Help requested with a few characters in the date.

[tbonesullivan]

This is from a Type 98 Shin-Gunto, which unfortunately had the blade become quite rusted, and then someone along the line buffed it to death. I'm hoping / assuming it's just a showato. It's got a signature I haven't seen before, and it's on the "wrong" side of the tang.

 

肥 前 國 吉 忠 - HIZEN NO KUNI YOSHITADA

 

The other side has years since the founding of the empire, but the first two kanji I can't figure out:

 

? ?  二 千 六 百  年之春

 

Are the first two characters 紀 元 - kigen? The second character looks like it might be 元, but I'm not sure on the first one.

[uwe]

Probably this guy:

 

YOSHITADA (吉忠), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Saga – “Hizen no Kuni Yoshitada kinsaku” (肥前国吉忠謹作),
“Yoshitada” (吉忠), real name Kinoshita Kōichi (木下幸一), born 1893, he worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō, jōko no jōi
(Akihide), First Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

 

Yes, it is “kigen”…in spring (春) 1940.

About omote and ura. It might be the thing with Hizen blades and Tachi-Mei?!

[tbonesullivan]

7 hours ago, uwe said:

Probably this guy:

 

YOSHITADA (吉忠), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Saga – “Hizen no Kuni Yoshitada kinsaku” (肥前国吉忠謹作),
“Yoshitada” (吉忠), real name Kinoshita Kōichi (木下幸一), born 1893, he worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō, jōko no jōi
(Akihide), First Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

 

Yes, it is “kigen”…in spring (春) 1940.

About omote and ura. It might be the thing with Hizen blades and Tachi-Mei?!

 

It's a real shame about the blade condition. It was probably a very nice blade before oxidation. It's been polished/ buffed down so much I sadly doubt it could ever be restored.

 

I see that he was listed as both Jōko no Jōi and Jōko no Retsu by Kurihara Hikosaburo. Does that mean he submitted two blades? I've seen several other smiths rated twice.

Edited Thursday at 01:00 PM by tbonesullivan

[Lewis B]

10 minutes ago, tbonesullivan said:

 

It's a real shame about the blade condition. It was probably a very nice blade before oxidation. It's been polished/ buffed down so much I sadly doubt it could ever be restored.

 

 

You'd be amazed what a qualified and experienced togishi can do. Whether its worth the expense is debatable. This is a good example when the cost is absolutely justified. 

 

 

[tbonesullivan]

4 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

You'd be amazed what a qualified and experienced togishi can do. Whether its worth the expense is debatable. This is a good example when the cost is absolutely justified. 

 

That is true. I'm more concerned about how much it was ground / buffed down. Like most I would have preferred it be left alone, like with most old military items. Nothing is worse than when someone has a Shin-gunto and says "yeah I took it to the hardware store and had it sharpened".

[Lewis B]

Post some images of the whole sword without habaki. Should be easy to see if the blade has been attacked by a sharpening wheel at the DIY store or worse, an angle grinder. What are the motokasane and nakagokasane measurements?

[tbonesullivan]

On 8/13/2026 at 9:20 AM, Lewis B said:

Post some images of the whole sword without habaki. Should be easy to see if the blade has been attacked by a sharpening wheel at the DIY store or worse, an angle grinder. What are the motokasane and nakagokasane measurements?

It has, as the Shinogi is messed up on both sides by the habaki. Still, it looks like it only took a fraction of a mm off. The moto-kasane is 6.25mm, and just forward of this itis 6.19mm where the worst of the polishing / grinding was. Nakago-kasane is 6.5mm near the mune-machi. I'll try to get pictures later if I can.