Seven letters on Tanto blade

[Bugyotsuji]

The owner of this blade has never been able to read the seven characters on it. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you.

 

PS Just getting ready for a long international flight so may not be able to reply immediately.

 

Aaaarrrggghhh... the iPhone sometimes does this to me!!! Trying again to get the right orientation. How's this?

 

And with luck the whole blade...

[Robert Mormile]

Piers:

 

My guess is some kind of Buddhist chant or prayer to go with the deity horimono below it, perhaps:

 

文菊一剣起恒照

 

This one is rather challenging for me.

Best of luck. Robert

[k morita]

為留一剣起臣助

[Robert Mormile]

Mr. Morita:

Is it, Tame Ryu Ichi Ken Ki Shin Suke?

Is this a prayer or a name?

 

Piers:

Is this shinsakuto?

 

Thank you.

Robert

[John A Stuart]

What does that mean? In order to stop one sword awaken a retainer for help. To serve and preserve, one sword to rise to minister and assist. Huh??? John

[Bugyotsuji]

Morita Sama, many thanks for that! Splendid! I have passed the link

to this thread to my NBTHK Sensei.

Can you write the meaning in Japanese here?

I understand it might be hard to express it in English, but with modern

Japanese we can maybe approach some middle ground.

 

Oh, I think it was Koto, Robert, just checking.

[mywei]

i'm not really versed in these things, but I think its something to do with the 47 ronin?

[Bazza]

But then it couldn't be Koto...

 

BaZZa.

[k morita]

I agree with BaZZa.

 

Piers,

一剣を留め、起ちて臣の助と為す。

"Ikken o todome(or tame) tachi te shin no suke to nasu."

English meaning(rude free translation) is :[to take action with owning one sword, it's helpful for samurai.]

 

Sorry poor my English,the Kanji text has more profound and deep meaning.

[Bugyotsuji]

Bizen Kuni Ju Osafune Yukikane. Bunroku 2 Nen. (Right at the end of Koto Period.)

 

Wakizashi, 39.9 cm.

 

Morita Sama, as always, thank you so much.

 

(Incheon, Seoul)