Help With Mei

[Mark]

I have a Shinshinto katana signed Toban Ju Minamoto Toshiyuki Saku. On the other side of the nakago that is giving me trouble.

 

Any help appreciated

 

thanks

[Shugyosha]

This isn't a lot of help but it kept me amused for half an hour trying to match the kanji - I hope you don't mind me having a play as I love a puzzle and I'm trying to educate myself. The closest I got was:

 

是 right (as in correct)

 

風 wind??? - The mekugi ana runs through this but I think this matches..

 

栖 dwell / a den

 

袖 A sleeve/ Wings

 

奥 - Inner part/ heart/ bottom/ depths. This is the closest match I can find to the kanji in the mei. I can't find anything else that has the same upper part as this. Neither can I find another Kanji with the same lower part as the one in the mei so I'm guessing that it is a variant no longer in use, or I just plain old got it wrong. 

 

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what meaning you would give to all of this - what you really need is someone who can read Japanese as opposed to someone with a kanji dictionary and time on his hands   .

 

Good hunting,

[cabowen]

是　風　？　袖　雪

 

kore kaze ? sode yuki

 

The middle kanji is odd....can't find it....

 

Maybe a poem....

[Mark]

John, thanks,

 

Chris -- glad it was not too simple, I tried it but it made no sense to me, at least I know it is a challenge. Maybe someone will recognize it

[Nobody]

The third kanji is 柳 - willow.

[Mark]

Thank you Moriyama san,

 

  So is this a poem?  what is the approximate meaning? 

[Nobody]

I only know its meaning as a proverb.

Maybe "take something in stride" or something like that.

[k morita]

Moriyama san,

I can understand your opinion about 4 letters.But you did wrong interpretation.

 

 

Mark,

This four letter is the nickname which proves the sharpness of this sword. Not a poem.

柳風　means "When cutting it with this sword, there are no feelings/response".(good cuting taste).

 

袖雪　means "When it snows on sleeves,when waving a sleeve,snow falls right now."

This means "When cutting it with this sword, everything will be cut immediately, and it falls."

[Mark]

Morita san, thank you for the enlightening translation, and thanks to all who helped, the forum is a great rescores, I appreciate the information