Shugyosha

Steven, If that’s you with the confused face emoji, go ahead and spend your money. I know you’re confused, but please read a round a bit.

Hi Steven, I’m going to take the plunge if no one else will: the mei is as described in the description, but it’s done very badly. I wouldn’t be spending serious money on this sword as it has no papers to back up the big name signature and, even without hitting the books, I doubt it’s the real deal. For swords with big names, NBTHK papers are the gold standard. That’s it, all you need to know.

Hi John, It does look similar to this kanji: 重 It’s normally read “shige” in the context of Japanese art names but is normally used with at least one other character to make a name. Here’s a link to an on line dictionary for its meaning and other readings: https://jisho.org/search/重 %23kanji

My pleasure.

Good morning Gwyn, Here's the remainder: 六段に列する - Rokudan retsu suru - Achieved the rank of 6th dan 令和七年二月二十三日 - This is the date, Reiwa seventh year, second month 23rd day The names of the Chairman and Chief Instructor follow: 会長 - Kaichō - Chairman 草原克豪 - This is the chairman's name so the reading may be different to this but I'll try Kusahara Katsuhide 首席師範 - Shuseki Shihan - Chief Instructor 大石武士 - Again a name but I'll try Ooishi Takeshi 第一三二五号 - Dai ichi san ni go go - number of the certificate, Number 1325

Hi Ed, I'm not sure about the "kuni" as whatever is inside the enclosure in this kanji is obscured, with the name I've gone for "Sada" but it might be "Sane" (真) and also the number of the month (I think I can see eight) so I have: 大国住貞改文久二年八月日鍛之 - Okuni (or Daikoku) ju Sadamasa Bunkyuu ni nen hachi getsu hi kitau kore At Okuni, Sadamasa forged this [on] a day in the eighth month, second year of Bunkyuu (1862)

Hi Gwyn, roku dan is very impressive - congratulations that’s a lot of hard work. I’m on European time at the moment - if no one has stepped in overnight I’ll have a look in the morning.

Hi Mark, I can't tell you much other than the date is the 18th year of showa: 十八 - Ju hachi nen so 1943?

Hi Gwyn, I've taken a punt, better linguists may tidy up my attempt: 証 – Akashi – Certificate 貴殿空手道修業に – Kiden karate do shūgyô ni – For your karate do training 心身を尽し技精巧にして – Shinjin o shishi waza sei kô ni shite -With all your heart and soul 円熟の域に達する – Enjuku no iki ni tassuru – Having reached maturity (borne fruit?) 茲に 師範会の推挙に依り - Koko ni Shihan kai no suikyo ni iri – Here (given) with the recommendation of the teachers’ association. It sounds pretty impressive Gwyn, did you go to Japan for a grading to get the certificate?

Hi Chris, 奈良正長作 – Nara Masanaga saku. Made by Nara Masanaga.

I do find that design very pleasing - some nice tsuba there.

Hi Brian, I think the show is only annually but there’s the North California sword society that has a (mostly) monthly meeting: https://www.ncjsc.org

Hi Jake, This is the one signed Yoshiomi, it has the Nagoya Arsenal stamp and is dated November in the 18th year of Showa. The fittings look better than standard gunto fittings and the tachi mei also adds interest. I’m still not 100% sure that the two sides of the tang photographed are of the same blade: the colour is different and the hand of the inscription doesn’t match for me, however, I’m not a military swords guy but these gentlemen can help: @mecox @Bruce Pennington @PNSSHOGUN

Hi Jake, You might want to start a new thread for each sword and include more pictures than just of the tangs. At first blush the look like a mixed bunch: 1. Maybe a late wartime blade - it has a Showa date and the signature is done in the chippy style of the time. 2,4,5 and 6 look like fakes. 3. Looks like two different blades but it or both could be genuine wartime blades - one has side has a stamp (too small to judge on my screen) and the other is dated to Showa 18 (1943). Signature looks like Yoshiomi and is signed tachi mei which might make it more interesting: 7. Might genuine and might be old but could also be an outright fake or a younger blade with a tang made to look like something older. All first impressions based on tangs alone, for something more definitive I think you’ll need to post more and better photos.

It might be an allusion to its cutting qualities in that the object cut falls with the same motion as snow slides from a sleeve. I don’t think my description does it justice but you can perhaps imagine a frictionless separation of two objects that have been cut by something really sharp. I believe I’ve read of another sword’s cutting qualities being described as cutting “as snow slips from a gate post” and another in the same way that a dew drop slides from a leaf. It may have been in a Markus Sesko article but I’m stretching my memory. Here you go: Sasanoyuki- like snow from a bamboo leaf, sorry I conflated two ideas. https://markussesko.com/2014/02/18/cutting-ability-nicknames-of-swords/