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Papers should be a start of your research journey, not the end. They are a very educated opinion, but there is so much more to learn depending on what they say or don’t say.

The apparent quality of the workmanship for the piece is very much at odds with the shoddy workmanship of the nakago-ana - it is not centred, and it has chips off in places. In addition to that, the way that the nakago-ana cuts through the raised items in the centre indicates a later alteration.

I discovered that this text is available in the National Diet Library Digital Archive. 鍛錬會の刀匠宮口靖廣氏鍛錬の図 雄山閣編輯局 編『日本刀剣の研究』第1輯,雄山閣,昭和9. 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1213283 (参照 2026-03-26) I therefore believe this was taken whilst master swordsmith Yasuhiro Miyaguchi was forging. My previous translation was of a different caption. My apologies.

Just picked this up. A 1934 paper weight commemorating the birthday of Crown Prince Akihito. John C.

A glorious piece of workmanship - but the material itself is just not up to the task. The fukurin is the only element keeping this piece together. https://www.jauce.com/auction/1224137596 I have to wonder if it was altered to be used as a tsuba? The seppa-dai area does not look as you would expect.

Thanks again, Steve. Found a few online now that I know what I'm looking for. John C.

Here's the one I got, quite happy with it. I would have loved number 27 or 58, but the bidding went up too quickly. Here's mine, from the Tenhô school.

It's a paper weight - 文鎮 - the kind used when doing calligraphy.

The same sword together with a translation from the Token Bijutsu 705. 705_NBTHK_October_2015.pdf

I would have liked to buy the Onin tsuba but too much for me I won this one. Nice to recent papers #218

Well, it is the other way around. Soshu was inspired by Ko-Bizen and Ko-Hoki…. So Soshu occasionally looks like KoBizen and KoHoki. When I phrased my pseudo haiku I had exactly that TB quote in mind… Well done to Rohan for following the clues! In fact, for those in Japan currently or passing through, if you visit the NBTHK JuBi exhibition, there is a Norishige which looks like a Ko-Bizen blade (except that the jamón shape in the upper third stabilises similarly to an Osafune hamon). Even the label in the glass window talks about how Norishige was inspired by KoBizen when making that blade.

This smith's name is also read as Teruyoshi. From Sesko below: "he was then employed by the Matsudaira family (松平), the daimyō of Musashi´s Kawagoe fief (川越藩), he moved to the fief and was granted with the family name Fujieda, in the first year of Bunkyū (文久, 1861) he also got the permission to engrave the three-part tomoe crest of the Matsudaira clan"

Agreed, and the material looks traditionally Chinese.

皇太子殿下御誕生 奉祝會記念 昭和九年　五月三十日 　　　　　　　三十一日 財団法人 宮内省互助会 This is believed to be a commemorative gift distributed to officials of the Imperial Household Agency following the birth of Crown Prince Akihito (now the Emperor Emeritus).

Justin, buy books first, and read them. Read a lot here on NMB and look at pictures of good swords. Learn the terminology (It is WAKIZASHI, not Wakazashi, and it is FUCHI-GASHIRA, not Fuchi-Koshira). Take your time and enjoy the journey! Coming back to your question: When you have more knowledge, you could decide whether to repair your KOSHIRAE or have one made. Quite expensive! But you won't probably find a fitting KOSHIRAE on the market. On the other hand, you could learn to repair the SAYA, and even TSUKA-MAKI can be learned (if you are motivated and have enough patience).

This is excellent book as was said above. It offers some "hidden" insight on things that really cannot be found anywhere. There is so much interesting information in the book and it creates an image of how things were in past, I admit I have been scratching my head a lot when trying to understand some of the information provided by the book.

Note to newbies, feel the need. Beware of folks that don't step beyond books from the 1960s (boxed in) Its part protecting the value of the books and also a genuine misunderstanding of how new information has come to light regarding various smiths. Call it ignorance Sadly. the recluses of Nihonto. Seen way to many instances of "this is how it is" then it gets blown out of the water Too many BS rules broken. Folks calling gimei when in in fact legit (you know who you are, please shut up) Its nowhere near as exact science as people assume it may be, In fact, mostly the reason i have struggled with the hobby and come to this conclusion Absolute Bollox, but love the swords, Its like two. three, seven hundred or more years ago but muppets here think they have it covered. Its embarrassing reading their "accurate" BS Just learn about what you buy and learn to enjoy what you buy, try avoid the misfortune of Shinsa here, its nonsense. People moan about images then troll like comment, oh dear. F*** everyone else, especially online "experts" that know "f all " GNGB There are no experts, none. A fact i have accepted.