Whats going on here?

[Lewis B]

In my effort to observe and evaluate hada I'm curious how more knowledgeable viewers would describe these 'islands' on the hada. I have a hard time believing it's shintetsu but even so I personally find it quite unattractive. 

 

[Ray Singer]

From what I can see, this is shingane. The appearance is typical (a patch of darker, fairly featureless jihada as an island in a more 'normal' body of jihada for the kawagane).

[klee]

If this is a Rai sword, there is a lot of debate about it as it s pretty much a feature of Rai hada

[Lewis B]

It's a mumei Tokubetsu Juyo papered Chu-Aoe katana from Nanbokucho era, so no Rai-hada passes. 

[klee]

It s often hard to tell on old high quality swords as even the core steel often had beautiful forging as well. I can definitely see clear hada in the above pictures so I personaly would lean towards it being part of the hada. Maybe patches of O Hada 

[O koumori]

“…the shingane appearing is a distinctive feature throughout all of middle Aoe as the sumi hada of Aoe.”

From Fujishiro Koto hen

 

A couple of pictures from my mu-mei blade attributed to Chu Aoe Yoshitsugu by NTHK-NPO

[Sebuh]

6 hours ago, Lewis B said:

It's a mumei Tokubetsu Juyo papered Chu-Aoe katana from Nanbokucho era, so no Rai-hada passes. 

got that same email