I need help learning how to translate meis.. and this katana

[Eziodjinn]

Hey my friend has this Katana he's thinking about selling but wants to know some more information before he lets it go. I tried to translate it, but what I get from the translation doesnt look like a name or anything familiar at all.. I try doing google searchs on my translations and nothing comes up at all so I know it's not correct. So I'm doing it wrong. Can anyone tell me how I could properly learn how to read tangs? Another friend I'm trying to learn from gave me a sheet with the characters on it, I can translate parts but never the whole thing and most of the time knowing nothing more than when I started is the result of hours of comparing the kanji. :| This one is signed on both sides.. I don't yet know how much my friend is going to ask, I know he didnt pay much for it. I'm thinking of buying it but the translation part is whats really bugging me. I'm trying to learn how to read the tangs.. I know thats not what it's all about, the beauty and quality of the blade should be seen first, and judged on that before the handle even comes off. But when the handle comes off I'm really lost. Even with sheets telling me what signature characters mean. :?

 

[cabowen]

23dai Seki Kanefusa. Showa-to....

[Veli]

You might find this useful...

http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4110

 

BR, Veli

[IanB]

Tyler, I know just how frustrating it can be and still remember the almost hysterical pleasure I had when I finally read my first tang. Not wanting to spoil your fun, allow me to give you a few hints. That side with most characters on has the usual construction of Province, town, living at, something, swordsmith's name, made this. Now remember provinces always have two character names and are often abbreviated (still two characters). In this case the town is a single character. That should get you going on that side. What the 'something' is I will not say yet. Almost always, the characters on the other side will be a date. This is two characters for the year period, numbers indicating what year in that period, the character for year, numbers for month, character for month and then usually 'auspicious day' or just the character for day. That should help you sort that side out.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Ian Bottomley

[Eziodjinn]

cabowen, Veli, and IanB thank you for your help!

 

IanB, the way you explained it makes much more sense than what my friend was trying to tell me. I will get my papers back out and give it another try when I get back home.