Tohagi

Sorry I made a mystake. This shop is at Matsumoto, not at Kumamoto... Confused, Eric

Yes, there are 2 shops in kumamoto, first is a little tourist like shop in the old town near the Black crow castle, just after the bridge. A little messy, a lot of misselanuous antiques but some good swords. The other one is far away, at the outside of the city. I took à train and walk 20 mn to go there but they have fantastic swords and armours... Maybe I can put a picture.

Hello, I was told that the tsuba not only protect hand against a sliding along the blade stricke like in western fancing, but also is part of a shock absorbing system wich inclued habaki,seppa dai, fuchi and the tsuka. This to avoïd the blade to break at the critical point of junction betwen nakago and nagasa. Maybe the same function is found in naginata. By the way, they were mainly used to break cavalry charges... a stoper is usefull in this case and something to fix the pool in the ground at the other hand of the pool.

Bonjour Pierre, Merci pour ton soutien! Yes everything is well and finishing fine. I will probably delay future transactions including post delevery, it's too much wories. I will very soon post a picture of the full blade in correct light conditions. Trying to get the habaki repared. Kind regards, Eric

Quite a bold guess IMO... Personnaly, even if it is shinshinto utsushi made to delude some fools...it's a superb blade.

Absolutely beautifull blade! Really fantastic!

The issue is not your idea, I'd often though of trying inlaying steel this way, it's your manners... And manners maketh man.

This was quite a rude and unjustified answer. You know noone here, what is making you so proud of yourself? Eric

Thank you Piers, Is the subject of Kinno-to sensitive in any way in Japan? Kind regards, Eric

Very nice, very well done ! Kind regards, Eric

Hello Mustafa, I have an original kandao, and a nihonto of the same time area... nothing to compare in steel quality or craftmanship. Best regards, Eric

Thank you for the answer, I though my post had been drawned by the sand... I asked after Kinnoto for a very long and straight shinshinto sword with a very long and suriage nakago that I'd posted here some time ago (in translation section). Any time I used the word Kinnoto I had a very strange look back... like if I was saying something unappropriated and "No answer" just changing topic. Kind regards, Eric

Good sword with shirasaya and decent koshirae, meï seems quite fine... You would probably want to have papers.

The shape of the Shinshinto Masakuni sword spotted by Jacques is very close. By the way, anytime I'd mention "patriotic blades" (Kinnoto if I am right?) In Japan, I've got a strange reaction back from the nihonto community. Is that because it is irrelevant? Rude? Or just politicaly touchy? Did you had such experiences? Kind regards, Eric

Waow! Hope to see it some day! Kind regards, Eric

I agree with Alex, Shape is good and fit with koto or Sue koto bizen. The chizeling is not very deep and you should expect one line meï cut by the suriage... seems done later. Nice sword! Congratulations... Kind regards, Eric

27'' is not zatoïchi ....very straight sory, kabun shinto or momoyama tensho seems and educated guess

Without that last post, I would think at a zatoïchi blade. (Hided in a march stick of course!)...

That is my feeling too, sorry for the bad news...

Seems to have been acid etched to me... a pity. I saw leather covered saya by the past, but never with Tokyo writen in romanji, very unusual... Regards Eric

Bonjour Vincent, I think the stamp place is uper just under the habaki, there is a like "rust hole"... I see a star when I close up. Honestly, my first blade was not as good as this one, so just feel happy with it. The blade seem tired but overall healthy. Kind regards, Eric

So did I ...often!

When their arms are painfully tired they say: too heavy !

To answer to the topic... I will! I had in hand a fabulous sword, I was sure it was Kanemoto, ...and the meï was kanemoto judged gimeï. It it wasn't for the Kiyomitsu, I would have buy it. By the way, I really like your tanto. beautifull bright hada... Don't feel shinshinto to me...but who knows. Kindly Eric

Beautyfull tea cup and translation! You are a poet... Kindly, Eric