Gunto with long Chounsai Emura mei

[Rawa]

Niji mei [tachi] nakago jiri different then samuraimonkey video example.

Edited October 11 by Rawa

[Pav]

Very similar mei, also tachi

[Rawa]

26 minutes ago, Pav said:

Very similar mei, also tachi

Thank you. If you have nakago jiri picture please share.

What's nice here is some lines looks like writing brush.

I had theory that only 2 kanji mei or with dedications [slough/example F] are made as tachi but no longer viable.

Edited October 11 by Rawa

[Rawa]

On 10/2/2025 at 10:14 PM, Kiipu said:

Do not recall seeing this before either.  Possibly a Japanese katakana NA with an Arabic 8?

ナ８ = Katakana NA 8.

Mei have 8 kanji and is consistant with 6 kanji mei carved at nbthk papered example. So maybe we could find there 6 accordingly. Those blades with longer mei could be signed by different person.

Edited October 11 by Rawa

[Pav]

Different photo of the same nakago

All the best

Pav

[George KN]

1 hour ago, Rawa said:

I had theory that only 2 kanji mei or with dedications [slough/example F] are made as tachi but no longer viable

It's an interesting theory, mine is also tachi;

 

 

[Rawa]

39 minutes ago, George KN said:

It's an interesting theory, mine is also tachi;

 

 

Third example with same nakago jiri. Mine 4th niji mei is different here which is disturbing [yasurime mached at least] and here comes Nagamitsu...

"During wartime, Shigetaro Emura, the warden of Okayama Prison, aimed to rehabilitate well-behaved prisoners by having them craft swords. He invited Ichiryushi Nagamitsu, a swordsmith from Okayama, to supervise and teach the inmates. Nagamitsu, known for being a Rikugun Jumei Tosho (army-appointed swordsmith), guided the prisoners, leading to variability in the craftsmanship and sometimes rough finishes. However, well-polished examples reveal high-quality jigane. Nagamitsu's signature can vary, including "Nagamitsu," "Ichiryushi Saku," "Ichiryushi Nagamitsu," and "Bizen Kuni Oju Ichiryushi Nagamitsu Saku."

Edited October 11 by Rawa

[George KN]

If we're making an everything-Emura thread, here is what Sesko's Swordsmiths A-Z has on him (hopefully nobody will mind me copy pasting - I highly recommend buying the pdf, it's great for this!): 

 

Quote

EMURA (江村), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Okayama – “Chōunsai Emura saku” (長運斎江村作), “Emura saku” (江村作), “Bishū Chōunsai Emura saku” (備州長運斎江村作), “Doshū Chōunsai Emura saku” (土州長運斎江村作). Emura came originally from Kōchi (高知) what was the former Tosa province and was from aroud 1940 onwards the head of a prison in Okayama (岡山). He returned to Kōchi in 1943. His gō was Chōunsai (長運斎). In the prison, he operated a forge and a kind of swordmaking school that trained several students. These students in turn worked from time to time as daisaku-daimei for him. It is said that he was a self-taught swordsmith and we know reports that mention that his blades were polished by prisoners. He signed the left radical (氵) of the character for E (江) as curve like ( and the character for mura often like the hiragana syllable o (お). Emura died in 1960.

One thing I have noticed with Emura though, not just in this thread, but in my own research too, is just how beat up most of the examples are. Pics of mine when when I first got it can be found here, but most of the ones in this thread are scratched badly too. I also find it interesting that a lot of examples have silvered habaki. Unsure I'm able to extrapolate anything from this yet, but it's fun comparing and contrasting with other surviving blades.

[Rawa]

26 minutes ago, George KN said:

If we're making an everything-Emura thread, here is what Sesko's Swordsmiths A-Z has on him (hopefully nobody will mind me copy pasting - I highly recommend buying the pdf, it's great for this!): 

 

One thing I have noticed with Emura though, not just in this thread, but in my own research too, is just how beat up most of the examples are. Pics of mine when when I first got it can be found here, but most of the ones in this thread are scratched badly too. I also find it interesting that a lot of examples have silvered habaki. Unsure I'm able to extrapolate anything from this yet, but it's fun comparing and contrasting with other surviving blades.

Thank you! Share any info you came across. 

Akihide from self taught smith over couple of years turn out to have many teachers way before establishing Nipponto Tanren Denshu Jo.

With Emura having so many different types of mei in multiple examples we have a lot to unravel.

[Pav]

here is youtube video about nice example of Emura sword released by one of  UK antique dealers. Sword is sold now but maybe someone finds that video interesting 

[Rawa]

On 10/12/2025 at 8:50 PM, Pav said:

here is youtube video about nice example of Emura sword released by one of  UK antique dealers. Sword is sold now but maybe someone finds that video interesting 

I already posted it Sept 04. But thanks easy to miss.

Here we go with Mr Ray's example [I hope he don't mind]

https://swordsofjapan.com/product/emura-katana-in-shirasaya/

Edited Tuesday at 01:18 PM by Rawa

[Sam Smith]

Gentlemen, good day. Although I am aware that Nagamitsu and Emura are not the same person and that the two may not even be connected, I still have some questions. Based on my observations, the number of works by Nagamitsu seems to be higher than that of Emura. This is very unusual, considering that Nagamitsu was a single individual (possibly with a few assistants), while Emura had an entire prison with a sword-making team of over a hundred people. I wonder, as the rumor goes, whether Nagamitsu might have been employed by Mr. Emura to provide technical guidance to the inmates in his prison, and whether some of the products made by the inmates were stamped with the Nagamitsu trademark. By the way, would any kind soul happen to have the article by Mr. Chris Bowen about Emura and Nagamitsu? It might help clear up my confusion. Thank you.

[Brian]

Not sure Nagamitsu wasn't a workshop rather than a single smith. Very possibly it was a workshop environment with a few people making. I'm also dubious about the claim that Emura had a whole prison making swords....over 100 people?
I would suspect it was a case of a very small team carefully selected and only those deshi were helping to make swords. It's not like the entire prison was a workshop. Not sure how many were making swords, but I'd be surprised if it were more than a handful making the swords with maybe others handling other processes.
Anyone have more info?

[PNSSHOGUN]

Nagamitsu was very likely a workshop operation given the variances in Mei and Deki. 

[Rawa]

"During wartime, Shigetaro Emura, the warden of Okayama Prison, aimed to rehabilitate well-behaved prisoners by having them craft swords"

I'm quoting from aoi Japan this year's description. 

Mei type "E" - I posted 3 examples [Emura saku] have variations so even this sanji mei was done by different hands.

Reposting 4th one from older thread.

 

Edited Wednesday at 01:39 PM by Rawa

[Rawa]

Where Emura got his tamahagane? He build his own tatara? He wasn't RJT, so why so many in gunto koshirae? Nagamitsu happens in cyvil very often.

[Bruce Pennington]

1 minute ago, Rawa said:

He wasn't RJT, so why so many in gunto koshirae?

Marcin,

The army bought and collected swords from smiths all over the country, whether they were RJT qualified or not.  Also, many private shops were making gunto fittings and selling gunto on the market.

[Rawa]

1 minute ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Marcin,

The army bought and collected swords from smiths all over the country, whether they were RJT qualified or not.  Also, many private shops were making gunto fittings and selling gunto on the market.

I know but it's proof that there was connection with IJA. Wonder if those blades were sold [prisoners made them afterall]. There is plenty of them. He was warden in 1940-1943 in this period was strict reglamentory of resources? Maybe someone saw star stamp on any Emura? What is your earliest star stamp? 1943? 

[Sam Smith]

4 hours ago, Brian said:

Not sure Nagamitsu wasn't a workshop rather than a single smith. Very possibly it was a workshop environment with a few people making. I'm also dubious about the claim that Emura had a whole prison making swords....over 100 people?
I would suspect it was a case of a very small team carefully selected and only those deshi were helping to make swords. It's not like the entire prison was a workshop. Not sure how many were making swords, but I'd be surprised if it were more than a handful making the swords with maybe others handling other processes.
Anyone have more info?

Thank you for your input, Brian. According to Mr. Omura’s article, Emura’s prison sword workshop was a state-run operation on a considerable scale. The inmates involved were divided into two main sections—about fifty in forging and another fifty in polishing—plus quite a few more odd-jobbers making fittings. The article even mentions “four (or more) forging hearths, two tilt-hammers of 30 and 25 kan each, plus filing, weighing and planing stations,” so output ought to have been huge. Yet the number of Emura blades that survive today is far lower than that capacity would suggest, which strikes me as odd. At the same time, what you say makes perfect sense: Nagamitsu must indeed have been a workshop rather than a single smith. I’m still waiting for firmer information on both points.

[Rawa]

7 minutes ago, Sam Smith said:

Thank you for your input, Brian. According to Mr. Omura’s article, Emura’s prison sword workshop was a state-run operation on a considerable scale. The inmates involved were divided into two main sections—about fifty in forging and another fifty in polishing—plus quite a few more odd-jobbers making fittings. The article even mentions “four (or more) forging hearths, two tilt-hammers of 30 and 25 kan each, plus filing, weighing and planing stations,” so output ought to have been huge. Yet the number of Emura blades that survive today is far lower than that capacity would suggest, which strikes me as odd. At the same time, what you say makes perfect sense: Nagamitsu must indeed have been a workshop rather than a single smith. I’m still waiting for firmer information on both points.

They were running blades only for 3 years? Emura was appointed there in 1940 so it didn't started immediately as inmates had to be trained.

[Brian]

Yes, but 50 is far less than "more than a hundred" when you consider many of them would have been just hammering or preparing metal etc. How many of those were actually making the swords? If you consider how long it takes to make one sword, that isn't a huge number of swords, never mind the time it took to train them.
I think the number seen isn't crazy

[Sam Smith]

1 hour ago, Rawa said:

They were running blades only for 3 years? Emura was appointed there in 1940 so it didn't started immediately as inmates had to be trained.

Could the training have started even earlier? According to the author’s recollection, sword production was already under way in the fifteenth year of Shōwa (1940).

[Sam Smith]

59 minutes ago, Brian said:

Yes, but 50 is far less than "more than a hundred" when you consider many of them would have been just hammering or preparing metal etc. How many of those were actually making the swords? If you consider how long it takes to make one sword, that isn't a huge number of swords, never mind the time it took to train them.
I think the number seen isn't crazy

If Mr. Emura’s account is accurate, the plant—being a state-run facility with top-level priority—could requisition unlimited charcoal and other materials. From 1940 to 1945 it ought to have turned out several thousand blades. If only someone had solid figures! Perhaps Chris Bowen’s research has them? Could anybody please tell me exactly where that study can be found?

[Bruce Pennington]

8 hours ago, Rawa said:

What is your earliest star stamp? 1943? 

Marcin, 

My earliest observed star stamped blade is Feb 1941:

 

STAR Blades

1.	1941, Feb	Kochi	Akikuni	T98	Csymmes, NMB
2.	1941, Jun	Gifu	Kanetoshi, Murayama	T98	Bangbangsan, NMB
3.	1941, Aug	Yamagata	Akiyoshi, Fujita	T98	Stephen V, NMB
4.	1942, Feb	Saga	Masatsugu		Ganko, NMB
5.	1942, Mar	Gunma	Kanetsugu	RS	Ganko, NMB
6.	1942, Spring	Gifu	Kanenobu	RS	Ganko, NMB
7.	1942, May	Yamagata	Akiyoshi, Fujita	RS	Crusader22, NMB
8.	1942, May	Ehime	Hiromasa		Robin McLean, email
9.	1942, June	Saga	Masatsugu	Na Ho on mune	Shuriken, NMB
10.	1942, Jun	Shimane	Okimitsu		IJASWORDS, NMB
11.	1942, Aug	Akita	Chikamitsu	406	Peter(C),NMB
12.	1942, Aug	Saga	Masatsugu		Kapp/Monson,pg82
13.	1942, Aug	Fukushima	Shigefusa	Ho on mune	MeCox, NMB
14.	1942, Aug	Tokyo	Sukehiro	1525	Slough, pg 162
15.	1942, Aug	Saga	Yoshitada		ebay
16.	1942, Sep	Saga	Kanemoto	Na Ho on mune	Zentsuji2, NMB
17.	1942, Sep	Kumamoto	Morinobu	94; Ho Ho mune
18.	1942, Autumn	Niwa	Kanenobu		Slough
19.	1942, Oct	Yamagata	Akiyoshi	153 RS	Worthpoint.ebay RS
20.	1942, Oct	Gifu	Kanenobu		Slough

[Bruce Pennington]

6 hours ago, Sam Smith said:

Yet the number of Emura blades that survive today is far lower than that capacity would suggest

Sam,

For comparison, SMR/Mantetsu made between 38,000 and 50,000 swords, yet I only have 400 on file (which is not even 1 month's production amount) and I have been tracking them for years.  I bet if you started a dedicated survey and searched the web for a few years, you'd find more than you have now.

[Rawa]

So star stamp predates RJT program? Ok 1942 officially with testing before. As star is material indicator [army tamahagane] looks like Emura was creating his own steel.

Edited Wednesday at 11:37 PM by Rawa

[Bruce Pennington]

1 hour ago, Rawa said:

So star stamp predates RJT program? Ok 1942 officially with testing before.

Someone else may have a more defined idea of when the program started, but I've always heard late '41 to early '42.  So, yeah, a Feb '41 would even predate that estimation.  However, as I understand, it's just an estimate.  One of the guys that focus on this, @vajo or @Kiipu or @mecox, etc, may fine tune that.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Emura was active well before the RJT program. 

[Sam Smith]

6 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Sam,

For comparison, SMR/Mantetsu made between 38,000 and 50,000 swords, yet I only have 400 on file (which is not even 1 month's production amount) and I have been tracking them for years.  I bet if you started a dedicated survey and searched the web for a few years, you'd find more than you have now.

Hats off to your research！I’ve actually been watching the market for Emura and Nagamitsu blades for more than two years. Judging solely by what turns up on Yahoo! Japan Auctions, only three Emura have changed hands in the past twelve months (Oct–Oct), whereas at least thirty-seven Nagamitsu have sold. The tiny surviving population of Emura—so out of step with the theoretical output—has bugged me from the start, and that’s exactly why I raised my original question about Emura and Nagamitsu.

[charlesf]

Sam,

         There are Emura blades 'out there',I know of two in an English antique shop in poor condition and grossly over priced (I think one of Pav's photos is one of them).

I think your estimate of 'several thousand' blades is a bit strong considering that the personnel involved were not trained sword smiths having served an apprenticeship but inmates schooled by an amateur sword smith.

Although the forge was state sponsored that would not guarantee an endless flow of raw material,the economy was on a war footing so there must have been restrictions on supply,priority (who got first call) and transport.

I also read that Emura-san was responsible for all yaki-ire,which I presume means from applying the clay to quenching the blade,all very time consuming and would limit output,the Yasukuni smiths produced just over 8,000 swords from 1933-1945 and while it's wrong to draw a direct comparison it gives at least some idea of sword production.

Emura-to were produced with power hammers apparently,which would be quicker than hand forging but still a lengthy process.

I am a big Emura fan,I think they show 'character' as opposed to many RJT blades that can look a bit bland and those that I own and have owned have all been good in the hand,well built and designed for combat.

Keep the Emura faith!

 

charles.