Translation help

[Nicholas]

Looking for help with a translation on a ww2 katana. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[nulldevice]

士魂    矢田明督之作

 

Shigon Akisuke. Someone else can probably chime in with more info about the smith.

 

Edit: Here is the nihontoclub link to AKI29: https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/AKI29

[Nicholas]

@nulldevicethank you.

 

hopefully someone can provide some background information on this smith. As I couldn’t find anything searching the internet.

[uwe]

Here you go (from Sesko‘s):

 

AKISUKE (明督), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tottori – “Shikon Akisuke” (士魂明督), real name Yata Monji (矢田門二), born August 26th 1899, he was working as a swordsmith from about 1942 onwards, the prefix shikon (士魂) means “Samurai spirit” (see picture right)

 

 

[Nicholas]

Thank you @uwe much appreciated 

[ROKUJURO]

So he used his family name YATA as well in the MEI:

[Nicholas]

While inspecting the sword further I found the sword registration folded up inside another piece of paper under the snaps of the leather field cover on the saya.

[Bugyotsuji]

Tottori Prefecture.
Quite a low registration number, close to the start of the ‘new’ registration system.

[Nicholas]

@Bugyotsuji I’m guessing that’s what the 1612 number represents.