]

Could you give us better photo of tsuba? Someone remade tsuka.

[Bruce Pennington]

Wartime sword that likely had a damaged tsuka (handle).  Someone along the way crafted a new wooden handle, but kept the Army kabutogane (end cap).

[Kiipu]

Also note the Nagoya 名 inspection mark.

[Jon D]

Here is a better picture of the tsuba. 

[Jon D]

11 hours ago, Joseph P. said:

Hello Jon,

Welcome to the forum. I believe the sword is dated "August, 1943". The shorter signature with only two characters should be the name of the smith.

 

Please wait for this to be confirmed and for further translation, as I am still learning.

Thank you Joseph! It is great to be able to join this community.

[mecox]

@Jon D    Hi Jon,   there are examples and history of your swordsmith Katsumasa in the NMB   Downloads (top of page)  in paper  Kojima Tokijiro Kanemichi and Kojima Tosho Family

[ROKUJURO]

Jon,

it is not a KATANA but a military TACHI. The TSUBA is a recent imitation (not Japanese, I believe).

[Spartancrest]

Hi Jon, is it possible to get an image of the tsuba unmounted from the blade?  From the number of seppa I think the guard is unlikely to be original to the sword. A look at the seppa-dai might help with its identification. 

[Rawa]

Tsuba is modern. Whats more important is wood tsuka is made of. I would treat nakago with oil here. Just a little bit to kill rust.

[Kiipu]

The handle is probably made from oak.

[Jon D]

Hi All,

I will get a picture of the tsuba by itself soon. The blade is 27 inches long and the total length is 36. I am relieved that the piece is at least partially authentic. I am not sure about the wood. Are the metal flowers embedded in the handle wood completely artistic (custom handle)? Or is there tradition with this? 

[The Blacksmith]

I think that perhaps the tsuka (wooden grip) has been made from a bokken, a wooden practice sword. It looks to be red oak, which is often used for bokken.

[Joseph P.]

19 hours ago, Jon D said:

Hi All,

I will get a picture of the tsuba by itself soon. The blade is 27 inches long and the total length is 36. I am relieved that the piece is at least partially authentic. I am not sure about the wood. Are the metal flowers embedded in the handle wood completely artistic (custom handle)? Or is there tradition with this? 

Bruce posted this above: "Wartime sword that likely had a damaged tsuka (handle).  Someone along the way crafted a new wooden handle, but kept the Army kabutogane (end cap)." 

So the wood handle is not original, but whoever made it kept the kabutogane (the brass end cap) and put it on the new handle. The flower was a personal touch by whoever made it, no Japanese tradition or anything associated with it. This is more what it would have looked like originally. A Type 98 Gunto. 

[Jon D]

Thank you! That is a beautiful piece. Is it worth it to pick up a Type 98 Gunto handle?

[Rawa]

Try to find matching holes :] better buy another gunto

[Bruce Pennington]

On 7/28/2025 at 10:45 PM, Jon D said:

Thank you! That is a beautiful piece. Is it worth it to pick up a Type 98 Gunto handle?

Jon,

Occasionally, you can find tsuka and tsuba/seppa sets available online, mostly ebay, for sale.  Most of the WWII tsuka ana (the hole in the handle for the bamboo peg) seem fairly standard, but it can be a hit or miss kind of thing as fittings were custom made to fit each blade.  I bought replacement tsuba/seppa for my dad's Mantetsu.  The hole for the nakago was too narrow, but using small files, I was able to open them up for a proper fit.