Ray Singer

The mei is not in good enough condition here that I can give you a specific generation, however it is likely a legitimate example from one of the generations of Yoshimichi from the Mishina school. In spite of the nakago being in somewhat rough condition , with less definition than we would like to see in the mei, please be sure not to do anything at all to remove rust or clean the nakago (tang). Leave the condition of that part of your sword as it is. Best regards, Ray

Still Seki stamp, no change to earlier feedback.

Seki stamp (sideways). This indicates it is a WWII showato arsenal blade (not fully traditionally made).

Please show the entire nakago including the presence of any small arsenal stamps above the mei (inscription).

This is the Showa era smith Kunihiro. Please see below.

The inscription is kikumon Tanba (no) kami Yoshimichi. There were several generations in this lineage, it may help if you could provide a clear vertical image of the inscription to evaluate further. Best regards, Ray

Unfortunately Bruce this appears to be a fake. Not Japanese.

I am sorry for the bad news, but this is not authentic nor Japanese. https://www.jssus.org/nkp/fake_japanese_swords.html

Inoue Shinkai. Dated Enpo roku nen ni hatsu hi. (井上真改 / 延宝六年二月日 - A day in the second month of the 6th year of Enpō, 1678) Echigo no kami Kanesada, made with nanbantetsu. Sagami no kuni Tsunahiro, dated Bunka go nen hachi gatsu hi (相模国綱廣 / 文化五年八月日 - a day in the eighth month of the 5th year of the Bunka era, 1808)

By Yokoyama Fujiwara Sukenaga, 59th generation descendant of Tomonari, living in Osafune Village, Bizen province (Biyo Osafune)

I think Masatsune is a possibility for your sword.

Your sword is a suriage (shortened) Edo period katana. It is signed 美濃守藤原___ (Mino no kami Fujiwara ___). The swordsmith name was cut off when the sword was shortened. Here are some possibilities.

Mark, the sword has a mei of Kenryushi Sadaharu. You can see the entry below from Markus Sesko: SADAHARU (貞晴), Keiō (慶応, 1865-1868), Settsu – “Naniwa-jū Mizuguchi Kenryūshi Sadaharu saku” (浪華住 水口剣龍子貞晴作), “Settsu Ikutama ni oite Kenryūshi Sadaharu kore o tsukuru” (於摂津生玉剣龍子 貞晴造之), “Naniwa-jū Kenryūshi Sadaharu saku” (浪花住剣龍子貞晴作), student of Gassan Sadayoshi (月山貞吉), his gō were Kenryūshi (剣龍子) and Kensaishi (剣斎子), we know blades from the Keiō to the Meiji era (明治, 1868-1912), mostly a magnificent sugata with a wide mihaba and an ō-kissaki, dense ko-itame or masame which tends to muji, suguha-hotsure, notare, gunome, he works in the style of his master Sadayoshi, he also added a koku´in seal in the form of the character “chū” (忠・忠) , chū-saku

長曽祢興里入道乕徹 - Nagasone Okisato Nyudō Kotetsu

Kojima Katsumasa. https://www.google.com/search?q="kojima+Katsumasa"+site%3Amilitaria.co.za%2Fnmb&sca_esv=591b4a927a35bf88&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS1136US1136&biw=1536&bih=791&sxsrf=ANbL-n6Ejze1AZosn-RvdB9Fa5Sqm8r81Q%3A1778542963645&ei=c2kCaruAJ__gp84P2ar8oAM&ved=0ahUKEwj7hcPstLKUAxV_8MkDHVkVHzQQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq="kojima+Katsumasa"+site%3Amilitaria.co.za%2Fnmb&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiKyJrb2ppbWEgS2F0c3VtYXNhIiBzaXRlOm1pbGl0YXJpYS5jby56YS9ubWJIvghQZVjRBXABeACQAQCYAS2gAVmqAQEyuAEDyAEA-AEB-AECmAIAoAIAmAMAiAYBkgcAoAcYsgcAuAcAwgcAyAcAgAgB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Takada ju Yukihisa. Shinto Takada school.

Sadayuki. I would look at one of the Muromachi period smiths who used the name Sadayuki and were working in Bungo province.

This appears to read Yukimitsu. Best regards, Ray

Minamoto Kiyomaro

An auspicious day in the fifth month of Genji 2 (1865).

Here is another Gunsui-to signed 群永兼国作 - Gunsui Kanekuni saku. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/38668-help-please-on-signature/#findComment-400729

Hizen (no) kuni Tadaaki saku kore, dated 1943.

The mei is Mitsunaga

I believe this reads: - Sagami (no) kami Fujiwara Kaneyasu - Noshu Seki ju

The inlay does appear to be in glass, and I coincidentally received this piece below just a few hours ago. Best regards, Ray