Help With Translation On Tang, Please.

[Michael Cox]

Hello all, Please can you help me on the translation on my sword tang on my WWII Shin Gunto, Thanks for any help. Mick  

[Mark]

Yoshimasa --  Showa 14th year  8th month 1939

[Michael Cox]

Yoshimasa --  Showa 14th year  8th month 1939

Thanks Mark, I was told that the date was (1939) but I had no idea as to the maker until now, Thanks again. Mick

[Michael Cox]

Hi again, Mark is (Kihara Yoshimasa) his full name. And isn't it Showa + 14 = 1940?

Thanks again for your help. Mick  

[Stephen]

I dont know your name sir as required per rules, showa is 1926 but the count starts at 1925, something to do with when your born in Japan your one...ill be corrected. 

[Brian]

It is the X year of Showa.

So Showa 1, would be the first year of Showa = 1926
Showa 2 is the second year = 1927

Showa 5 would be the 5th year of Showa, so 1930..not 1926+5

That's why we work it out as 1926 + X - 1

[John A Stuart]

As per what Stephen referred to.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asian_age_reckoning  John

[Michael Cox]

Hi all, And thanks again for all your help with the Showa date's. I was also told that there is a "Brothers" mark on this sword tang. Is this correct? Thanks Mick

[Kronos]

Hi all, And thanks again for all your help with the Showa date's. I was also told that there is a "Brothers" mark on this sword tang. Is this correct? Thanks Mick

 

Not sure what yyou mean by "brothers" mark but you may mean arsenal stamp, if there is it's not in the photo's so one of the entire tang would show it.

[Michael Cox]

Not sure what yyou mean by "brothers" mark but you may mean arsenal stamp, if there is it's not in the photo's so one of the entire tang would show it.

Hi Kronos, No there are no other marks on the tang! And there is no Seki/Arsenal marks that I can see either. Please see my photo's for your reference. Thanks Mick

 

P.S. Sorry I did not mean to break the rules. I have now changed to my real name!   

[Kronos]

Then I'm not sure what you are referring to, there's only the smiths name and date.

[Michael Cox]

Then I'm not sure what you are referring to, there's only the smiths name and date.

Hi Kronos, That's fine. It was the guy that I got the sword from that said that it had the "Brothers" mark on it. I have no idea what he meant by this either? Thanks anyway, Mick