Request For Translation Of Mei. Please And Thanks.

[Stu W]

Good afternoon gentlemen,

 

I've oriented this as best I can with my computer skills. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Regards,

Stu

 

 

[Stephen]

Masayoshi

 

 

im going to recheck that not sure of yoshi,,,hang on

Edited June 3, 2016 by Stephen

[Stephen]

MASAYOSHI (正美), Bunsei (文政, 1818-1830), Kōzuke – Tsutsumi Masayoshi” (堤正美), “Kōzuke no Kuni Takasaki-jū Masayoshi” (上野国高崎住正美), real name Tsutsumi Chōgorō (堤長五郎), student of Suishinshi Masahide (水心子正秀), very dense ko-itame mixed with masame, suguha mixed with ko-gunome in ko-nie-deki

MASAYOSHI (正美), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Shizuoka – “Tōtōmi Kakegawa-jū Masayoshi” (遠江掛川住正美), “Masayoshi” (正美), real name Matsuura Komajirō (松浦駒二郎), student of Hayama Enshin (羽山円真)

MASAYOSHI (正美), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Ōsaka – “Masayoshi” (正美), family name Kosaka (小坂), rikugun-jumei-tōshō

[SteveM]

Yes, Ryu Masayoshi, one of the rikugun smiths. This might be the art name of the last smith on the list Stephen provided (Kosaka Masayoshi). I'm looking for confirmation of that, but I haven't found any yet. Seems likely, but I can't quite exclude the possibility that these are two different guys. Actually, I'm wondering if the last two Masayoshis on that list aren't the same person. One is from Shizuoka, and the other is from Ōsaka, but Masayoshi (正美) is a slightly unusual spelling, and the birth/death dates match, so I'm wondering if its not the same person, or just an amazing coincidence.

 

Anyway, Ryu Masayoshi is your man. 

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/gendai2.htm

[SwordGuyJoe]

Well you don't see that "yoshi" every day. Any pics of the sword?

[Stu W]

Thanks to each of you who have replied. I appreciate your assistance.

 

I can see that the third and fourth kanji are the same as the Masayoshi ones provided above but am not able to reconcile the 1st,4th and 5th kanji with any of those others you have shown. I understand that a single kanji is not like a single letter in the English alphabet but wonder what the other three mean. Can you assist further? Thanks.

 

Joe, I do not have anything more at the moment but anticipate having the sword in hand in about a week. I'll see what I can provide then. It's currently in gunto mounts but I'm hoping it's more than a non traditionally made Showato. Time will tell.

 

Again, my thanks and regards to you all,

Stu

[Pete Klein]

Stu - I believe you meant the second and third are Masa Yoshi.  The first is Ryu, the fourth is Kore and the last is Saku. 

 

 

I believe this is the same maker:

 

Here:  http://kako.nipponto.co.jp/swords2/KT217383.htm

[Stu W]

Yes, that is what I meant. Thank you very much for clearing that up for me.

 

Regards,

Stu

[Stu W]

Hello SteveM,

 

Further to your comment about the birth/death dates matching, might those just be the Showa period beginning and end dates?

 

Regards,

Stu

[SteveM]

Haha - bugger me, you are right!

I was also thinking that maybe 美 (yoshi) was also a fashion of the time, and so 正美 as Masayoshi was maybe more common than I originally thought. (So, there could well be 2 or 3 smiths with the name Masayoshi 正美 at that time, and that it wasn't so much of a coincidence.  

[SwordGuyJoe]

There may be two or three smiths signing Masayoshi in that way, but the 美 was certainly not in fashion at the time. Pretty nearly all I look at is Showa blades and I've VERY seldom, if ever, seen this kanji.

 

My guess and I don't have the time right now to prove it is that this kanji comes from someone in shinshinto times... I'll try to crack a book or two at some time and see what I see unless someone beats me to it.