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Good that you asked before buying . It is a Chinese fake .

Concept. Hydrangea example. Look at the ‘coffee bean’ leaf tip. Oak leaf examples. Row 2 from right,No.4 ’Nakagawa Kashiwa’

Yours is a WW2 soldiers utility/general use tanto, of the type maybe bought for good luck or to take to war or available around that time. Usually not traditionally made, but still liked by militaria collectors. Nakago is always a big giveaway.

Another variation in texture, This is one out of the Haynes catalogue described as a Saga tsuba, ito sukashi work.

Florian, as far as I know, the above described technique has nothing to do with YAKITE KUSARASHI (or KUSARAKASHI) but it is the way to create TSUBA with a shallow design as in KAMAKURA BORI or HOAN style. Removing URUSHI after the etching is no problem as it is an organic substance. Not much heat is necessary to get rid of it. I once discussed YAKITE SHITATE and YAKITE KUSARASHI with Ford, and we shared the opinion that all information available on these techniques lacked metallurgical knowledge and were written/posted as assumptions only. But it is safe to say that YAKITE KUSARASHI is a chemical treatment of iron TSUBA using heat and acidic substances at the same time to speed up artificial corrosion on the surface. Depending on the nature of the used iron, different surface structures can be achieved. It is important to note that these processes do not necessarily need pure or concentrated acids as we know them in the West. If time was not important, natural sources of acids work as well. We know this from other cultures where etching has been a standard technique on weapons for hundreds of years.

Hi! The last two characters are 靖国 (usually read as Yasukuni). 和平以靖国 might read something like 和平を以って国を靖んずる in Japanese (to make the country peaceful/well with peace). Edited: random(?) fact, 靖 and 安 are both Yasu in Japanese with similar meaning and usage, so......

Noted this post from @toushin1 at https://www.nihontou.jp/ on X and thought it worth seeing what others are experiencing in their recent interactions with the Japanese Sword and Tsuba Market. Are you buying? Are you selling? Have you noticed swords are moving or prices are rising?Having you noticed a shift in market sentiment in the west or in Japan? Worth finding out what others think. 美術刀剣 刀心: "Recently, the market price of Japanese swords has been rising again. While inflation and other cost increases are contributing factors, I personally believe that increased overseas demand is a major driving force behind the price increase. Our sword shop is small, so we don't experience this to the same extent, but from what I've heard from various people, larger sword shops seem to be selling a considerable number of swords overseas. The weaker yen has increased the purchasing power of people overseas, leading to a rise in demand and prices. In recent years, it's estimated that several thousand to 10,000 swords leave Japan each year and go to people overseas. I think it's very gratifying that people overseas are showing interest in Japanese swords, which can be considered symbols of Japanese spirit and culture. Furthermore, considering the current situation in Japan where interest in Japanese culture and swords has waned and fewer people own them, I feel it's wonderful that people overseas are purchasing and cherishing them. On the other hand, I worry that if this continues, excellent Japanese swords will become unattainable for Japanese people. Or perhaps, the future where people travel abroad to admire famous Japanese swords... I fear that such a future may be closer than we think. In order to prevent Japanese swords, which can be considered the very soul of Japanese culture, from becoming something distant, I hope that more people will learn about them, actually touch them, and become interested in them. We will do our best, however small our contribution may be, and we would be grateful for your support. #ProtectJapan #MadeInJapan #JapaneseCulture #JapaneseSword #JapaneseSoul"

Hello Nihonto Fans, Yes, me again 😁 My second purchase this weekend! 117 gram - iron 7,8 x 7,8 x 0,40 cm All info and comments are welcome (as always 😉)

Hi Piers! I see that my short barrel otsuzu is on display. I warms my hart to see it in good use. I have a reservation though. It is always displayed with a fire arrow Bo-hiya. I think most can agree that the barrel is to short to build up enough gas from the exploding gun powder to push such an item to any lenghts. My thought is that such a short barreled gun is more suited for scrapnel on a short distans, more like a shotgun. But that is just my idea. Regards, Anthony

Thank you all. I can't decide on which leaf to choose... 🤷🏻‍♂️😁

Thank you Piers! My vote is for KASHIWA as it also has some traditional meaning behind it. I really like it as a motif on TSUBA.

All great @Bruce Pennington if You missed this looks like tokyo kokura stamp on one side.

Will be my first time attending the Orlando show. Very excited to experience it. As a 17 year practitioner of Tai Chi (body too old and painful for my old Shito-ryu karate days ) I appreciate and look forward to the demonstration along with the swords and spears demos. Sounds like a great show.

Hi Florian, Interesting topic. My understanding with Hoan tsuba is that he would "paint" on the motif with urushi, and then place the guard in an acid bath so that the surface of the piece around the urushi-covered areas would be affected, leaving the motif raised above the surrounding plate surface. The term often used for his tsuba is "yakite kusarashi," which implies that there is also an application of heat in some manner. However, some argue that attempting to apply heat to the surface of a tsuba to achieve "melty" effects doesn't really work, and that the surfaces that present with melted-looking areas are achieved via the acid treatments, only. I do wonder how much there is in the old ways of metal working in Japan that we do not know about or have access to.

I would like to post here some pictures related to shark skin. I hope that someone will find it helpfull.

Dear Florian. Just some thoughts to add. Like you I have etched soft metals but this link, https://needlewatcher.com/marketplace/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CN_Sugaie-Dragon-tsuba.pdf suggests the aqua forte or nitric acid approach for iron. It is perhaps the case that a generalised use of the term lacquer here might be less than helpful. The term I am used to is stopping out varnish and this is a much softer medium than Japanese lacquer and can be removed with a solvent thus avoiding the use of heat. I attach images of a tsuba I own which shows an etched design, there is something quite distinctive about the outline of the etched areas which would suggest that this one has been etched but then not subject to yakite which would give a much more nuanced surface and design outline I feel. All the best.

I acquired this years ago as a study p[ece and because I liked the subject. Meiji, middle range export, 21"x15". I thought it was a one off but discovered a much larger version of the same thing sold at auction in the States.

Photo of our recently departed leader Mr Ōmori

Golden Week includes Children's Day on the 5th of May (formerly called Boys' Day). This year our matchlock troop were asked to perform during the morning at the Kibitsu Hiko Jinja, head shrine for the Ikeda family of Bizen (Okayama) which is close by the dividing line between Bizen and *Bitchu provinces. The blessings ceremony was fairly elaborate. The Shojitsu Kenrikata IchiRyu Katchu Battojutsu sword group also performed, and we all provided entertainment for families and their children throughout the day. During the afternoon, still in armour, we sat for photographs with families, and displayed some of our swords and guns and accessories for the public to see and learn about. The day was special for me too with visiting family and friends. *(Kibitsu Jinja next door is the head shrine for Bitchu and the Abe family of Fukuyama, now Hiroshima.)

Some general shots of the place. A B C

As part of the Golden Week display of Sanchōmō they were running a shuttle bus today to the old Nakazaki-Tei in Fukuoka Village next to Osafuné. Spread over three rooms were a display of Koshiraé (no blades), a display of Tsuba, a case full of Tōsōgu, and a display of Bizen guns and accessories, etc. The latter was my allotted corner. Not expecting anyone to visit our humble exhibition, I was surprised to see more than *a hundred people come through during the day, from all over Japan. *Later confirmed as a daily record for that residence, at 110 guests. What pleased me particularly (apart from the obvious interest shown by the visitors) was that I was asked to provide some Koshiraé, and everything that I had brought with me got added to the display. Seven Koshiraé! This is the very first time that my pieces have been considered worthy of their displays. No negative comments, all silently accepted. Made me all warm and fuzzy inside, it did.

Hi Piers! Good to hear that his memory will be cherished! I have such a good memory from our interactions and I was saddened by the news of his passing. Please send my condolences to MRS O from me and Marjolijn. Anthony

Very nice katana tsuka with copper fuchi/kashira by Manuel Coden. Menuki are old. length: 28.5 cm Fuchi 4 x 2.3cm, nakago ana 0.8 x 2.2cm Kashira 3.6 x 2.0cm $150 plus shipping (EU will be cheap, US will be 50 bucks by Fedex)

Anthony, it is so good to hear from you. Yes, your ‘baby whale’ is happily performing great active service, a new life for the wider community, no small thanks to you and Marjolijn. As to the flaming bolt, what you say makes sense and I will convey your idea to the members. We have a 30 Monme with similar short barrel too, but Mr O was steadfast in his opinion that these were Hiya-zutsu, i.e. especially for firing Bo-hiya. I carefully said nothing.

Hi everyone, I’d like to share a recent restoration project. My goal for this piece was simple: "It doesn't have to be pristine; it just has to be 'Real'." I focused on an aging process (restoration) that respects the blade’s history rather than hiding it. However, during the process, I discovered some fascinating technical details on the Nakago (tang) that I’d love to get your thoughts on. Blade Details & Findings: blade long : 21 inc ,thickness :7-8 mm (Wakizashi) The Nakago: Features heavy Tagane-ato (chisel marks) and a deep patina. The Mystery Mark: I found a deep hole that was drilled/punched but did not go all the way through. The Evidence: Upon inspecting the original wood handle (Tsuka), I found a deep indentation matching the hole’s position perfectly. Inside that hole, there were traces of a soft metal—likely lead. My Restoration Work: Tsuka (Handle): Rebound in a deep crimson wrap, aged patina to match the dark iron fuchi-kashira (bird & bamboo motif). Sageo: Classic black, also weathered to avoid looking "too new" against the Ishime-finish scabbard. I would love to hear your insights on a few things: Lead-filling (Counterweighting): How common is it to find lead-filled balance adjustments in period swords (Edo or earlier)? The "Blind" Hole: Does this specific style of non-through-hole for balancing point to any particular school or regional craftsmanship? Aesthetics: Does the aged crimson look do justice to a blade that is clearly "reached its era" (Toji-mono)? Looking forward to learning from your collective expertise!

72 x 72 x 4mm

Why would anyone take a real Japanese blade then etch it to make it look like a chinese fake , sign it so it looked like a chinese fake and then mount it up to look like a chinese fake ?

Yes, it is a simple form of AMIDA YASURI, but not ISHI ME (stone surface).

Yeah, I really should have put "hada" in quotes

Ray skin with big nodules. Classic general type.

Not hada, simply a rather loose etched decorative pattern I think.

Gentleman, I am back from a trip. All books are now packed and ready for shipping. I will ship them tomorrow, Tuesday 12th May. Thank you for your patience, and, most of all, for your contribution to the NMB

The fan is in the exact same position... What are the dimensions? Same artist?

Mechanical removal is possible, but it will probably not create a "natural" looking surface. Scraping and grinding would work best on a completely level surface. 'Burnishing' (= MIGAKI JI) is a technique which does not remove material. It only creates a glossy surface. URUSHI will stick firmly to a clean metallic object and is quite difficult to get rid of with mechanical methods as it creeps into the smallest gaps and fissures. Please find below a test-piece with (artificial) corrosion on one side and URUSHI on the other. Without heat, it is not possible to remove the lacquer completely as it remains in the fine structures of the surface. However, I scraped and ground most of it away, leaving an almost glossy surface.

Dear Matsunoki I specified the design I wanted and had an expert create it for me.

That's a very beautiful and charming knife design. I also have a knife with the same shape as yours.

I think this is a type with "crepe ishime" - there is a proper term in Japanese but I don't have it handy. These seem to be from a school that specialized in this decoration, designs vary a lot but there are many examples where the piercing shifts position around the plate. I have been collecting images of these for some time and note there are two main styles - one with the seppa-dai and hitsu outlined and the other where the ishime is not "contained" Here are three with the same "gumbai" piercing design. If you can find another they make a great daisho! [My "daisho" with a different pierced design.]

The 12th Orlando Japanese Arts, Collectibles & Sword Show (June 26–28, 2026) continues to grow and improve every year, and this year is shaping up to be the biggest and strongest yet. This year’s featured exhibition is “Masterpieces of the Yamato Tradition,” with a special educational display curated by Ray Singer and Joe Forcine highlighting important examples from one of the most influential traditions in Nihonto history. The dealer room is shaping up to be the strongest yet: 41 table holders spread across 60+ tables Dealers and exhibitors traveling from 12 states Seven first-time exhibitors, which means fresh inventory and new material that attendees likely haven’t seen before That combination of established dealers and new faces should make for an especially strong buying, selling, and networking weekend. In addition to swords, there will be: Tsuba roundtables Sword etiquette presentations Toyama-ryu demonstrations Hōzōin-ryū sōjutsu demonstrations Bonsai and ikebana exhibitions And plenty of opportunities to talk swords with fellow collectors from around the country One of the things that makes Orlando particularly easy is logistics: the venue is just minutes from Orlando International Airport, with hotel shuttle service available. Event Details: June 26–28, 2026 DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Airport Orlando, Florida The hotel room block closes in 11 days, so if you’re thinking about attending, now is the time to lock things in. More details here: Orlando Sword Show If you’ve never attended, this is an excellent year to start. If you’ve been before, expect a bigger room, fresh material, and one of the best educational displays the show has hosted. Hope to see many of you there.

I've added some more details that could help I guess; weight 155g, thickness 4,75mm, height 73,20mm and width 66,25mm. The crests on top and bottom side of the tsuba are also slightly misaligned when you look from the side. Hope this is helpful.

Very much looking forward to it. Will be my first Orlando show. It’s the Yamato masterpieces that really made me want to make the trip this year. Hope to see some of ya’ll there. -Sam

There are no genuine Japanese swords ever, where "2 go into one" like that. It's a fantasy construction method. I think it may have been used on old Chinese swords, but these are definitely fantasy pieces.

And the other side:

Unable to take part recently in the live firings with a bad knee, I have been able to concentrate on doing these static displays, and taking photographs. This time we chose a few representative guns, and I brought some different accessories for variety. (If we show the same objects every year, things can get really stale.) Although it is a Japanese shrine and we were ostensibly showing Japanese hinawa-ju related stuff, I included a couple of Korean pole weapons which Hideyoshi's troops would have encountered on the Korean peninsula. 'Bunroku-Keicho no Eki' in Japanese, and to the Koreans the 'Imjin Wars'. In the back of my mind was the possibility that the shrine priests might not approve, so I was prepared to take flak, but everyone accepted it in their stride with no negative comments. Left foreground Bronze 勝字銃 'Victory mark' 'Seungja Chongtong' hand gun, dated 萬暦 Banreki 11 (1583) Three-barrel 'Sanyan Chong' gun, iron, 1590s(?)

Agreed! It’s a wonderful old house. Looking out across the fields of young barley towards Osafuné and the hills beyond. Saw this from the car window as I was about to drive home!

Dispalys are very nice, Piers. But I really love the setting. The building is gorgeous and sets the mood. John C.

And D E F

That is what i see on your pictures Ed

The nakago looks like a suriage. I have a nice bizen muromachi wakizashi in a perfect Japanese polish and the nakago looks like crude and damaged like this. I think not that this tanto is a tourist piece or soldiers tanto. It has a famous shape. Maybe a shrine gift? I would think hamon and hada looks very good. i have played with some photoshop filters to get the hamon out. The hamon goes complete around the boshi.