Ichi

Yoshi? Kaneyoshi

Yes indeed. This hobby is cheap. The most expensive blade I've seen in the showcase in Japan was priced￥53,000,000 or US$441,000. That was Inoue Shinkai.

Didn't know there were kanjis that troubles even the Doc.　 I think it's Yoshida Isai. The last character could be the old version of 斉 (藤)。 All the best,

http://aoi-art.com/fittings/7050-7099/07092.html gotta hurry up before someone picks it up , Dude.

It's always a same lineups. Free door entrance, or else people won't visit.

Hi Ronin 47, Don't look like a Japanese to me. How about do oshigata? Get a tracing paper and charcoal over the inscription.

Gee, I enlarged the pic, tried changing contrast, but still cannot see the characters clearly. Maybe someone with a better eyesight may. Sorry.

Bungo the Ronin !

an another is 15 minutes walk from Yamate station. http://www.shouzando.com/index.html

... and if you are completely lost, just pray for Mr. Nobody to come to rescue you.

Hi Brain, Good to hear that you are back in SA in one piece. Hope you enjoyed this part of the earth. Looking forward seeing your purchased goodies on the site. All the best, Erol

Hi Scott, I have a sword shop union list. Sorry it's in Japanese. The next closest one is in Fukushima down south. http://www.zentosho.com/member.html Good hunting!

There's one sword shop in Misawa city. I never been there, but why don't you drop by and take a look. Don't buying anything yet. Just keep studying until you are ready to identify a decent one from a crap. Token Tomono Kai Aomori-ken Misawa-shi Misawa Horiguchi 17-244 刀友会 033-0123 青森県三沢市三沢堀口17-244 Tel: 0176-54-2415 Fax:0176-54-2415

Just a quick look at Hawley's. Tanba no Kami Fujiwara Terukado, a Shinto smith active in Mino, Ise and Edo, during 1658-84, and ranked 60 pts.

I thought only Michael Jackson and Tom Cruise stay at Park Hyatt Tokyo.

Yup, It's Aoi. The way they sell these days, in two or three years from now, all swords will be gone from the land of rising sun Aoi Art 4-22-11 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-0053 Japan TEL +81-3-3375-5553　FAX +81-3-3375-5459 e-mail to: info@aoi-art.com

Hi Rod, Thanks for the video clips. Very interesting to see how this sensei maneuver with his nihonto. Have you ever cut your fingers?

There's this popular weekly TV program in Japan that appraise antiques of all categories. It's called Nandemo Kanteidan. They will even go aboard for rare stuffs. Why don't you forward your message to them. I am sure there must be someone who can read English. kt_irai@tv-tokyo.co.jp

Sorry, I made a typo error. it's Taibundo and not Kaibundo. http://www.taibundo.com/tenpo/tenpo.html

Just to let you lucky Tokyo NMB members know that Kaibundo will hold the sales event at their Ginza shop from April 20 to 23. Some of the lineups are: Tokubetsu Juyo: Niji Kunitoshi, Ko Aoe Yukisada, Rai Kunimitsu, Rai Kuniyuki, Fukuoka Ichimonji Juyo: Rai Kunitoshi, Ryokai, Tadahiro, Kotetsu, etc. Might worth a window shopping without paying entrance fee. The address is 4-3-11 4F Ginza (tel 3563-2551); it's just a block away from the main intersection. FYI

Yo Henry, Guido's descendant is attributed to Date clan of Sendai. I read an article on Date Masamune dispatching envoy to Europe before Tokugawa came in power. Perhaps Guido was one of their offspring. Here is a clipping from Wikipedia: Moniwa Motonori (茂庭元徳, Moniwa Motonori?) (1843-1929) was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period]. The son of Moniwa Mototoshi, he served as a retainer of the Date clan of Sendai han.[1] Also known by his common name, Shinsuke (新助), Motonori married the daughter of Moniwa Masumoto, the head of the main house of Moniwa.[2] During the Boshin War, Motonori defended Sendai Castle, and later was dispatched to Komagamine.[3] After the Restoration, he became involved in farming, and in 1889, became the first village mayor of Kashimadai Village, in Miyagi Prefecture (now Kashimadai-chō 鹿島台町 in Shida district).[

New releases are just around the corner. I don't know about your markets, but here in Japan Bushi no Ichibun and Letters from Iwo Jima are coming out soon. http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2534247 http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2521686

Yup, it's a real nihonto. But it belong's to Kashima sisters. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/%7Esumie99/

森山さん、It's a hard call too. Fujiwara definitely, but the last two characters are hard to identify from this pic.

I will double your insurance package !